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TC Harrison’s connections to the automotive world go beyond our Ford dealerships. Founder of the TCH Group, Thomas ‘Cuth’ Harrison, raced in an event that would shape the entire world of motorsport - the first ever F1 World Championship Grand Prix in 1950.
And, what better time to take a trip down memory lane, as Ford are returning to Formula 1 after nearly two decades! Ford and Red Bull Powertrains are entering a technical partnership to develop the next-gen power unit to be used from the 2026 Formula 1 season onwards.
However, this wasn’t the start of Cuth’s racing journey. He began his career behind the wheel in 1934 in a modified Ford 8 hp touring car, which provided enough speed for the regular racing lifestyle, but couldn’t keep this performance sustained for longer races.
Motorsport took a back seat during the Second World War years, but through this time Cuth had his heart set on one thing - the Grand Prix.
In the years preceding his World Championship debut, Cuth Harrison experienced a blend of successes and setbacks. The following season brought retirements at both the British and Monaco Grands Prix, caused by a broken valve and engine failure respectively. Nevertheless, he demonstrated his resilience and talent by securing third and fourth places in the Ulster Trophy and Empire Trophy races. He retired from the Manx Cup but achieved second place in the Bisley Trial and claimed victories in the Sheffield and Hallam Trial, the NMMC and Jeans Gold Cup trials, as well as his own Harrison Trial.
Continuing with the ERA vehicle in 1949, Cuth encountered another retirement due to engine failure at Silverstone. Despite this, he earned a respectable sixth place in the Italian GP and followed it with third place finishes in the Woodcote Cup and Richmond Trophy, along with a fourth in the Empire Trophy. In trials events, he took second in the High Peak and third in the Sheffield and Hallamshire trials.
His R8B was upgraded to ‘C’ specification and equipped with a Rootes supercharger, paving the way for his World Championship debut in 1950. That year, he entered three races, beginning at Silverstone where he qualified fifteenth and finished seventh. Unfortunately, his return to Monza for the Italian GP ended in retirement, and his race at Monaco was cut short after a wave from the harbour flooded the track at Tabac, causing a first-lap crash. Despite these setbacks, Cuth continued to impress in the ERA, finishing third and fourth in the Ulster Trophy and Silverstone’s International Trophy, and taking second in the British Empire Trophy on the Isle of Man behind Bob Gerard’s similar ERA. In trials, he claimed victories in the Kitching, Yorkshire Trophy, Wilson Trophy, Thomas Cup, and the Gloucester Trial, along with a second place in the North Midlands Autumn, ultimately finishing runner-up in the RAC Trials Championship.
Cuth continued to compete in various circuit races and trials over the following years, all while managing his successful Ford dealerships. His later career included participation in the 1963 RAC Trials Championship, where he placed fourth in the Chase Cup.
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