Speedtherapy: TT Day 13 - Prep and Rest part II

After the Supersport race on Wednesday, we had a short practice session for the little bike. At 16h00 we lined up in the assembly area and started off in single-file. As I pulled off, the clutch was slipping badly. "What the hell?" I slipped all the way down Bray Hill and we so bad I stopped at Quarterbridge to have a look. All seemed ok. I adjusted the lever as much as I could and pulled onto the track again.

A lap of practice on the Lightweight bike after the Supersport race

The clutch was much better, but still slipping. Something to sort before the race. After practice we packed up and hauled the bikes back to the garage, getting some Chinese fast food on the way. Back to the house to freshen up and then to the Villa Marina with Deebs and Mark for prizegiving. It is surreal to be at a prizegiving with John McGuinness sitting just a few seats away and to go on stage to receive an award in the same race as this TT legend. John McGuinness got his 23rd TT win in the TT Zero.

Looking back on the results of te esecond Supersport race, Ian Hutchinson won the race in 1 hour 11 minutes and 58 seconds. My time was 1 hour 19 minutes and 12 seconds. The time to beat to receive a bronze replica was 1 hour 19 minutes and 10 seconds. I missed a bronze replica by 2 seconds. Doh! If only that clutch wasn't slipping. If... shouldda, couldda, wouldda. I get a finisher's medal instead. I was 1 minute and 50 seconds faster over the race than on Monday. My pace on Wednesday would have easily got me a replica on the Monday. It's all numbers... I still finished :-) But 2 seconds over a 70 minute race?! Hmph!

Over race distance, my average speed was 114.3mph - this is including the 1 minute pit-stop. My last lap, despite the clutch slipping was 116.2 mph. My personal best lap around the TT Mountain Course :-) Stoked about that. I finished 39th from 96 entrants in my class at the most prestigious road races in the world. Super happy about that despite no bronze replica.

This morning we slept in a bit. Knackered from Wednesday's racing. We got to the garage mid-morning and by lunchtime we had prepped the KMR. We think we have the clutch issue sorted and tested it with a run around the suburbs. We headed out for a relaxing day of sightseeing and a BBQ with our landlords later in some fantastic Isle of man weather. A good day of prep and rest.

Taking the KMR for a test ride in the suburbs

Nic has been awesome helping with the prep and everything!

A wee teddy mascot given by our great garage landlords Dave and Glenda

I am so looking forward to tomorrow. The Lightweight class is the one I am most competitive in. Although it's a new bike, it's closer to the twins I've been racing all these years to the Triumph. It's a proper bike that is setup well. My last chance to get one of those coveted bronze replicas. No excuses.

A big THANK YOU to all that have helped my with support and contributions. It means a lot and has helped us get this far in our first TT. Just one more race... we're going to make it a good one!