Race to Disaster: new programme about ill fated Ards TT

From 1928 until 1936, the Ards TT brought racing legends from around the world with their thoroughbred machinery to duel on the roads around Comber and Newtownards. But the race for supremacy would end in tragedy with the death of eight spectators.

Up to half a million people would line the route to get a glimpse of racing royalty that included Sir Malcolm Campbell, Tazio Nuvolari or Kaye Don piloting the great racing marques such as Alfa Romeo, Mercedes and Bentley.

Race to Disaster – The Ards TT tells how a group of forward thinking engineers and entrepreneurs brought, what was then, the greatest road race in the world, to Ulster.

Presented by Mark Thompson, the programme, available on BBC iPlayer and on BBC One Northern Ireland from Thursday 16 February at 10.40pm, travels to the temple of British motor racing, the RAC in London, to hear how the TT was staged in Northern Ireland from 1928 until a fateful day in 1936.

Led by the great Ulster-Scots inventor, Harry Ferguson, along with his ally, William Wallace McLeod, a lecturer from the Belfast Institute of Technology, they persuaded Sir James Craig, PM of the fledgling state of NI, to help them convince the Royal Automobile Club to bring the Tourist Trophy to these shores.

But as speeds increased, the dangers also increased and on a wet and cold day in 1936, a car driven by Belfast man Jack Chambers careered into a lampost at high speed and ploughed into spectators. Eight people died and around 40 were injured.

It started out as one of the most glamorous races attracting royalty and racing icons but it is remembered as one of the most tragic days in motorsport history.

With contributions from Formula 1 winner, John Watson, historians Colin Johnston and the RAC’s Ben Cousins the programme also hears from the relatives of one of the young victims on that fateful day. Journalist and Isle of Man native, Rick Farragher, also brings an insider’s knowledge to the story.

Race To Disaster – The Ards TT, made by Northern Star Pictures for BBC NI with support from NI Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, available on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland on 16 February at 10.40pm