The weather again put paid to the
rescheduled race / qualifying programme, Gary Thompson (Clerk of the
Course) announcing just before 10:00 am that there would be no
racing today. The forecast for Wednesday is much better and a full
programme was announced for Wednesday and Thursday.
The Isle of Man Examiner headlined with 'HOW COULD ANYBODY MISS
THIS?' next to a photograph of the the no entry signs and the one
way system at Creg-ny-Baa. Within minutes of implementing the system
on Friday 24th May a car driver from Laxey was stopped attempting to
go the wrong way over the Mountain Road. This person was arrested
and fined £1,500 last Wednesday. On Monday two Austrian bikers aged
54 and 56 were fined a total of £650 after being court going against
the flow of traffic on Sunday. They left the island almost
immediately after appearing in court. The police are still looking
for a biker, dressed in black, who travelled from Kates Cottage to
Windy Corner and nearly causing a head on collision. Are these
breaches, which are highly dangerous, due arrogance, ignorance or
just plain stupidity? Hopefully the draconian fines will deter
future issues and stop a serious collision where someone is killed.
There was still plenty of activity going on in the paddock and in
Ramsey the Sprint took place. Notable riders chatting with the fans
were Peter Hickman and James Hillier, never tiring of signing an
autograph or having a selfie with a fan or posing for a picture. I
wonder what it must be like when they leave the island and not have
all this adulation, is it a relief or do they miss it?
Graham Bean and I bump into ex sidecar racer Dan Clark. Dan, as ever
is on good form, it is amazing to think that it is twelve years
since his accident that ended his racing career. He had been dogged
with chassis problems all practice and had not completed a lap. The
organisers allowed him to go out in the first phase of riders on the
final Friday evening practice, he was having his fastest and
furthest venture around the course when the sidecar ran wide onto
the pavement and into the hedge at Bedsteads. To this day he doesn't
know why it ran wide although there is a possibility it was due
losing pressure in his front wheel. The unknown is whether the
damaged to the tyre was caused before or after the accident? Luckily
he and passenger Nigel Mayers lived to tell the tale. Although no
longer able to race he is always readily available to assist and
support, this year he is aiding the Ramsdens andin the past he
helped the White Rose Racing Team and Team Past It. Dan is, without
doubt, one of the most likeable characters in the paddock
With the inclement weather the Hailwood Centre cafe was doing a
roaring trade, the coffee isn't bad at all!! Adrian Earnshaw is
selling old magazines, TT & MGP programmes and other bits of
memorabilia from the shop within the cafe. He is also selling Mike
Hailwood Foundation T-Shirts (£15.00) and Polo Shirts (£17.50) which
are very competitively priced, black with the traditional Mike
Hailwood gold trimmings.
Mike Hailwood poster from the
Hailwood Centre
Peter Hickman sharing a joke with Tim Glover
James Hillier behind the Grandstand
after coming runner up in Monday's Supersport Race
The Marshal's teepee was busy with
new marshals signing on and being shown the training video. It has
been a tough time for all the marshals over the last 12 days, Monday
being a particularly long day. With nothing happening on Tuesday,
Wednesday is looking at being as an equally long day as Monday was.
I would rather this than a curtailed race programme.
Photographs by Mike Hammonds:
Mike Hammonds
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