Gus Scott - Part 1

Been sorting out my crap the past few weeks. I went through my old copies of Performance Bike magazine looking for this article. It was published in August 2005 - when I was on the Isle of Man doing the same thing on my first Manx GP, experiencing the same things and feeling the same feelings as Gus did. He put it to words far better than I can. It's a bit long for a blog with not many pics, but well worth the read...

"24 hours before his death, Gus Scott wrote this heartfelt account of a 115mph lap at his first TT. We couldn't think of a finer tribute to our friend than to publish it."

"As I funnel towards the start line in a big group, pushing my bike slowly forward, it's weird but I'm calm. I was so nervous on the ferry over, thinking, 'Is this going to be one of those one-way trips?'

I didn't sleep last night. I was getting annoyed with myself because I wasn't picking up the whole lap - there were certain sections that I still didn't know. I was frightening myself in some blind, flat-out sections. i ended up watching a DVD of the track, rewinding certain sections again and again.

down on the start it's not like a normal race. there's no mass start. It's just you, the bike and the road. That's a nice feeling. They set you off individually. when I get to the front there's a bloke in a white coat who puts his hand on my shoulder and looks up to the box. He counts 10 seconds as the rider in front disappears down Bray Hill. Then he lifts his hand and I think, 'He could be the last person to touch me.'

Bray Hills fast, fast as fuck, but you've got time to think. You aim to go under the bush on the right, then come to the crossroads and you've got to pull on the bars to jump or it'll load the front. You apex at the lights, in top gear flat-stick. The bike compresses so much that you scrub off loads of speed. then over Ago's Leap. The bike naturally lifts. I try not to roll the throttle, just let it come down.

There's a rise before Quarter Bridge. You have to go down a gear and accelerate to wheelie over it. One lap I didn't and it went into a massive slapper. then you've got to slam on the brakes to go through slippery Quarter Bridge.

Second, third, fourth, towards Braddan Bridge. Aim for the junction on the right, brake, back down two gears, follow the white railings that jump out at you. Gingerly through here because this is the first time the tyres have been on their left side. Full tank of fuel, new tyres - these bikes feel awful at low speeds.

Flick it over, into a dip - bah, bah, bah, bah - flat-out through two terrifying blind kinks hurtling at Union Mills. Coming out there's a garage on the left, you've got to have the thing absolutely pinned. There's a kerb on the left you've got to skim with your wheels as the bike bucks and weaves.

On to a long straight toward the campsite. people sit on a green bank. Their feet are so close I'm sure I'm going to hit them.  Then you peel away towards one of the fastest corners on the track - Ballagary that's also called Glen Vine. people call it Ballascary because there's been a few fatalities there.

There was a massive crash here in one race - bikes and carnage everywhere. Next lap there's shit all over the road, fuel spills, I slowed right down to 50 and still got a massive slide. then the next lap there are fewer flags, then the third lap it's up to you if you want to keep it lit through there.

I start to relax, I'm glad I got that right, but there's a hump on the way out. The bike's still leant over so you've got to get it right. You pull on the bars to do a crossed-up wheelie.

Up to Crosby and DJ's [David Jeffries] corner which is a hard one for me. I greet him every time I go through, saying 'this one's for you Deej.' At the start of the week I didn't think I'd be able to flat it, but then I though, 'Fuck it, I know it's only a kink.' You've got to commit to these corners early, otherwise you'll just pussyfoot through them all week.

This is a learning year, I've put no pressure on myself and told everyone that right form the start. I've never had any interest in doing the Manx [Manx GP] and because I've got an international race licencee I didn't have to, so this is my first time on the Island's closed roads. the idea is to keep coming back until I start getting podiums.

On to Crosby. The Fireblade hates it. it's done some awful things all week. I was speaking to Michael Rutter last night and he said, 'You've got to roll off', there's no point getting in a silly mess or you'll be off the throttle for too long.

Greeba Castle has a rollercoaster dip, you've got to go slower than you think to get the drive out. There's an off-camber right that would be easy to highside out of. then the left-right-left-right skimming the kerbs, before a nasty left.

Greeba Bridge, flat-out on the 600, back two gears on the Blade, down a rollercoaster hill. I've already been into teh fast right that follows too fast, hit some little potholes, the front tucked, all my weight on my kneeslider, and then it just flicked back. scary. It took me1 0 miles to get my concentration back.

Up to fifth, then another fast right. It would be kneedown but I keep it up because it's so fast it would drag. Look for the 30 sign to brake into Ballacraine. Boot it down to third, nice and easy, through Ballaspur, then just kick it up the box weaving towards Glen Helen. I'm going too fats but I don;lt brake, just drop a gear. This  is where you see the flowers.

I've lost a few friends around here. When you're flying round you see bouquets of flowers and purple ribbons stuck in the wall. it's a bit off-putting. Ronnie Smith suggested that people should respect the riders who were still racing by putting the flowers just over the wall. there'd be no harm, but the racers wouldn't have to see them."

Part 2 coming up as soon as I've had time to type it (I feel the same as Gus did about the flowers...)