Great 500 Mile Race at Brooklands - Page 3
Drama now caused those still following the race to become wide awake as the duel between Le Vack and Davidson ended when the latter experienced a flat tyre and a broken valve. Le Vack had pressed Davidson's Harley so hard as to make its rider look over his shoulder at the Indian on which Le Vack was hoping to cause his adversary to crack up. It seemed to have paid off. Le Vack then eased-up a little and Shermans' four-valve Triumph held about the same speed. But the battle was soon resumed with Dixon flat-out in pursuit of Le Vack's Indian, although far back and then spending three minutes getting a more dependable tyre. So interest was sustained. Especially when Le Vack's team-mate Harveyson signalled to the Indian pit that Le Vack's Indian had stopped. A sidecar-outfit was rushed along the Aerodrome road to the Byfleet banking, and soon the Le Vack came round again, still leading.

Calm

Le Vack must surely win even though the Indian's plugs oiled up a mere three laps from the finish. However, a quick pause and victory was his, this calm rider having averaged a remarkable 70.42mph, average for the 184 laps. Some 10 minutes later Dixon came in, a shade exhausted, with a 68.86mph, whereas the winner was smiling happily. Thirty-two finished. Fatigue was less evident than expected, but Reuben Harveyson was truly showing the strain.

So this remarkable race ran its course. It was never repeated.

The results were: 1000cc class: Le Vack (Indian) 70.42mph, Dixon (Harley-Davidson), Harveyson (Indian); 750cc class: Parham (Coventry Victor) 56.00mph, Bashall (Martinsyde), McNab (Trump-JAP); 500cc class: Horsman (Norton) 62.31mph, Edward (Triumph), Shemans (Triumph-JAP); 350cc class: Norris (Ivy) 51.69mph, Tudor-Thompson (Douglas), Holroyd (Edmund); and 250cc class: Kershaw (New Imperial) 50.34mph, Milner (Levis), Savage (Hobart).

The small machines had made a very favourable impression. The New Imperial revved hard all the way with no change to its crisp exhaust note and the standard sports-model Ivy was amazingly successful. Other makes competing represented a fine selection of those available in l921 - Matchless, Blackburne, ABC, Edmund, New-Comet, Scout, Wooler, Dot, Line, Levis, Hobart, Acme-lunior, Massey-Arras, and the Rex ridden by the 'Motor-Cycling' Editor Watson Bourne.

Le Vack went on to become one of the greatest of the Brooklands riders and I felt sad on discovering his grave in West Byfleet Cemetery so neglected that it was all but invisible, unlike the very well-kept one of the great car driver J. G. Parry Thomas, when I was there some years ago.

Wm. Boddy MBE

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