Get Well Soon Mark!!

We've been so busy, we have hardly had any time to spend time with friends. I didn't see Mark Herbertson's name on the latest timing sheets. It was only on Friday morning when I visited his tent that I saw his Lightweight bike parked up in the corner looking second-hand.

Mark came off at the Mountain Box on Tuesday night and was airlifted to Nobles Hospital. We paid him a visit before he left the island. He was in good spirits and his broken bones should heal up ok. Get well soon Mark!!

ManxGP 2010 - Eighth Practice - Scrubbing In

Monday rolled around pretty quickly. The first race day of ManxGP 2010 - another busy day. Down to the paddock with the bikes before the roads closed at 09:30. We watched the start of the Newcomers and Post Classic race at 10h15 and then went down to the scrootineering bay to get both bikes through. No problems there so we went back to the house to watch the rest of the race and fix some lunch.

Mark Herbertson in the Junior Classic race coming through Creg-ny-baa

Watched the start of the Classic Junior from the house and half the race. Roy Richardson decimated the field on an Aermacchi 350cc single... setting a fastest lap of 102 mph... as fast as I go on a 40 year younger and nearly twice the horsepower bike! He sure knows his way around here. the MV Augusta triple that Alan Oversby took to 3rd sounded absolutely glorious!

My friend mark Herbertson got his best finish ever and brought Alan Hermiston's immaculately prepared AJS home in fifth. Well done Mark!

Great shot of Mark at the Creg - thanks Dave Kneen for the pic

Back up to the paddock and prep the bikes for one lap of practice each. That's when I spotted one of the Irish mechanics checking tyre pressures. Fuck! I had completely forgotten to check the pressures after the new tyres were fitted. the pressures would sky-high and Suzy had tyres warmers toasting her boots already. Shit! schoolboy error.

I hastily borrow the tyre pressure gauge from the muttering Irishman... bikes all around are being warmed up. I let out about 20psi from each tyre. With already warmed tyres on Suzy, it was just a guess. After all this frantic running about I get up onto Glencrutchery Road last. The starter taps my shoulder and I give Suzy beans down toward Bray Hill. On warm tyres and half a tank of gas, I push a lot more than I have before. It feels quick and I start pushing on. It felt fast, but scrappy. I kept on getting the wrong gear and not nailing the lines. I guess the last minute rush about had me a little flustered... note to self: "Preparation, preparation, preparation...".

Lining up on Glencrutchery Road for a blast around the Mountain Course in perfect conditions

I come in after one lap... warm up the BAMF and head out for a lap on the Beast. With cold, new tyres, I take it easy until Union Mills... then get the hammer down. It feels quicker than I've gone before, but as with the last lap on Suzy just a bit scrappy. Lines not 100%, wrong gears and just not smooth enough. It certainly feels quicker, but all the little errors give that time back.

Suzy V just tipping into Ballacraine - thanks Dave Kneen for the pic

When I get back, Glencrutchery Road is still open... so another lap could have been done but I had decided beforehand just one lap on each and had fuelled accordingly. Despite the scrappy ride, I get 101.2mph on Suzy - from a standing start... my fastest lap yet. On the BAMF 104.9mph from a standing start on cold tyres. Not bad... I'm content, but know if I can smooth it out and make less small errors there are a couple more mph in both... especially the BAMF.

Tyres all scrubbed in and just one more practice session: after the races at 15h15 on Wednesday.