The Isle of Man TT Races

Book excerpt: Cats with no tails, the one thousand year old Tynwald assembly, offshore finance institutions, and motorcycle road racing are all ingredients that help to define a Manx national identity. Modern, high-powered motorcycles being pushed to their limits on a course that has remained largely unchanged since 1911 is perhaps the most literal demonstration of the new meeting the old, on an island where the traditional and the modern exist peacefully and do not clash. The Isle of Man TT Races provides an excellent starting-point from which to examine the twists and turns of the island’s twentieth century history and, most importantly, the deep links between sport and society. This book examines the origins and expansion of the Isle of Man TT from the first motorcar races in 1904 up to the present day, charting the event’s acceleration from a small, domestic competition to a large-scale international event which has helped fuel the island’s reputation as the home of motorcycle road racing. In examining the links between sport and society, this book uses the TT races to look at changes in the mechanics of Manx politics, the streamlining of the Manx economy and construction of Manx national identity; it is not a history of winners and losers at the TT. It is because the TT has deep roots in the history of the island and because it has come to form a significant part of the island’s identity, that this motorcycle race continues to thrive in the present day. The TT makes the Isle of Man distinctive; others have tried and failed to replicate this event. Where else in the world can the modern motorcycle racer take in so much history and heritage at close to 200 mph?