Bentley TT 100

About

A centenary commemoration of the June 22nd 1922 Isle of Man TT motor race, in which Bentley Motors, a fledgling manufacturer of passenger vehicles, bravely pitted itself against pure Grand Prix racing cars, and took 2nd, 4th and 5th places.

Most of the cars will arrive on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th, along with a good number of Sunbeam cars from the same era, including the actual 1922 race winning car, whose owner has flown from Thailand to join the event. Bentley Motors are themselves providing the oldest 3 litre Bentley in existence, known as EXP2.  It was the firm’s early development car and was actually brought to the island in June 1922 both to be used during practise, and as a ’spares mule’ should major parts be needed.

Background

On June 22nd 1922, three 3 litre Bentleys undertook the gruelling Isle of Man TT race, which comprised 8 laps of 37 ¾ miles, a total distance of 302 miles. Motor races a hundred years ago were hugely popular, especially when staged on public roads with free access for the public to spectate. This challenge was a high profile opportunity for publicity of the best or worst kind, all of Britain’s press would be watching, it could so easily have ended in disaster.

It was a brave venture by Bentley Motors, who were only 10 months into car production. At the beginning of the century, early motor cars had spluttered along at 10 to 15 mph. The newcomer, ‘Bentley Motors’, was now building a sporting thoroughbred which promised speed and reliability. A car which would easily cover 60 miles every hour, all day long. W.O.Bentley, the company’s founder, had announced to the press that ‘unlike our competitors, we have not built special racing cars for this event, but instead entered three standard chassis drawn from our production stock.’

The waterlogged rough circuit presented its own severe challenge, never mind the competition: Grand Prix Sunbeams and Vauxhalls were well developed racing cars. It was a high profile risk for the fledgling manufacturer and was rewarded with all three cars finishing, taking 2nd, 4th and 5th places, W.O.Bentley having himself driven car No.9.

A legend was born for speed and reliability and, a century later, BentleyTT100 will commemorate that momentous achievement.

Why it’s being done

At the beginning, Bentley offered a single model, the ‘3 litre’, which would go on to win at the Le Mans 24 hours race in 1924 and 1927. Around half of the 1600 3 litre Bentleys built in the 1920s survive to this day. They are raced, rallied, and, being perfectly comfortable with normal road speeds, are ideal for long distance touring. BentleyTT100 isn’t just about the 1922 TT, but the also fact that these astonishingly well engineered cars have gone on to provide a century of driving pleasure. People talk about the Speed Six and Blower Bentleys, but the 3 litre is the purest drive.

The event

Vivian Bush, the organiser, is a lifelong Bentley enthusiast and has toured and raced his own 1925 3 litre for nearly 20 years. BentleyTT100 was his idea of a fitting way to celebrate the enduring legacy of W.O.Bentley and the cars which bear his name.

Over the weekend of June 25th and 26th 2022, to celebrate the centenary of Bentley’s first historic racing achievement, Vivian is assembling 100 3 litre Bentleys for an historic return to the Isle of Man to drive the TT course. There will be no sound previously heard to equal the simultaneous starting up of 100 4 cylinder engines, all firing into life, exhausts barking – it will be a massively emotional moment.

Saturday 25th June

The cars will line up for inspection on the Douglas promenade, and be welcomed by The Worshipful, the Mayor of Douglas Councillor Ms Janet Thommeny JP.  You will be able to see them them from around 09.30am until 11.30am. Please do go and have a look at a very important piece of the island’s motoring heritage but do remember there may be moving vehicles and safety must come first. The cars will then drive to Government House for a welcome from His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor. 

Sunday 26th June

You will be able to see a magnificent parade of all the cars, which will tour the Snaefell circuit for a police escorted lap. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor will ride as passenger in Bentley EXP2, starting from the TT pits/paddock at approximately 2.00pm. Chose your location to watch the most magnificent procession of period cars the island has ever witnessed.