Car racing on the Isle of Man

摘要

The recent heroics performed by Mark Higgins in smashing the Isle of Man TT circuit lap record for four-wheeled vehicles evoked memories of the course's origin as the venue for the RAC Tourist Trophy car race in 1905. In that year the TT comprised four laps of a rough 52-mile circuit around the island, and the winner averaged 33.9mph. If that seems modest in light of Higgins's 128.7mph lap, bear in mind that the race was for full four-seat touring cars, with each having to average at least 23 miles per gallon.