Wal Handley
Walter Leslie Handley , (April 5 1902 - November 15 1941), was born in Aston, Birmingham, [1] and was a famous Inter-War motorcycle racer, that also raced cars, and died in WW II.
Motorcycle racing
OK-Supreme
In 1922 he rode an OK-Supreme in the first TT Lightweight race held at the Isle of Man TT and set the fastest lap of 51.00 mph on an OK-Supreme even though he did not finish the race.[2] In the 1923 Isle of Man TT he tried entering the Lightweight and the Junior TT races, coming eighth in the Lightweight, but failing to finish in the Junior.
Rex-Acme
In 1922 the Rex and Acme motorcycle companies were amalgamated to form Rex-Acme. Walter Handley raced Rex-Acme motorcycles from 1924 to 1928, making them famous, and even became a company director, but left in 1928 to ride different machinery. Handley rode Rex-Acmes using the Blackburne 173 cc single, and, in the 1926 Senior TT, the Rex-Acme ohv 498 cc V twin. [3]
In 1924 he entered the Junior, Lightweight, and Super-Lightweight classes on Rex-Acme motorcycles, but failed to finish in any event. In the 1925 Isle of Man TT, entering the same races, and still riding for Rex-Acme, he won both the Junior and Super-Lightweight TT races, with a DNF in the Lightweight. That double win was the first time a rider had won two TT races in one week. [4] In 1926 he came second in the Senior TT, and third in the Junior TT, with a DNF in the Lightweight TT. In 1927 he came first in the Lightweight TT, with a DNF in the Junior TT. In 1928 his Senior and Lightweight entries both failed to finish.
A variety of machinery and accomplishments
In 1928 Motosacoche made a name in the Grand Prix, with the 350 M 35 ohc racing bike, built by Dougal Marchand, of England, ridden to two European championship titles, 350 and 500, by Walter Handley. [5]
For the 1929 Isle of Man TT he rode AJS motorcycles in the Senior and Junior, and an OK-Supreme in the Lightweight. He came second in the Junior on the AJS, and did not finish the other races.
He won the Senior Manx TT in 1930 on a Rudge, but on his last Rex-Acme ride, in the Lightweight he had a DNF. In 1931 he tried a Belgian FN in the Isle of Man Senior TT, but did not finish.
In 1932 he rode in the Senior, Junior, and Lightweight TT classes, a Rudge in each event, got second in the Lightweight, third in the Junior, and a DNF in the Senior. Handley's Corner on the Manx TT circuit was named after him. He crashed there on a Rudge in 1932.
In 1933 he rode a Velocette to seventh in the Junior, but his Excelsior failed to finish the Lightweight TT.
At the 1934 Isle of Man TT he rode a Norton in the Junior, but did not finish.[1]
In 1937, Wal Handley lapped Brooklands at over 100 mph on a BSA Empire Star, and was awarded one of the traditional Gold Star pins for the feat. That inspired BSA to produce the BSA Gold Star model. [6]
Car Racing
He was also involved with car racing, driving Rileys. In 1931 he co-drove Freddie Dixon’s Riley at Brooklands in the 500 Miles race, but holed the crankcase.[7] In 1934 he co-drove a MG Magnette, but crashed on the banking when an axle bearing seized.[8] In the Brooklands 1934 International Trophy Race, Handley drove an MG Magnette well, until a back axle broke late in the race. [9]
He entered the 1934 & 1935 Mannin Beg at the Isle of Man.[1]
He had a bad crash at the 1936 British Empire Trophy after taking over Freddie Dixon’s third placed Riley and broke an arm. [1]
World War II
He was killed, serving with the Air Transport Auxiliary as a pilot, at Kirkbampton, Cumberland 1941. [1]
References
- ^ a b c d e [1] Kolumbus.fi Walter Leslie Handley (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [2] 1922 250cc Lightweight Isle of Man TT results (retrieved 9 October 2006)
- ^ [3] BMCT.org The Machines (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [4] IOM TT Wal Handley (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [5]Krackowizer Motorcycle Histories (Retrieved 22 October 2006)
- ^ [6] RoadRacerX.com Sidebar Fact (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [7]BrooklandsTrack.co.uk 1931 500 miles race (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [8]BrooklandsTrack.co.uk 1934 500 miles race (Retrieved December 10 2006)
- ^ [9] BrooklandsTrack.co.uk 1934 International Trophy (Retrieved December 10 2006)