ONE NIGHT IN JUNE Well what a TT. Yes we made it, but we wouldn’t have been here without the special help we had from Dave Molyneux but most importantly Peter Alton of OTC Dyno fame. Without Peter letting us have his TT bike a few weeks before the TT itself we wouldn’t have been here. Peter is the embodiment of what sidecar racing is all about. He risked his own bike so we could get to the start line, in how many other sports would you have seen that? We can not thank you enough Peter. One thing though, you should have seen his face when we brought the outfit back to him in one piece. It was like a father welcoming home a long lost child. It was a picture to behold. We also had a new member join us in the shape of the much experienced Alan Langton. His help and advice was amazing during the two weeks. We had a troubled start to the TT and the first practice session didn’t go well. The engine decided it was going to hold its breath, and as the pressure built it decided to blow the rubber seal at the head. We later found out that our idea we had was a bit like holding the mouth and nose shut as someone tried to breathe out, it was never going to work, and there was a pressure release bottle required. This was easily fixed but this set back hit the team hard. After all the hard work we put in to get to the start line, we were gutted after so much hope which built up from a great Jurby meeting where we were pushing Dave Molyneux, the team was deflated. But there was still a long way to go and this little thing was not going to let us get too disheartened. Nearly all the other teams though had managed to get a couple of flying laps in, this put us immediately on the back foot. But I guess we were used to being there. Due to differing circumstances the next time the sidecars would get to practice would be the Wednesday night. So as dawn broke on that Wednesday morning we woke to a beautiful day. Again it was bright sunshine all day until the gods of the isle decided that yet again just as practice was due to start it seemed the right time for a little gardening session and that the grass of the Isle of Man needed just a little more watering. The team had no laps completed and needed 3 with one of them being timed and inside qualifying. Well this Wednesday that timed lap was not going too happen. It was an untimed session and only one lap, so two days to go and two laps to get and one inside the qualifying time. This long road we were on had been going up and up since February and we knew our luck just had to change at some point. We completed the lap but nothing was learned. We didn’t know if the mapping was good or even if the engines were up to it after the fix we put in place. We had learned nothing but at least we had one lap. That one precious lap meant for us, half way through the week, absolutely everything. It was the start of our TT and the pressure was on. You could tell on the faces of those around the team that things were building up. All that said Karl was being Karl and nothing seemed to faze him. Lee was a chilled out as ever and said not to worry. Well that was easy for them to say as everyone else was getting greyer and I was even starting to look for the Just for Men in the local chemist. Well Thursday was looking hopeful for better weather and it delivered. Bright sunshine though the day and everyone was holding their breath to see if the Gods of the isle would get the watering can out again. Thankfully they decided that enough was enough and decided to just enjoy the fantastic views of the isle. To us what we really wanted was those fantastic views going past Karl and Lee at over 100 mph, back to the stop, flat, head down and getting those illusive laps in. That was the order of the day. The team were very upbeat and looking forward to getting some proper time on the bike. This was going to be an important night; we all knew that, we all knew this was the night where everything needed to come together. The night started well with a little surprise for the team from TD Racing who delivered the new helmets all painted by Rich Art Concepts and designed by a friend of the teams Simon Young. The helmets were fantastic and everyone who seen them wanted one. This gave a much needed lift to the team. As they headed off for Scrutineering hopes and confidence were running high. The team started well as were in for a quick lap when the dark shadow of bad luck decided to make a visit yet again. As Karl and Lee were making their way around on their very first flying lap a tyre on the outfit started to blister and unfortunately it was the front. They stopped at Glen Duff to check to see what was actually going on as the front was shaking its head like nothing else and decided that was that and it was too risky to carry on. This was a disaster for the team. We had no fast lap and with only one practice session left we still needed two laps. This was going to be difficult. We needed the weather to stop messing practice about. We were actually worried that the sidecars would be told we only had one lap on the Friday session as the solo’s who were racing as well on the Saturday and Monday also needed time out in practice to qualify as they had also been hit by reduced track time. There was still a practice session on the Saturday after the races but that was no help to us we need the two laps in and still needed a timed lap. We would have to wait and see of we could even hope to get the two laps in. To say the camp wasn’t happy would be an understatement. We also found out that others also suffered an issue with their tyres, which at least meant it wasn’t something strange with our setup. But this then made us doubt the durability of the tyres. Yet again the odds seemed to be stacking up against us, it felt like we were walking along a road that at every corner you think the hill has stopped, but just as you get around it you look up and there is another steep part to get up, it seemed never ending. So we moved into Friday and basically it was all coming down to this one session. Over the next hour we would find out if it was all worth it. We would find out if we had actually qualified for the first sidecar race. Everything, the months of work getting sponsors, the months of set backs, all those ups and downs that we suffered more than a soap plot, the hours in the garage, the arguments as the pressure built, and the laughs too. All of it came down to this. Our whole year came down to this one night in June. As they set off, I can honestly say I was more nervous than if I was actually racing. I had no idea it was this bad and I joined the many families out there just listening intently to the radio in the hope their name was mentioned around the course, staring at the TT APP in the hope that they had reached the next check point. As their names went through each check point I counted down to the end of the first lap. They then appeared over the crest of the road coming out of Governors Bridge and onto the start finish line. I was worried that the end of practice maybe called and the chequered flag was going to go out which meant they would only get one lap in. Luckily I needn’t have worried, the flag stayed in and they flew past completing the lap at an average speed of 106 mph. This was inside the qualifying time, so from a standing start they had already qualified on time. The only thing left was this last lap. We needed this one last lap. Never in my life had one night meant so much. The next 20 minutes seemed like hours. Watching the timing system became everything, I heard nothing, I noticed nothing else other than this little screen in front of me, only glancing at my watch to check to see how long had passed since the last green light turned on to tell me where they were. I lost count of the number of times I checked to see if my watch had stopped but at last they were here. The sight of number 13 crossing that line was immense. Lee patted Karl’s back and that was it. They had done it. The relief in the camp was there for all to see. We didn’t care what the second lap speed was, in fact I have no idea what it was.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 16:07:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015