Firstly, on the subject of a specially constructed motorsports centre, it can neither replace nor host the TT; the TT is the Mountain Circuit. Attempting to run both disciplines of our sport side by side would be financial suicide, and asking the Manx taxpayers to pay for a multi-million pound circuit, and then the inconvenience of some form of “historic event” is unrealistic if held on the Mountain Circuit. As a TT fan I think it unlikely that I would make my annual pilgrimage to watch a short circuit event, and many others I know feel likewise. Short circuit crowds are notoriously fickle, so during the next fall in figures the IoM will have a very expensive white elephant. Running a Moto GP round or World Superbike event would be extremely expensive to attract and due to shortage of accommodation and the short running time of such an event, the profit margins for the Manx authorities would be very small, if there at all.
Secondly, the so called airbrushing away of deaths on the TT Course does not happen in road racing circles. Everyone of us feels these tragedies when they happen and for many years to come, the competitors are part of our lives and our heroes. I for one cannot remember a day when my heroes don’t enter my thoughts, making any notion of callousness on behalf of the TT fan absurd and insulting. I will agree with Ralph that if there are lessons to be learnt from accidents, lets use this information for the good of the competitors and this wonderful event. Media organisations in a bid to sell their product on the other hand resort to a few misinformed column inches, trading on the tremendous grief to call for a ban on an event they do not understand. The following edition of their product then moves on to a new subject, forgetting us, and those we have lost; is it us, or them who really cares?
Whilst talking about the media I will draw attention to the so called “TTs most vocal champion”, Motor Cycle News. Road racing coverage over the number of years has seen a drastic decline from this once fabulous newspaper, and last May I bought my last ever copy after not missing a Wednesday edition for over 25 years. MCN journalists now seem to regard real road racing as an unimportant sideshow at motorcyclists’ piss-ups in the IoM. I contacted MCN with regard to this and was informed, “today’s biker is more interested in circuit racing and the social side motorcycling has to offer than in real road racing”. Interestingly, Northern Ireland can support 3 monthly publications only dealing with racing, each one of which reports largely on real road racing, and there is at least one similar newspaper in England, issued on a fortnightly basis. Finally, I was told by MCN that although “I was right about these other publications they didn’t carry road tests on today’s bikes”. I would have thought results for the TT, NW200 and UGP Production Races are very good indicators as to the best sports bikes in the world today. Fact is MCN is heavily involved in British Superbikes this may go along way to explaining the decline in real road racing coverage and the ever increasing criticism of the sport we love.
TT racing has problems to face and having heard race team managers’ comments lately, the new organisers have acted swiftly and made decisions which will, hopefully, improve the TT for everyone. I appeal to everyone to give these changes a chance, and, hopefully, the new organisers will continue to listen to all competitors from the wonderful privateers to the big budget teams. Officialdom’s “head in the sand” approach must be consigned to the bin, but likewise the playing of politics and private agendas have no place in our sport and all sides have been guilty of this in the past. Admitting mistakes have been made is not a sign of weakness, and we have all made mistakes in the past, after all we are all only human. Consultation and compromise will undoubtedly ensure the TT and road racing in general will continue to flourish.
Ralph appears to believe that the fact competitors still wish to pit their skills on the Mountain Course as irrelevant. Fact is many people wish to take up the challenge and each one who does realises the consequences of a mistake or misjudgement, this includes road riders and road racers, the difference being road racing is an environment controlled by marshals and the members of our wonderful emergency services with the TT even having the rescue helicopter. You won’t find this on the Cat and Fiddle run, the Antrim Coast Road, or any other great biking roads regularly featured in a previously mentioned weekly motorcycle newspaper. Human nature cannot be banned so when you are asked to give to organised collections around the TT Circuit, please do so and this controlled environment can be maintained and improved. Anyone who doubts the dedication of the TT competitor wants to listen to the sacrifices these heroes make so they can be at the start line every June.
Lastly, entertainment at the “Festival” could be revised; many of the stage-managed events we now see on the Prom nightly could be organised to compensate the locals for the upheaval they endure annually. That would be fair enough, but if not, the money could be better spent helping all competitors new and experienced with their many expenses. Tourist Board officials must realise like-minded people enjoy similar things and for many years made their own fun at very little expense to the Manx taxpayer. Residents may have found the antics of the TT fan distasteful and this being the case I would certainly forgo the Festival so the Races can continue in their present form.
Everyone has their favourite riders of the past and present and I am no exception, but I deliberately named no individuals as I believe allowing the TT to disappear would be an insult to every competitor, who has braved the TT Course of his freewill. Heroes, they certainly are, and in their memory let every Club member fight to keep the TT a living history and not a dim and distant memory. All that now remains is to wish every TTSC member and TT competitor a safe and successful 2004.

Yours in sport

Eric Olliver