IOM 2014 Day 14 - Senior Race

Early morning Friday and the rain was being driven horizontal by the fierce wind. Not quite ideal racing conditions on the Isle of Man. Or anywhere. Once the rain stopped, the strong winds persisted... good for drying the track... bad for racing motorbikes in. We load up and head up to the Paddock where an hour delay to the start is announced to allow the track to dry more.

The Aprilia up through skrootineering, fuel topped up, tyre warmers gently getting 80 degrees into the tyres and rims and we're all set. It's sunny and the track has dried out nicely by the time the 45 minute horn sounds. But it's quite chilly and very windy.

Pretty soon I've got my gear on and am heading up to Parc Firme for the start of the Senior race - the blue riband event of the 2014 Festival of Motorcycling. When walking up for practice or a race, I pull my cap low over my eyes and stare at the ground 6 feet ahead of me and focus on the job ahead. If I look up and around, I'll see someone I know and they or I will start a conversation. I just get my head down and focus.

Thanks Justine for the pic

Up in Parc Firme, we get an update on the course conditions from the Clerk of the Course. Damp under the trees and very windy - take care. Then we're up on Glencrutchery Road. Bike warmed up, tyres toasty, fuel brimmed - we're good to go racing for four laps of the Isle of Man. The tension and excitement mounts as the first bikes on the road scream away from the start line - the race starts.

We edge forward in the queue. Helmet on, check visor, gloves on, stretch, stay loose and relaxed... focused. Hand-shakes, fist-pumps and shoulder-slaps. Hop on the bike and tip-toe it through the sea of photographers. Then we're alone in penned off start area. Just me an the bike. Focus. Think... speed. Speed!

Thanks Kevan for the pic

My friend, Warren Verwey is starting at number 40, just 20 seconds ahead of me on the road. He blasts off down the track. I close and lock my visor. Next up, is my mate Tim Devlin on his old steelie 600. I hook first gear and ease out the clutch, I roll forward toward the start line. "Clunk!". The bike stalls. Crap. I hit the start button. Nothing. Shit. I switch the key on and off to reset everything, hit the start button again. Nothing. Fuck! The Starter walks back a few paces to me, places his hand on my shoulder and taps it. Shit! The clock is ticking... time to go!

Warren Verwey on Glencrutchery Road

I then remember that the bike has to be in neutral to start - bloody road bikes! I look for neutral with my left foot. Click. Click. Click. Click. Up, down, up, down. 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd. Click. The green neutral light on my dash lights up. I hit the starter button again. "Chigga-chigga-vroooom!". I stamp down into 1st and make my start of the Senior Manx Grand Prix 2014 from 5 yards behind the start line and 5 seconds after the clock started ticking. I'm annoyed with myself and red line the aging machine in every gear all the way down to St. Ninians Crossroads.

Ahem... the start line is here... would you please start your motorcycle.

C'mon Son... it's time to go...

Peel left, hit the jump, muscle the bike toward the apex on the right. That was easy. Now left. The bike doesn't go left as quickly as it should and as I go over the crest I catch a massive headwind. It's like someone put the brakes on! Whooooah! Left... left... left... I have to roll the throttle to get back on line for the right kink through the bottom of Bray Hill. Bloody-hell! I've never felt wind like that!

Huraaaaah! We get rolling 5 seconds too late...

Throttle to the stops in annoyance.

Thanks Justine for the pics.

The headwind lifts the front of the bike up more than usual over Ago's One and Two. But I'm ready for it on the rear brake. Into the tunnel of trees, over the jump and hard on the brakes down to The Quarterbirdge. Through safely and flat-out. Faster. Faster! I get settled in quickly, but the wind is strong and I'm getting blown off line unexpectedly. Take it easy. Ride to the conditions. I keep a bigger gap to the kerbs than I normally do. By the time I reach The Appledean, I have Tim a few seconds ahead and I'm reeling him in. He's good on the brakes and just a little too far ahead for me to get him at Ballacraine. Up through Black Dub. Tip in to the blind left-hander and 'Whoah!'. I have to tuck my shoulder in to avoid contact. That wall was close!  Bloody wind.

I use the torque of the big Aprilia to drive past Tim coming out of Laurel Bank. Down Cronk-y-Voddy straight and I'm carrying 500 rpm more than usual - tailwind. Knowing I'm carrying a few mph more than usual, I take care through the super-fast right kink at the end and over the bumps. It's hard work having to constantly correct your braking, turn-in and lines because of the wind.

The jump through St Ninians - about 155mph on a flying lap

By the time I get to Sulby Straight for the first time and through the kink, I can see another rider in the distance, just disappearing through Sulby Bridge. I chip away at the gap up through Ramsey and onto the Mountain section. Over the Mountain I'm gaining seconds. By the time we're heading down through Brandish, I'm only a few seconds off and I see that it's Warren. Warren posted a personal best of 115 mph during practice in only his second year at the Manx (awesome Dood!). Starting 20 seconds ahead of me and with my start line shenanigans, I thought I wouldn't see him in the race.

I keep closing the gap through the Grandstand and the super fast section all the way to Ballacraine. I nip up his inside as he takes a wider line at the Glen Helen Hotel. I then get a false neutral up though the next uphill right-hander - Sarah's Cottage. I lose so much speed, expected him to come back past me as I stamp down 2 gears through the gearbox. He doesn't, but I know he's breathing down my neck and I pin my ears back. He can't get past down Cronk-y-Voddy but I can hear him right behind me. I know he's not going to be happy that I caught him on the road and is going to try get back at me. That's when I started to feel the arm-pump.

Warren and I dicing on the greatest race track in the world

I have never suffered arm-pump before. My lack of bike-time and the tough race conditions were taking it's toll on my body. My forearms were burning. My hands couldn't grip as before. I couldn't squeeze the brakes as hard as I'd like. I started to struggle the push the bars hard to counter-steer.

Warren makes his move down Sulby Straight. On the power, he drives past. I want to wave as he goes past, but it's too bumpy, too risky. I take it all in and savor the moment - racing on the best race circuit on the world with my friend. Money can't buy it!

Warren and his crew - Mike Dickenson, his Dad Andre and Curtis before the race

I tuck in close behind in his slipstream. I'm feathering the throttle through the kink to avoid rear-ending him. With my arm-pump, I'm struggling to brake properly, so I'm early on the brakes and he starts to get away. Up through Ginger Hall and the bumpy sections all the way to Ramsey and he gaps me by two seconds or so. I'm struggling to hold on. I know I can get him back on the mountain though, it's smooth up there - I don't have to work so hard with holding on and there is not too much heavy braking. I bide my time.

Sure enough, I catch Warren through the uber-fast three right kinks at the end of the Mountain Mile. I am flat out through them and behind his back wheel by the time we tip in at Mountain Box. He holds me up a bit through the next few sections before I push past on his inside at the Bungalow. Up Hailwood's Rise and and I pass Justin Collins too. The big torque of the Aprilia was helping me a bit on the mountain with so much wind. I was punching out of the turns quicker and making up time on acceleration.

Signpost Corner

By the time I'm cruising down pit-lane (at about 40km/h ;-/ ) and looking for my pit-box, I'm about 6 seconds ahead of Warren. I find my box, pull up next to my crew, fumble a bit with the key, but get the gas cap open. Kevan is sloshing in more fuel. Visor and screen clean and a drink from Steve. "You're fuckin' flying Paul. You're fuckin' flying!" Steve gives me encouragement as I try and stretch and relax my forearms. "You're 10th!". Holy crap! I think. 10th in the the Senior... keep going... just keep going.


Fuel tank full, Gas cap closed, key in and turned,off the stand, hit the start button. Nothing. Huh? I rock the bike forwards, I feel that she's still in gear. As on the start line, she won't start unless she's in neutral. Fuckin' road bikes! Just then, Warren pulls out from the pit box behind me. 'Bugger - gonna have to catch him again...' I'm thinking as I do the 1st to 2nd gear and back again gear-lever twiddle. Bloody hell! I'm struggling to get her into neutral. Trying the most sensitive touch. Click, click, click... the green light on my dash fails to go on. I hear the a guy in the next pit box shout across to me "You need to find neutral." Yeah, no shit. I'm working on it pal...

Click, click, click... tick, tick, tick... the seconds go by. Using the lightest touch possible, I feel 1st disengage, and there is no click up to 2nd gear. The green light is blazing. "Yeah! You bitch!" I hit the starter button so hard, it twists around the handle-bar. I keep pushing and she fires into life. Careful not to stall, I pull off and cruise down pit-lane. Another 10 seconds lost. Shit! Bollocks!

Wtf is neutral? Tick, tick, tick.... third pit-lane f-up in the week. What a muppet!

Thanks Justine for the pic.

I chase after Warren on an empty track. By the time I'm braking heavily for Quarterbridge, my forearms, especially my right, are killing me. I know I've lost loads of time on this lap. The last lap of a 4 lap race is the only proper flying lap. I wanted a personal best. I decided to sacrifice the third lap and a few race positions to go for that personal best on the last lap. Personal Best times are more important to me than race positions around the Isle of Man.

On the road alone again

Braking early and not as hard on the big braking areas, using my legs against the tank of the bike instead of countersteering and rolling the throttle on with my fingers (like a monkey would do), I was trying to rest my forearms as much as possible. I knew I was losing time, but if I could save enough strength for a blistering last lap, it would be worth it. I had to consolidate. The wind was still strong and I still had to fight through a lot of fast corners. That was a looooooong lap.

By the end of the lap, the pain had eased in my forearms. I tested the countersteering and heavy braking through Cronk-y-Mona and into Signpost. Aaaaaah, that's better. Down through the blind Bedstead (love that corner) and the Nook (hate that corner) and I was g'ing myself up to pull the pin on the last lap. Around Governor's Dip and then hard on the gas for the quickest lap I've ever done.

Small jump going through Union Mills - #36 started 50 seconds ahead of me on the road

"Braaaaaap!", "Braaaaaaaaaaaap!", "Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!". As I approach the Grandstand, I see some red movement. I approach at around 140mph to see a marshal frantically waving a red flag. Huh? Really? Now? I slow down and there is another marshal at the entry to the return road, in the middle of the track, waving a red flag. Isle of Man rules: red flag means you stop where-ever you are on track at the next marshal's post. I slow right up and filter into the return road as directed by a marshal.

The Gooseneck - leading to my favorite part of the course, The Mountain Section. 10 miles of riding heaven

I get back up the return road to find only Warren and another rider in Parc Firme. The other riders ahead of me on the road must have just got through to the next Marshal's post. With all racing stopped under a red flag, there couldn't be a better place to have it happen. Two other riders join us. With the first 35 or so riders on the road already through and on their final lap, I know that this is the end of the Senior race and a result will be called. No chance of a proper flying lap.

War stories of our dicing on the roads...

Thanks Justine for the pics.

We're all happy and somewhat relieved to be back safely. It was a tough race, real tough. Warren and I exchange war-stories of our lap 2 battle before the Clerk of the Course announces that there are 2 incidents that the 2 air-ambulances are attending to and with no air-ambulance cover, the Senior race is over and a result will be called. I am disappointed not to have a go at my personal best in lap 4, but am also relieved. That was a hard race and I didn't have anything left in me to do more than 1 lap... and I'd have to dig deep to do that lap too. I'm really pleased that it's over and we're safe... but disappointed that my last lap of the 2014 Campaign ended with a red flag.

Thanks Justine for the pics

The race result was rolled back to the 2nd lap. This played into my hands as my conserving 3rd lap and pit-stop cock-up didn't count toward the result. I later am surprised to learn that my 2nd lap dice with Warren had taken me up to 8th place at the end of lap 2. Awesome! It didn't work out so well for Warren who was on fire in lap 3 and well into the top ten.

Evening meal with friends for a job well done :-)

8th in the Manx Grand Prix Senior... I could hardly believe it! Some luck there... maybe... but after so many luckless campaigns, I was due a bit of fortune. I still had to ride the wheels off that big old bike for those first 2 laps. My first lap was 113mph from a standing start. My second lap, including the slow-down for the pit-stop was 114mph. I'd got that personal best after all.

Third replica in a week - Team SpeedTherapy's best results ever!

Thanks Justine for the pic.

It makes me chuckle. 8th in the Senior or what is basically a road bike with clip-on's, throttle, rear-sets, race bodywork and an exhaust/airfilter, power-commander AND - it's 11 years old! Nothing special about that bike... ok... maybe the color-scheme.

The day ends with sadness when later that afternoon we learn that Gary Firth, in his first year on the Isle, lost his life in one of the incidents. Condolences to Gary's family and friends. As many have said - he was doing what he loved and was living the dream.

IOM 2013 - Day 14 - Supertwins and Senior Race

Up early on Friday to get the bikes loaded and up to the paddock to meet Steve and Ian and get them through skrootineering.

Bikes through (with a bit of sweet-talkin' from Steve) ok and set-up in Parc Ferme. All set for the race at 10h15. Then a delay is announced. And another. The weather is overcast and there is fog on the mountain. More delays and finally a race start at 12h30 or something like that. Too much waiting... but I keep focussed and am ready for it when we line up on Glencrutchery Road for the start of the Supertwins race.

 

I only managed to do 2 laps of Qualifying on the little Suzuki. The 'shake-down' first lap of 2013 and a second scrappy lap through heavy traffic. My other two laps didn't count for qualifying. Because we start in qualifying order this year, I wasn't as far forward in the queue as I'd have liked. No worries... 'catch and pass' would be the mantra.

The flag drops and I red-line the little Suzuki all the way down Glencrutchery Road. Flat out down Bray Hill, only off the gas and braking for Quarterbridge. I press on... I almost get Ballagary flat-out. I catch the rider that started 10 seconds ahead of me just before Ballacraine. Good work... keep going.

I'm going faster through sections than I have ever been on the little bike. The personal best laps from earlier in the week have pushed me forward. Flat-out. With a few more rpm due to the shorter gearing, the little bike is working hard, but going well. The lengthening of the wheelbase by 12mm in a effort to make her more stable hasn't worked. The bars continuously flick in my hands as I hit bumps while flat-out mid-corner. It's real hard work... but I can't get off the gas.

Pit crew - Steve and Ian

I get one or two big flicks that almost turn to tank-slappers. I'm riding that little bike to her limit. Just hold on tight and keep that throttle wound up!

I catch and pass another rider just before Ballacrye. Another two as I get into Ramsay. I struggle to get past them as they are on fast Kawasakis. They gap me over the long uphill drag up the mountain. Then they hold me up in the corners. As we get to we plunge into a white wall of fog. The visibility is about 50 yards. Okay in a car doing 30mph... but on a bike, in a race, on a mountain road... a bit disconcerting.

Running into traffic at the Gooseneck

We approach Brandywell - I know I'm strong around there so set him up for an outside pass on the fast kink before. I'm onto the 6 of the next fast Kawasaki and we get through the fog on the run down the Windy Corner. I tuck into his slipstream. A few times I try to pass on the run down from the mountain, but every time I dart out of his slipstream, it's like I hit a wall and he starts pulling away. With only 73bhp, the wee Suzuki doesn't have enough power.

Union Mills - Stephen Ault on No 48 made up this gap and passed me easily less than half a mile up the road.

We need more power Cap'n!

I eventually get past on the brakes into Signpost. Flat-out down Bray Hill and then the long flat-out section to Ballacraine. On the hill up to Ballahutchin, the Kawasaki easily comes past me. Through the turns he's holding me up. Frustrating!

We get to Glen Helen and I see a marshals waving red flags. We are directed off the track at Swiss Cottage. Race stopped. I have a chance to meet the Kawasaki rider. Stephen Ault - a Newcomer. He was going very well... I learn that his Slick Bass tuned motor is making around 97bhp!

Red flag at Swiss Cottage - time for a photo and a chat

The Travelling Marshals pick us up and we cruise back to the Grandstand in convoy. Race was red-flagged due to deteriorating weather. To be rerun at 14h00 as a two lap race. We get the little bike back on tyre warmers, gassed up, battery topped up and I have enough time to visit the Hailwood Centre for a sandwich. Re-focus.

Re-start and I'm on it. As I hammer down Bray Hill, I see rain flags and droplets splatter on my screen. Easy on the brakes into Quarterbridge. Easy on the gas coming out. Into Braddan. Waved yellow flags. Slow down. Stephen Ault started 20 seconds in front of me - the long scrape-marks on the tar lead to his bike in the fences. I get through okay and get the hammer down. Into Snugborough... fast, flat-out left-hander. The rain is streaming across my screen. Track getting wet... will there be enough grip to be cranked over flat-out?

Signpost

Let's try. Nerve-wracking. You push as hard as you dare. Feeling for grip, hoping the tyres find it. It's more in the mind than anything else. Your brain screams that the track is wet and there is no grip and you'll land up in the flint wall at 120mph. You have to push through that. Silence the screams. Focus on what you're doing. Feel what the bike and tyres are doing.

Again, I catch the next rider as we get to Ballacraine. An easy pass using corner-speed on the exit - timed perfectly. On the dry sections I am pashing harder and faster than I have before on the little bike. Flat-out where I used to roll... end of Cronk-y-Voddy... Ballacrye. Man, that feels good!

Back on the mountain and there is rain and more fog to feel one's way through. Back down to Douglas and it's raining as we come through the Grandstand for the second and final lap. I think of the section ahead: flat-out Bray Hill... in the wet! I figure if I get though the St Ninian's jump okay, the rest of Bray Hill will be fine.

Bottoming out through Begarrow

I keep the cables stretched through St Ninians and wince as I go through and hit the jump. She lands perfectly so I keep her pinned all the way to Quarterbridge. More rain patches all the way to Ballacraine. On the dry side of the course I am going faster... but still fighting the bars. I am tiring. Top of my back, neck and shoulders are starting to ache. Down Sulby Straight I have a chance to think of the Senior race scheduled for an hour or so later... I'll be knackered. Crap!

There yet more rain and fog over the mountain... but I press on. This is a race. Everyone is pressing on. Got - to - go - faster.

Back down to Glencrutchery Road and I am relieved to pass the chequered flag. I normally don't mind wet racing conditions... but around here it is wet one mile, bone dry the next, then damp patches and then the fog. Not much fun and mega stressful.

I get back to Parc Ferme to hear that the Senior race has been cancelled and this is the end of Manx GP 2013. I am so knackered from holding onto that flighty little Suzuki that I'm relieved. But, that feeling is soon replaced with disappointment. I was so looking forward to getting out on the Aprilia and bettering Wednesday's fastest lap.

Most vans are packed to the rafters... spot the 3 bikes.

Of course, as soon as the decision to cancel the rest of the meeting was announced, the weather cleared up and we had a beautiful afternoon... the sun even shone. If we had started the Supertwins on time, we would have finished before the crap weather and the Senior would have started after the weather (with maybe a 1 hour delay). There was a 'standby' session scheduled for the evening and one for Saturday morning. Apparently these could not be used because there would not have been enough marshals. They go to the trouble to get extra road closure permission, but cannot organise the marshals. They didn't even make a call for more marshals. Silly.

It's a shame... I think decisions are made with the weight and fear of litigation hanging over them. It's like there is a lawyer who knows nothing about motorcycle racing on the Isle of Man sitting over the shoulder or the clerk of the course. Some hasty and poor decisions. So the whole event just kinda fizzled out. Everyone was feeling quite deflated.

We like prizes!

Oh well... my efforts in the Supertwins race were enough to get 19th place out of 66 entrants... and a coveted replica :-) My overall laptimes were rubbish, but some of the dry sector times were fast :-)
So that's it for another year. Gonna get the van and bikes packed now for my ferry early tomorrow morning. We're going home in my van on the ferry... and that's always a good thing!

Only my third Manx GP replica in 7 campaigns :-)

Racing on the Isle is tough

IOM 2013 - Day 13 - Final Prep

Spent today getting new tyres fitted and doing final prep on the bikes for tomorrows races. Check, check and check everything. Then check again. Also made a few small changes to the bikes. Going about half a tooth shorter gearing on the Suzuki... mainly to get 11mm more wheelbase to try stabilize her a bit. I've been easy on her during practice... tomorrow she'll have to work a little harder. Also added 2mm of pre-load to the Aprilia to try stop the forks bottoming out.

 
Weather forecast is iffy. I have inters fitted to the Suzuki that I can run in the dry and a set of inters on rims ready for the Aprilia in case we need them.

Need to be up early to load the bikes solo and get them through skrootineering. Man, I'm missing having Nic around to help. In the paddock, Ian and Steve will help out and be in the pits for tomorrow's two stops. Will certainly need the help if I am to change the Aprilia wheels between races.

 

 

Time to get some rest... going to be a busy day tomorrow!

Follow the races live

Supertwins: 10h15-12h00 #31 'Suzy V'
Senior: 13h15-15h00 #50 'Betty'

ManxGP Prep - RSV Factory

While the Ducati SP3's engine is being rebuilt... I've got going on prep for the other Manx GP bikes. I was going to say 'modern' class bikes... but although the Senior and Supertwin classes cater for modern bikes... mine are both pretty old.

First up the 10 year old Aprilia RSV Factory.

 

Ready to bomb down Bray Hill again!

I went a bit over-board on the side-number visibility this year. Every previous year I've had the aggro of changing the graphics because I haven't passed the 'artictic interpretation' guidelines. If you can't see she's #50, you're a blind-ass-mo-fo!

 

The old 'race tuned' engine put out 131 bhp at the back wheel on the dyno before last year's Manx. Not bad. She dropped a valve on the rear cylinder just after Ballaugh Bridge on lap 1 of the Senior Race last year. The head damage was 'uneconomical to repair', so I picked up a 10k mile engine off ebay (and got an extra £20 discount for making to journey in the snow...) and dropped it off with my mate and Aprilia RSV guru Don Plane at Southern Cross. He plugged it in, fitted my open air-area and popped it on the same dyno for a tune-up.

133bhp at the rear wheel. :-) She's a good 'un!

A bit of before and after carbon lovin'

Most of my lock-wiring was still in place and the Pirelli SuperCorsa tyres have only done 15 or so miles. Just the usual Manx inspection and checking of everything and a little bit refurbing/tarting up and she's good for another ManxGP :-)

Common Manx-fuel-overflow syndrome from last year...

... sand it down...

...mask it up...

...rattle-can primer...

...a bit of shiny black on top (I prefer satin black...)...

...and shazam. Looking good!

Big Betty on the bench.

Some Good News

Two emails popped into my Inbox within the last hour...

 and

... so far so good. No news on the Classic TT entry, so I logged onto the online entry system...

 



Nothing yet. Just a reminder for me to pay my entry fee...