IOM 2013 - Day 5 - Scrappy Qualification

Made a few changes to the bikes for Wednesdays practice. I was cloudy and supposed to rain during the day, but it held off and we started a delayed practice on dry roads.

Out on the little Suzuki first. I couldn't really feel any difference despite the changes we made. Still very hard, harsh and I'm fighting her all the way around. Really tiring.

Only managed 1 lap before they pulled us in for the next session to start. A bit disappointed about that. Despite us moving to skrootineering half an hour before it opens, the queue by then is down through the paddock. Poorly organised and seems that some skrootineers are just there for a bit of social chat. It takes more than an hour to get each bike through. Waste of time and puts pressure on everyone. Something must be done.

Nic doing brilliant work helping out with the mechanics, prep and practice

We've got a wee oil seepage on the Ducati. Clutch push-rod 'o' rings. Proving hard to get the right size on the island though.

I daren't say anything. A few years ago I made myself heard and for the next few years I was 'seeded' just about last - race number 106. It can be a bit of an 'old boys club' here... different 'rules' for different folk. Pity... as a competitor, it's the biggest thing that spoils the event a bit for me... besides crap weather of course!

Still smiling after waiting an hour in skrootineering queue!

Anyway... back to the business of going fast on the most awesome race track in the world... I managed a 100mph lap on the little Suzuki. Not great, but considering it's only my second lap on her and from a standing start, it'll do. Qualified on that bike. Hoped to get 2 laps in but we were so far back in the queue and with the delay it didn't work out.

Nic had the Ducati warmed up and ready for me in Parc Firme when I got there. Thanks Chief! Down Bray Hill - I couldn't feel any noticeable difference in her. She was still hard work to turn in and running wide coming out of corners.

Legendary bike... loads of pics and had a good chat to the guy who looks after it

The traffic was bad in that lap. Newcomers on fast bikes not knowing where they are going. I give Newcomers a wide berth, but when they're on a faster bike than you, the only place you can pass is in the corners. They also hold each other up so you tend to come across them in clumps of 3 or 4 bikes. Makes it even more difficult because they are all making strange lines to try get past the wandering fellow up front. Dangerous.

Suzy V on the approach to Kirkmichael

I came across such a group at the end of Cronk Y Voddy. They were all on fast bikes. I passed 2 through the Handley's section and lined up the next going into the top of Barregarrow. Newcomer goes for the apex, I'm steaming in wide of him to get the drive down the hill. He decides to hit the brakes and pick his bike up just as he goes into the corner. Next second, his bike is right where I want to be and he's hard on the brakes.

Pete Minns - flying on his Newcomer year!

 

Fuck me! I squeeze those Brembo's as hard as I dared while cranked over at 120mph. The front wheel buries itself into the corner and the back sways. I fight the bars as the suspension loads and unloads. I miss his back wheel by 2 feet and am a bit out of shape. But, the Duke is awesome and helps me out... she sorts herself out as soon as I'm back on the gas down the hill.

Holy crap. That is the closest I have ever come to hitting another bike around here... it unsettles me a bit. I have a patchy, non-flowing second half of the lap trying to get past traffic. Lap 2 and I'm onto a flier. At Ballacraine I come across another clump of Newcomers getting in each others way and causing a mobile hazard.

Hussling the Duke into Kirkmichael

I get through them through Glen Helen as I hit Cronk Y Voddy I get behind Chris Palmer on a classic bike. His bike is slow but Chris is one of the fastest around the TT Mountain Course with 4 TT and 3 Manx GP wins. I roll the throttle and sit behind him... I go to school.

For the next half a lap I fly through turns faster than I ever have. Studying his lines and feeling his corner speed. I have to roll the throttle at 7500 rpm down the straights to keep behind him, but I learn a lot. Most of the time I'm using my 100% horsepower advantage just to keep up as he pulls a gap through the corners.

Traffic through Greeba Bridge

 

In Ramsay I make 2 small mistakes because I'm focussing on Chris more than on what I'm doing. The lesson is over and I let him get 100 yards ahead, knowing that I can easily get past on the Mountain Mile. I do just that and have a quick, flowing last few miles. I clocked a 102.8 on that lap... despite only rumbling down the straights on half throttle!

With the 107mph on the Aprilia, 100mph on the Suzuki and now a 102 on the Ducati... and 2 laps or more on each - I am qualified for all three classes! Done.

 I'll do a post on this machine sometime.