Tom Phillis

{{Short description|Australian motorcycle racer (1934–1962)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox motorcycle rider |name = Tom Phillis |image = File:Tom Phillis on BSA Gold Star.JPG |caption = Phillis early in his career circa 1955 on his BSA Gold Star in Clubman's racing trim |nationality = Australian |birth_date = {{birth date|1934|4|9|df=y}} |birth_place = Sydney, Australia |death_date = {{death date and age|1962|6|6|1934|4|9|df=y}} |death_place = Isle of Man |GP Active years = 1958 – 1962 |GP Teams = Honda |GP Race Starts = 35 |GP Championships = 125cc – 1961 |GP Race Wins = 6 |GP Podiums = 20 |GP Total Points = 114 |GP Poles = N/A |GP Fastest laps = 9 |GP First race = 1958 350cc Isle of Man TT |GP First win = 1961 125cc Spanish Grand Prix |GP Last win = 1961 250cc Argentine Grand Prix |GP Last race = 1962 350cc Isle of Man TT }}

'''Thomas Edward Phillis''' (9 April 1934 – 6 June 1962) was an Australian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.<ref name=CR01>{{cite journal|last=Ainscoe|first=Raymond|date=May 2005|title=Tom Phillis|journal=Classic Racer|publisher=Mortons Motorcycle Media|location=Horncastle|issue=113|pages=18–23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105897377 |title=Australian Wins Motor-cycle Title. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=30 October 1961 |accessdate=17 February 2015 |page=14 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He won the 1961 125cc motorcycle road racing World Championship and was the first person to lap the Isle of Man TT mountain circuit at over 100 mph on a pushrod engined motorcycle. He was also the first person to win a World Championship motorcycle race on a Japanese machine.

==Personal and early life== Phillis was born in Sydney and grew up in Marrickville where his father was a despatch rider.<ref name=Honda>{{cite book|last=Oxley|first=Matt|title=The Challenge & Dream of Honda – 500 Grand Prix Motor Cycle Wins|year=2001|publisher=Hazleton Publishing|location=Richmond|isbn=1903135036|page=33|chapter=2}}</ref> He became a keen bicycle racer, but retired from that sport after a serious crash at Henson Park.<ref name=CR01/> After leaving school at 16,<ref name="MCN0761">{{cite news|title=The 'Retiring ' Aussie|last=Woollett|first=Mick|date=19 July 1961|work=Motor Cycle News|publisher=Motorcycle News Ltd|page=12|location=Peterborough}}</ref> Phillis had taken up a motor mechanic apprenticeship. His first experience of motorcycling came with the job, where he had to use a 125cc Excelsior motorcycle to deliver messages around Sydney,<ref name="MCN0761"/> and it was there that he began to develop an interest in motorcycles.<ref name=Honda /> His father was supportive, and when he was 17, Phillis bought his first bike, a 1939 High Cam Sunbeam B25. This bike was followed by several Velocette MAC's, and it was on one of these road-going bikes, that Tom entered his first motorcycle events; trials, grass track racing, and scrambling. In 1952, Phillis was called up for six months National Service, which he served in the Royal Australian Air Force.<ref name="MCN0761"/>

Known as Ted to his family,<ref name=CR01/> Phillis married Betty in 1955. They went on to have two children, Debra Ann and Thomas Braddan.<ref name=Obit>{{cite journal|date=13 June 1962|title=Tom Phillis|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|issue=2718|page=9}}</ref> Phillis was well-liked, modest and known for his dry sense of humour.<ref name=Honda /> He also developed a reputation for poor timekeeping, and having arrived late for the German GP in 1958, and being told that he would not be allowed to practice, shrugged his shoulders and said "Well, I'd better set off for next week's Swedish GP to get there on time."<ref name=CR01/>

==Career==

=== 1953–1957: Early years ===

With support from his father, Phillis began motorcycle racing, riding a Velocette MAC in the Canobolas Clubman's race at the Gnoo Blas circuit on 3 October 1953 where he retired.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tomphillis.com/statistics.html|title=First 100 races, 3 October 1953 – 3 May 1959|work=Tom Phillis website|accessdate=17 February 2015}}</ref> He took his first win in the fourth event he entered, again riding the Velocette in the 2nd division Junior Clubman's race at the Mount Druitt circuit on 21 November 1954.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18449810 |title=Motor Cycling |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=22 November 1954 |accessdate=20 February 2015 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Betty helped him to buy a BSA Gold Star in 1955, and this period was spent largely gaining experience. It wasn't until the BSA was replaced by a two-year-old Manx Norton<ref name=CR01 /> in 1957 that Phillis started to achieve more notable success.<ref name=Obit /> Racing against top Australian riders at the airfield circuit at Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, he won the 350cc class and finished third in the 500cc class, equalling the lap record.<ref name="MCN0761"/>

=== 1958–1962: International career ===

In 1958, Phillis and his wife sold everything and came to Europe,<ref name=Honda /> where they bought new 350cc and 500cc Manx Nortons.<ref name=CR01 /> Phillis was lauded as "Star of the Day" at his first appearance at Thruxton, where he won the 500cc Senior event after a race-long battle with Derek Powell and set a new 500cc lap record. He also won the 350cc Junior event.<ref>{{cite journal|date=10 April 1958|title=Solos only at Thruxton|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=97|issue=2508|page=697}}</ref> He repeated this "double" shortly afterwards at the International Västkustloppet road race on the Falkenberg circuit near Skrea in Sweden,<ref>{{cite journal|date=10 July 1958|title=Tom Phillis wins in Sweden|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=98|issue=2521|page=354}}</ref> establishing himself as one of the top privateers in Europe.<ref name=Honda />

On 1 May 1959, Phillis won the prestigious, pre-season Mettet Grand Prix invitational race.<ref name="Trophy de l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse">{{cite web |url=http://racingmemo.free.fr/M%20COURSES%20INTER/MOTO%20METTET.htm |title=Trophy de l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse |publisher=racingmemo.free.fr |access-date=25 June 2024 }}</ref> Also in 1959, he was chosen by the Auto Cycle Council of Australia as their "most promising rider", and given a grant to take part in the 1959 Isle of Man TT although he was omitted from the official Australian team for the event.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sharpe|first=Norman|title=Sports Gossip|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=99|issue=2563|page=839}}</ref> He was fifth in the 350cc Formula 1 TT, and retired from the Junior TT on the last lap with a broken con-rod while positioned at eleventh place.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Surtees All The Way|date=4 June 1959|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=100|issue=2568|pages=130, 139}}</ref> He was seventh at the end of the first lap of the Senior TT, but struggled with torrential rain and high winds and eventually finished sixteenth.<ref>{{cite journal|date=11 June 1959|title=Storm lashed Senior TT|journal=The Motor Cycle|publisher=Iliffe & Sons Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2930|pages=770–779}}</ref>

In 1960, he became the first non-Japanese rider to be signed on by the Honda motorcycle racing team, and was given rides in both the 125cc and 250cc Lightweight TTs.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sharpe|first=Norman|date=17 March 1960|title=Sports Gossip|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=101|issue=2601|page=604}}</ref> In the 125cc race, Phillis was the leading Honda and lying in sixth place on the second lap when he had stop at the pits to change a plug, eventually finishing tenth. In the 250cc race, he was in fourth place, and challenging for third when he had to retire on the fourth lap with gearbox failure.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 250 c.c. T.T.|date=16 June 1960|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2614|pages=233–242}}</ref> Phillis also took part in the Senior TT on his Norton, and worked his way up from eighth on the first lap to finish fourth, behind Surtees, Hartle and Hailwood.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Over-the-ton TT|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2615|pages=249–257}}</ref> Set to compete for Honda in the Dutch TT shortly afterwards, Phillis fell during practice and broke his right collar bone and his place was taken by Jim Redman.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sharpe|first=Norman|date=30 June 1960|title=Sports Gossip|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2616|page=304}}</ref> Phillis was back for the Commonwealth Trophy meeting at Thruxton a month later, breaking the lap record and winning the 350cc race, and finishing third in the Commonwealth Trophy.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Local ace beats commonwealth challenge|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2621|page=443}}</ref> Returning to his 250cc Honda for the Ulster Grand Prix, Phillis closed dramatically on the MV Agusta of Carlo Ubbiali, eventually finishing second, only two seconds behind.<ref>{{cite journal|date=11 August 1960|title=Dramatic Dundrod|journal=The Motor Cycle|publisher=Iliffe & Sons Ltd|location=London|volume=105|issue=2983|pages=176–178}}</ref> Phillis fell off his 125cc Honda in Ulster while lying fourth, but did better at Brands Hatch a fortnight later, chasing Mike Hailwood throughout, despite being hampered by "a gearbox full of neutrals". After the race, Phillis talked of confining himself to the 125cc and 250cc Hondas for 1961 if Honda offered him another contract.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sports Gossip – Honda Handicaps|date=25 August 1960|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2624|pages=532–533}}</ref> A few weeks later, Phillis dominated the Pyynikki TT at the Tampere Circuit in Finland. Not only winning 125, 250 and 350cc events, but also setting record lap times in every race.<ref>{{cite journal|date=8 September 1960|title=Tom Phillis "Treble"|journal=Motor Cycling|publisher=Temple Press Ltd|location=London|volume=102|issue=2626|page=612}}</ref>

He began 1961 with equal prowess, when at the Victorian Grand Prix event at Phillip Island, he won the 250 and 350cc events on a Honda and the Senior A-grade race and 500cc events on a Norton, setting lap records for 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes.<ref>{{cite journal|date=12 January 1961|title=Phillis Fireworks|journal=The Motor Cycle|publisher=Iliffe & Sons Ltd|location=London|volume=106|issue=3005|page=55}}</ref> In 1961, he won Honda's first championship race when he took the 1961 125cc Spanish Grand Prix. He went on to win the FIM 1961 125cc World Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Tom+Phillis |title=Tom Phillis career statistics at MotoGP.com |access-date=6 September 2008 |archive-date=24 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024205153/http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/profiles/Tom+Phillis |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was also Honda's first world championship. He finished second to Mike Hailwood in the 250cc class. He was also the first man to lap the Isle of Man TT mountain circuit at over {{convert|100|mph|0|abbr=on}} on a push rod engined machine, riding to third place on the Doug Hele prepared 500 cc Norton "Domiracer".<ref name=Obit />

==Death== He died while competing in the 1962 Isle of Man TT, crashing on the second lap of the 350 cc Junior TT at Laurel Bank.<ref>{{cite journal|date=14 June 1962|title=Tom Phillis|journal=Motor Cycle|publisher=Iliffe Publications Ltd|location=London|volume=108|issue=3079|page=792}}</ref> He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at the TT race course startline.<ref>[http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=1428 Tom Phillis career profile at Motorsport Memorial]</ref> The defending 500 cc world champion, Gary Hocking, was so affected by the death of his friend that he immediately retired from competitive motorcycling.

== Motorcycle Grand Prix results== Source:<ref>[http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=1849 Tom Phillis at iomtt.com]</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- | '''Position''' | width=20| 1 | width=20| 2 | width=20| 3 | width=20| 4 | width=20| 5 | width=20| 6 |- | '''Points''' | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |}

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" ! Year ! Class ! Team ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! Points ! Rank ! Wins |- ! rowspan=2| 1958 ! 350cc ! Norton |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IOM 32 | NED - | BEL - | GER - | SWE - | ULS - | NAT - | | | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IOM 18 | NED - | BEL - | GER - | SWE - | ULS - | NAT - | | | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! rowspan=2| 1959 ! 350cc ! Norton | FRA - |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IOM NC | GER - | | | SWE - |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ULS 5 | NAT - | | | | 2 ! 13th | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | FRA - |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IOM 16 | GER - | NED - | BEL - | | ULS - | NAT - | | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! rowspan=4| 1960 ! 125cc ! Honda | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| IOM 10 | NED - | BEL - | | ULS - | NAT - | | | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! 250cc ! Honda | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IOM NC | NED - | BEL - | GER - |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ULS 2 | NAT - | | | | | 6 ! 6th | 0 |- ! 350cc ! Norton | FRA - |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IOM NC | NED - | | | ULS - | NAT - | | | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | FRA - |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| IOM 4 | NED - | BEL - | GER - |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ULS 6 | NAT - | | | | | 4 ! 11th | 0 |- ! rowspan=4| 1961 ! 125cc ! Honda |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ESP 1 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GER NC |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''FRA'' 1 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| IOM 3 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''NED'' 1 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ''BEL'' 2 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DDR 2 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ''ULS'' 3 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ''NAT'' 4 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SWE 6 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''ARG'' 1 | 44 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st''' | 4 |- ! 250cc ! Honda |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ESP 2 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GER NC |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| FRA 1 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| IOM 2 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NED NC |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| BEL 2 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DDR 4 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ULS 4 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| NAT 3 |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SWE 6 |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''ARG'' 1 | 38 |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd''' | 2 |- ! 350cc ! Norton | | GER - | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IOM NC | NED 1 | | DDR 1 | ULS 1 | NAT 1 | SWE - | | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! 500cc ! Norton | | GER - | FRA - |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| IOM 3 | NED - | BEL - | DDR - | ULS - | NAT - | SWE - | ARG - | 4 ! 12th | 0 |- ! rowspan=4| 1962 ! 50cc ! Honda |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ESP 8 | FRA - | IOM - | NED - | BEL - | GER - | ULS - | DDR - | NAT - | FIN - | ARG - | 0 ! - | 0 |- ! 125cc ! Honda | ESP - | FRA - |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| IOM 3 | NED - | BEL - | GER - | ULS - | DDR - | NAT - | FIN - | ARG - | 4 ! 13th | 0 |- ! 250cc ! Honda |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ''ESP'' 3 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ''FRA'' 3 |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| IOM 3 | NED - | BEL - | GER - | ULS - | DDR - | NAT - | FIN - | ARG - | 12 ! 4th | 0 |- ! 350cc ! Honda | | |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IOM NC | NED - | | ULS - | DDR - | NAT - | FIN - | | | 0 ! - | 0 |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.tomphillis.com/}} {{s-start}} {{succession box | before = Carlo Ubbiali | after = Luigi Taveri | title = 125cc Motorcycle World Champion | years = 1961 }} {{s-end}} {{125 cc Motorcycle World Champions}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillis, Tom}} Category:Australian motorcycle racers Category:50cc World Championship riders Category:125cc World Championship riders Category:250cc World Championship riders Category:350cc World Championship riders Category:500cc World Championship riders Category:Isle of Man TT riders Category:Motorcycle racers who died while racing Category:1931 births Category:1962 deaths Category:Motorcycle racers from Sydney Category:Sport deaths in the Isle of Man Category:125cc World Riders' Champions Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen