Tim Hunt burst on the racing scene in the style of a shooting star. His star burned brightly for a few seasons, and then suddenly it was extinguished. He was born in Manchester in 1908 and christened Percy, but from an early age he was labeled ‘Tim’ after a comic book character named ‘Tiger Tim’. Apart from his riding ability he was also blessed with wealthy parents; and Mrs. Hunt was quite happy to provide the funds to launch Tim on his chosen career.
His first road racing success was the Senior class of the 1927 Amateur TT (as the Manx Grand Prix was then called). In 1928, mounted on a new CS1 Norton he won again and in the process he broke Stanley Woods’ Senior TT lap record. These efforts did not go unnoticed by Norton talent scouts and Tim was eagerly signed up as a Norton teamster. A measure of Hunt’s versatility and the CS1 Norton was demonstrated when he rode his race bike in the 1928 Scottish Six Day's Trial; and also collecting a first class award in the process.
Isle of Man Double
Despite a lack of engine skills it was rare for him to suffer mechanical failures; his great talent was in his natural riding ability. In 1931 he became the first rider to score a Junior/Senior double at the TT, with fastest lap in the Junior. The Senior was memorable for teammate Jimmie Simpson who recorded the first-ever 80mph lap. Not surprisingly he failed to finish; once again reinforcing his nickname ‘Unlucky Jim’.
Continental Races
In the continental races it was Hunt and Woods who generally rode the 500s while Guthrie and Simpson handled the 350s. Such was Norton’s domination during the era that it was headline news when they occasionally finished out of the money. Of the twelve classic races of 1932 that Norton contested they won eleven. The team for the 1933 season remained unchanged. Stanley Woods was once more the star of the TT series, after repeating his 1932 Junior/Senior double. From there the team moved to the continent to contest the classic events. The spoils were fairly evenly shared between Hunt and Woods in the opening rounds; with Hunt having success in the 350 Swiss Grand Prix and 500 class at the Dieppe and Belgian Grands Prix.
Ulster Grand Prix
Team orders for that year’s Ulster Grand Prix were for Hunt to win the 500 race. Irishman Woods was furious with the arrangement, particularly in front of a home crowd. Ignoring team orders he went into an early lead and in the process lapped at a record 89 mph. Hunt eventually caught Woods and for several laps they raced neck and neck. Eventually Hunt was forced to retire with a broken steering damper, leaving Woods free to win with a clear conscience.
Disaster at Sweden
From Ireland the team traveled to Saxtorp to contest the Swedish Grand Prix, which was also that year’s European Grand Prix. It proved to be a disaster for Nortons and in particular for Tim Hunt. Their greatest challenge was expected to come from the Swedish Husqvarna team of Sunnqvist and Kalen. As the race progressed, Woods, Hunt and Sunnqvist were slip-streaming one another down the main straight when a rider they were lapping, slowed dramatically. Woods and Sunnqvist both made miraculous avoidances but Hunt careered into him. Tim was seriously injured with a smashed hip and the other rider, a Norwegian was tragically killed.
A Shattered Career
It was a sad ending to Hunt’s career. He spent three months in a Swedish hospital before being transferred by plane to England for further surgery. Medical technology was not advanced enough in those days to plate shattered limbs, resulting in Tim spending the next five years in and out of hospital. After many operations he finished up with one leg shorter than the other. He never raced again. Tim’s contemporaries were agreed that if he could have been more serious about his attitude to racing he would have been the greatest ever. But Tim believed in living life to the full and being serious was just not in his make-up.
Two of the Greatest
Norton team manager Joe Craig held Tim Hunt in the highest regard and years later he confided to his current champion Geoff Duke that of all the riders with whom he was involved, he regarded just two as having that innate riding excellence ; ’Tim Hunt and Geoff Duke’; high praise indeed from the enigmatic Irishman.
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