Stanley Woods

Stanley Woods (1903[2] – 28 July 1993[3]) was an Irish motorcycle racer famous for 29 motorcycle Grand Prix wins in the 1920s and 1930s, winning the Isle of Man TT races ten times in his career, plus wins at Assen and elsewhere. He was also a skilled trials rider, competing in the 1940s.

Stanley Woods
NationalityIrish
Born1903
Dublin
Died(1993-07-28)28 July 1993
Castlewellan, County Down[1]
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested19 (1921 – 1939)
TT wins10
First TT win1923 Junior TT
Last TT win1939 Junior TT
Podiums14

Life

Woods was born in Dublin and educated at The High School, Dublin.[4] He started racing in 1921 on a Harley-Davidson and had his début on the new Isle of Man Snaefell Mountain Course in 1922 as a promising seventeen-year-old, finishing fifth in the Junior TT on a Cotton, even though his machine had a fire at a pit stop,[5] after which he completed the race without brakes.[6] He won it the following year. His association with Norton spanned the years from 1926 until 1934 during which he won four of the 1927 Grands Prix, two more in 1928 and several more in the following years. He became disillusioned with the Norton and rode for Moto Guzzi in 1935 giving them their first victory at the TT Races, only the second time a non-English motorcycle had won (the first being an Indian, ridden by Oliver Godfrey in 1911).

Woods descends Bray Hill on a Moto Guzzi during the 1935 TT

Described by the motor-cycle press at the time as the "Irish Dasher"[7] his stylish riding style was influenced from watching fellow TT competitor Alec Bennett[7] Over the years many scraps took place between the likes of Jimmie Guthrie, Jimmie Simpson, Charlie Dodson, Harold Daniell, Freddie Frith and Wal Handley during these races. Stanley was a toffee maker and in the Isle of Man TT history it states that he would bring a couple of boxes of toffee with him for the Scouts who manned the scoreboards[8] on which the grandstand audience relied to follow the races. Stanley was president of the TT Riders Association.[9] Commandant Stanley Woods is credited with the task of training some of the first Irish Army 4 Cavalry Squadron's Motor Squadron personnel during The Emergency as the presidential Escort of Honour.[10]

His career record of ten Isle of Man TT victories remained until the era of Mike Hailwood who won fourteen TT races. Three riders have equalled his record, while another three have had eleven victories, but the record number of victories now belongs to another great Irish rider, Joey Dunlop, with 26 TT wins.

Woods's standing in the history of the TT was so high that in 1968 a panel of experts named him the greatest of all the island's competitors. In 1957 he returned to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the TT races riding a 350cc Moto Guzzi round the course at just over 82 mph.

In 1996 the Irish Post Office issued a set postage stamps of notable Irish motorcyclists that included a stamp depicting Stanley Woods.

Isle of Man TT career

Woods began competing in race sprints and handicap races with his father’s Harley-Davidson motor-cycle, used in his father’s business as a commercial salesman for Mackintosh toffee,[11] and called the pre-war Rudge rider Tommy Green his mentor.[12] Green encouraged him to visit the Isle of Man TT Races in 1921 with his friend C. W. 'Paddy' Johnston. After watching the races at Hillberry Corner during the 1921 Isle of Man TT Races, Woods told his friends that "I can do that."[13] Despite his enthusiasm for the Isle of Man TT Races, Woods was without a motor-cycle to compete in the 1922 Isle of Man TT. After writing to most of the British motor-cycle manufactures, he was able to persuade the Cotton motor-cycle company to provide a machine for the 1922 Junior TT Race. The Cotton marque had entered a new motor-cycle with a new overhead-valve Blackburne engine. On first meeting Woods, the Cotton racing manager exclaimed that;- "My God! They've sent me a bloody schoolboy![12]

Racing with Cotton Motorcycle Company

The Isle of Man Examiner newspaper described Woods as an "enthusiastic amateur"[14] and he started the 1922 Junior TT with the number 40 entered by Cotton. After being delayed at the start to stop to recover dropped spark-plugs which had fallen-out of his pocket,[15] Woods still managed to make good-time and lapped in 40 minutes and 50 seconds, despite[16] clipping the kerb at Governor's Bridge on lap 1. At Sulby on lap 2, Woods slipped off the motor-cycle[17] and got up and continued, but hit the same kerb again at Governor's Bridge, losing part of the exhaust. A fire in the pits at the TT Grandstand followed which was extinguished by pit-attendants and by Woods himself, using an overcoat. Further problems occurred at Braddan Bridge, when Woods had to stop to replace an exhaust valve, after the inlet push-rod had broken.[15] At Greeba Castle he discovered the brakes had failed after the rear brake cam lever had split[15] a result of the pit-fire. Woods continued the 1922 Junior TT Race with no brakes, and again fell off at the Ramsey Hairpin on the last lap,[7] still finishing the race in 5th place, in a time of 3 hours, 55 minutes and 33 seconds.

Isle of Man TT race victories
YearRace & CapacityMake of MotorcycleAverage Speed
1923Junior 350ccCotton55.73 mph
1926Senior 500ccNorton67.54 mph
1932Junior 350ccNorton77.16 mph
1932Senior 500ccNorton79.83 mph
1933Junior 350ccNorton78.08 mph
1933Senior 500ccNorton81.04 mph
1935Lightweight 250ccMoto Guzzi71.56 mph
1935Senior 500ccMoto Guzzi84.68 mph
1938Junior 350ccVelocette KTT Mk VIII84.08 mph
1939Junior 350ccVelocette KTT Mk VIII83.19 mph

TT career summary
Finishing Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6thDNF
Number of times103142116

Dutch TT race victories

Woods won the Dutch TT six times on the early Assen circuit.

YearCapacityMake of Motorcycle
1927, 25 June500ccNorton
1928, 23 June350ccNorton
1931, 11 July350ccNorton
1932, June, 25350ccNorton
1933350ccNorton
1933500ccNorton

Other victories
DateCapacityMake of MotorcycleGrand Prix & circuitAverage Speed
1924600ccNew Imperial (980cc)[18]Ulster Grand Prix, Clady Circuit, Dundrod, Northern Ireland72.71 mph
1925600ccNew Imperial (980cc)Ulster Grand Prix65.26 mph
1927500ccNortonSwiss Grand Prix, Circuit de Meyrin, Genève
1927500ccNortonBelgium Grand Prix, Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps
1928500ccNortonGrand-Prix de L'U.M.F, Bordeaux, France
1930500ccNortonUlster Grand Prix80.56 mph
1930500ccNortonGrand-Prix de L'U.M.F, Pau, France
1931500ccNortonGerman Grand Prix, Nürburgring
1931500ccNortonBelgium Grand Prix
1931500ccNortonSwiss Grand Prix, Bremgarten, Bern
1931500ccNortonUlster Grand Prix86.43 mph
1932500ccNortonGrand-Prix de L'U.M.F, Circuit of Reims, France
1932500ccNortonBelgium Grand Prix
1932350ccNortonSwiss Grand Prix
1932500ccNortonSwiss Grand Prix
1932500ccNortonUlster Grand Prix85.15 mph
1933500ccNortonSwiss Grand Prix
1933500ccNortonUlster Grand Prix87.43 mph
1935500ccHusqvarnaSwedish Grand Prix, Saxtorp
1939350ccVelocetteUlster Grand Prix91.65 mph

See also
  • List of people on stamps of Ireland

Notes
  1. Reynolds, Jim (31 July 1993). "Obituary: Stanley Woods". The Independent. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. McDiarmid, Mac (2004). The magic of the TT : a century of racing over the Mountain. Yeovil, Somerset ; Newbury Park, Calif: Haynes. ISBN 1-84425-002-4.
  3. Isle of Man Eaxminer dated 8 August 1993
  4. "Past Pupils". The High School, Dublin. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  5. "Meetings – 1922 TT". The Isle of Man TT Official Site. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  6. "The History of the TT: The Mountain Course". iomtt.com. 18 February 2007. Archived from the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  7. Savage, Mike (1997). TT heroes : a personal selection. Isle of Man: Amulree Publications. pp. s. 133–134. ISBN 0-9521126-9-8.
  8. "Competitor Profile: Stanley Woods". The Isle of Man TT Official Site. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  9. Wheelers, Malc (2016). "The TTRA: Badge of Honour". TT Riders Association. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  10. Barbour, Comdt Oliver. "2 Cavalry Squadron History". homepage.eircom.net. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
  11. Denis, May (1958). Pastmasters of Speed. London: Temple Press. p. 41.
  12. Tourist Trophy 90 Glorious Years of the Worlds Greatest Road Race – page 69. Classic Racer Special 1997
  13. History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races 1907–1989. Richmond, England: Hazleton. 1990. p. 39. ISBN 0-905138-71-6.
  14. Isle of Man Examiner page 5 dated 26 May 1922
  15. May (1958), pp 39
  16. Isle of Man Examiner dated 19 June 1922
  17. Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 11 June 1922
  18. McDowell, Robert (5 September 2005). "The McDowell Trophy". Vintage Motor Cycle Club, Northern Ireland Section. Archived from the original on 22 June 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2006.

Photos
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