Isle of Man Debut
Maker and breaker of a host of record laps, Jimmie Simpson almost invariably led his races from the start. In those races in which he finished he won them by big margins, but sadly Jim’s enterprising driving methods were just too demanding for the current machinery. This was especially the case in the Isle of Man where his consistent ill fortune earned him the title of ‘Unlucky Jim’.
His inaugural TT was in 1922 when he was entered on a 500 Scott. The York-shire based firm were keen supporters of the TT. but Simpson’s 1922 Scott experience lasted only half a lap when his fuel tank split.
The AJS Experience
In 1923 he began an association with AJS, which continued until 1928 when he switched to Nortons. Jim’s first AJS outing in the 1923 Junior TT was typically Simpson; leading the race by over a minute before he retired following a race crash; his sole consolation was a record lap of 59mph. In between his racing activities Jim was employed by AJS as a motorcycle tester. His philosophy, in respect of his occupation was brutally simple; Bust them and you’ll find where their frailties lie; nurse them and you never will.
Simpson pursued the same attitude in his racing forays. Had he been prepared to show restraint it’s a fair assumption he would have gained less record laps and more Tourist Trophies. In a 13-year Island career he rode in 26 TTs and finished first in just one, the 1934 Lightweight. In only two years did he fail to score a place or set up fastest or record laps. He was the first rider to create lap records at 60, 70 and 80 mph. The biggest margin where a Simpson record lap beat the race average was in the 1924 Junior TT when Simpson’s AJS lapped at 64mph compared to Kenneth Twemlow’s winning New Imperial at 55mph. Predictably, Simpson failed to finish.
Norton Works Rider
In 1929 he began a new career with Nortons, but Jim’s unerring bad luck coincided with a temporary slump in Norton’s fortunes. Charlie Dodson gave Sunbeam their last Island victory in the 1929 Senior, and in the 1930 TT series Rudge were on the crest of a wave and seemingly invincible. Simpson’s third placing prevented a Rudge 1-2-3 in a rain-soaked Senior TT.
But it was Rudge’s last Senior victory, and by 1931 Nortons had achieved a degree of reliability that completely dominated racing until well into the decade. Importantly for Simpson he was at last riding a machine that not even he could break. At the 1931 Senior TT Simpson made the the first 80mph lap, but sadly he failed to finish in a race won by team mate Tim Hunt. Simpson also recorded leader board finishes with a third in the 1932 Senior and second place In the 1933 Senior. In 1934 he made the decision to retire at the end of the season. Following a career highlighted by serious crashes, he realized he was fortunate to be nearing the end of it while still in one piece.
TT Success and Retirement
As it happened, 1934 was memorable for Jimmie Simpson; a year in which his personal gremlins finally relented.Two runner-up finishes behind Jimmie Guthrie in the Junior and Senior T.T.s were most satisfying. But more importantly he finally won that elusive Trophy with a win and fastest lap in the 250 Lightweight; giving Rudge their final Isle of Man victory. A pleasing bonus to round off the season was a string of firsts in the 350 class of the Grands Prix of Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and Ulster. Following his retirement from racing Simpson still maintained a close association with the TT in his position with Shell’s competition department. Jimmie Simpson was truly one of the great characters of that heroic age of Grand Prix racing.
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