Race Week Part 2

The Wednesday race day dawned wet and foggy with little prospect of any racing. But as so often happens however on the IOM conditions change very fast. After a protracted delay racing started in the afternoon under sunny skies with a one lap race for electric powered bikes. Race history was made with the first 100 MPH lap under race conditions by an electric bike. This earned race winner Michael Rutter a 10,000 pound bonus.

We had ventured out to the long undulating straights at Cronk-y-Voddy and had good viewing from a grassed bank in a farmyard. This is typical of the IOM TT. This is so different to circuit racing. There is absolutely nothing like it in Australia anymore. The bureaucrats with their OH&S and Insurance demands have taken care of that.

The second sidecar race was again won by Dave Molyneaux to record his 16th TT victory. The Supersport race was won by Michael Dunlop with Cameron Donald in 2nd place for the third time. Third place was decided by 0.01 second with Ryan Farquhar getting the nod over Bruce Anstey. We headed home under clear sunny skies after another great day of racing. 

Unfortunately that was the end of the fine weather as rain set in for Thursday's rest day and continued into race day Friday. The full Friday race program has been deferred until Saturday. This is particularly sad for many who have confirmed ferry bookings and will be forced to miss the blue rib-and Senior Race, the last on the program. There are many bikers staying at the ‘nylon Hilton’ in the various campgrounds around the Island. Camping life is not much fun in wet and cold conditions but such is the generosity of the local people that access to their hot showers, washing machines and clothes dryers is being offered.

Start of Race Week

Race week started on Saturday with the running of the Superbike Race (1,000cc race bikes)  over 6 laps followed by the first of 2 sidecar races (600cc) over 3 laps. We had chosen to go to the 'Bungalow' up on Mt Snaefell where the electric train crosses the road on its ascent to the mountain peak. The day was fine but up on the mountain it was generally misty and cold. The racing got underway after a slight delay and the King of the TT Englishman John McGuiness strode to his 18th TT victory followed by Australia's Cameron Donald and Kiwi Bruce Anstey to complete a very Commonwealth rostrum.

The sidecar race was won by crowd favorite and local Manxman David Molyneaux who moved to 15 TT victories surpassing the legendary Mike Hailwood who has 14. We moved down to Sulby Glen and some warmth to watch some practice sessions before the roads were reopened and we headed home after an excellent days racing.

Rest day Sunday was Peel day where the village plays host to all sorts of good old fashioned fun fair activities as well as a bike & car concourse and stunt bike shows. This is also "Mad Sunday" where traditionally bikers dress in fancy costumes and outfits for a lap of the Mountain Course. In more recent years it has also become the day where riders try for  their own fast lap of the course sometimes with tragic results. The weather was patchy at best this year so that curtailed the fast blasts and no fatalities were recorded.

Monday the fine weather returned and we went to Ramsey Village to view. Unfortunately a road fatality on the course just before the road was due to be closed delayed the start of racing for 2 hours. Racing  got underway with the Supersport Race (600 cc race bikes) over 4 laps and we witnessed one of the best races ever staged on the mountain. When the dust had settled Kiwi Bruce Anstey had victory by 0.7 seconds over Australia's Cameron Donald with Northern Ireland's William Dunlop third. This was the second closest winning margin in the 105 year history of the TT.

The second race was for Superstock (1,000 cc road bikes) also over 4 laps. This race saw John McGuiness return to the top of the winners rostrum for his 19th TT victory followed by Northern Ireland's Michael Dunlop (William's younger brother) and fellow Northern Irishman Ryan Farquhar third. An oil spill on the last lap of the race caused a major delay to reopening our section of the road while cleanup was undertaken. We got home about 9.15p after a very long day.

Rest day Tuesday saw the return of the wet weather. We ventured out exploring the northern tip of the Island and had morning tea at the Church Hall at Bride. This is another of the quirky good old fashioned traditions of the TT. The volunteer congregation put on morning tea/lunch with home made scones, pike-lets, cakes and sandwiches with all materials donated and monies going to maintenance of their historic church. They were doing a bumper trade on this wet Tuesday.

We returned home and took a bus into Douglas to meet friends for dinner and drinks  and to take in the planned entertainment along the promenade. Unfortunately the wet weather had well and truly set in washing out a lot of the entertainment but we still enjoyed a good night.

Practice Week for the TT

Practice week for the TT continued in the same vein weather wise that we had been enjoying. The system works with road closures from 5PM with race practice commencing each night at 6.20PM and continuing until 8.50PM weather permitting. Sunset is not until about 9.45PM so we are still home in daylight.

We moved to a different vantage point each night to take advantage of the different viewing lines and speeds - Crosby, Ballacraine, Braddan Bridge, Sulby Glen, Bray Hill. At Sulby Glen and Bray Hill the solo bikes are going past us at about 170 MPH and the outfits at about 145 MPH. It is an absolute buzz.
One of the beauties of the IOM TT races is the almost total involvement of the whole Island. Wherever you go and whoever you talk to the TT is to the fore. We get advice on a good viewing point from a Police Officer, get first hand knowledge passed on from an ex TT racer in a pub and you read race histories off the pub walls.

Well known Australians at the TT included Mark Webber fresh from his F1 win at the Monte Carlo GP and Eric Bana who managed a few days off from his busy filming schedule in London to take in some bike racing. We caught up with Eric at Bray Hill and he was blown away by the speeds on the road circuit even compared with the demonstration laps he had done at Philip Island circuit on pillion behind retired GP rider Randy Mamola on the Yamaha MotoGP bike.

 Outside of the racing we take in more of what the IOM has to offer by way of its history and scenery. It is a very scenic and interesting place to visit.