TT experience 2016 with Mick Alton.
So having decided to compete in the 2016 IOM TT, serious discussions started with John and Chrissie Clancy. It is a long way from the colonies in Australia to the small island of the Isle of Man, half way around the world, so logistics were a major concern.
It was decided that shipping a trailer would be the best option. John and Chrissie would tow this behind a Camper they were to hire. So John and Paddy got to work building a special trailer to carry all the necessary bits and pieces. John and Chrissie live just north of Melbourne and we live on the outskirts of Sydney just a mere 850 kilometres apart. So numerous trips back and forth, and lots of phone calls to get things organised.
Long lists of spares and tools for the bike, including all fluids, catering needs (there was to be up to 8 of us there) including the kitchen sink were prepared. Spare engines run in, new chains stretched and packed. Marquee and floor ordered and hired. Everything that we could think was considered and collected, our front room at home became a storage area, marked out with the dimensions of the trailer.
Booking the container for the trailer was done through David Miller of Paccon, and MNSW generously helped with the carnet. It was to take 45 days sailing time to the UK and 60 sailing days to return to Sydney.
Whilst all this was going on Chrissie and I were watching about 2 or 3 on board laps a day, plus cross referencing to circuit maps and passenger notes. In addition we both commenced some serious physical training, which helped immensely. Having said this I would include neck muscle exercises in future, the weight of the helmet with the sheer wind pressure is incredible not to mention the bumps.
Then we had a setback when the ACU wouldn’t honour the dispensation previously given to us to do the newcomer training. They now required that we had to do it prior to 11 May, also being told about this on Good Friday Morning was not a pleasant experience. We couldn’t go in April as the Mountain road was closed for road works. While Chris, my wife and I could go anytime Chrissie has a job, 2 teenage children at school and a husband that was working away from home in May!
To make a long story short Chrissie did manage to leave early, and the additional time we spent doing laps, and more laps, lots of section work and it paid dividends! Chrissie and I clocked up over 3000 miles in the hire car. We did do the required laps with the official ACU trainers Karl Bennett and Lee Cain, both gave very helpful and good insights to course. We also managed to do additional laps with Mike Aylott, Robbie Shorter, Dwight Beare and Ben Binns to name a few.
John, Laura and Paddy finally arrived with the bike and all the gear in tow, the marquee was set up. It was nearly the largest marquee in the pits, but we soon filled it up. Then we went through all the sign in process, it proved to be a very efficient set up.
The Newcomers Lap came upon us very quickly, suddenly we were on the start line 2nd in line behind John Holden and Andy Winkle. It was both exhilarating and downright scary! John had said he would go slow down the straights which he did, just as well, as I had the bike set up way to nervous and it was darting everywhere. But we had just done a lap of the TT course! And it was nothing like what we had watched with the on boards or had done with laps in the car.
The 1st free practice was a little nerve racking at first, and the lowering sun didn’t help matters. But we both got into the swing and started passing some of the other newcomers in front of us.
However all the preparatory work, including doing laps could not prepare you for the bumps, and even bigger bumps, camber changes and tram tracking! For example if you try and take the “normal” racing line at Sulby Pub, you could end up in the bar! And we nearly rammed into one newcomer on Sulby Straight when they hit a series of bumps and was forced to roll off.
Some of the more interesting corners and bends include:
- Handley’s, a rock wall straight in front of you! After a couple of times through it was OK.
- Bottom Barregarrow, it was not too bad but the half dozen enormous bumps afterwards where something else.
- The “K” Tree only because it was so hard to pick a line over the bumps.
- The whole section from Ginger Hall, Kerrowmoar and Glenduff, it was so bumpy you just hoped it was going in the general direction you wanted!
- The Nook and Governors Bridge which are normally closed to all traffic, so we were unable to drive it in a car.
The bumps resulted in a consultation with Richard from Maxton as to which way to go and by how much. A very informative session for both myself and John.
The mountain section which everyone said was easiest to learn proved to be my hardest section. Given all the above we both came back very happy and even happier when told we did 99.828 mph on the 2nd lap, and speed trap registering us at just over 137 mph! We had be told that a lap of around 98 mph would probably be a qualifying time, so to have this under our belt so early was a relief.
The 2nd practice saw us a little more settled and we posted a 99.999 mph standing lap and a 101.47 mph flying lap. The bike felt a lot better but need a little more tweeking in the suspension. We finished very, very happy and again we were passing a few bikes as well. We had one incident, brushing the wall at Ballaspur, a wakeup call of how this place can and will bite you.
Our times and speeds continued to improve throughout practice with us posting our best lap at 102.99 mph, and the Sulby speed trap at over 138 mph, with the mountain section still giving me the most difficulty. Though I did think the 103 mph was my ceiling, which I was disappointed with as I had privately hoped to get to 105mph.
The Mick DeWitt prepared motor proved to be strong and very reliable, we used the same engine for all practice and both races. Many competitors complementing my engine builder, Mick on his work.
Race 1 and our qualifying time had us moved us up the order from our number 61 to a starting position 32. We got away well and caught the Irish pairing of Terry O’Reilly and Aidan Browne, reasonably quickly before the Glen Helen section but had to stay behind them till Cronk-Y-Voddy straight, things were going well till we got to Bishops Court then yellow flags came out for Dwight’s unfortunate incident. Full course yellows, so we cruised all the way around the circuit acknowledging and waving to the Marshalls and the crowd.
A full restart was called, no one had been advised of Dwight’s incident, and in fact I didn’t even know it was him till we got back to the pits. Everyone was busy rushing around getting fuel and topping up tanks etc.
I knew I had to get a good start and catch the Irish team early, if fact they had generously offered to start behind us, which I declined. However we did catch them earlier this time, just after Union Mills! For us to be so much quicker than practice must have been due to the time of day we were racing at (no sunshine glaring in my eyes) as this was the first time we had been out during the day and not in the evening.
Off we continued, I thought we were doing reasonably well when I saw my distant cousin Pete Alton coming into Hillberry. I thought well I “just” have to overtake him! And we did, just before Ballagarey, then I then stuffed up Greeba Bridge and Pete passed us going into Ballacraine, we followed them through the Glen Helen, but I had to back off as I was watching them rather than my own lines. We picked up their tail coming out of Kates Cottage and used the power of the Dewith engine to pass them down Cronk-Y-Voddy straight.
Coming it to Kirk Michael I saw a flash of orange in the distance and thought that must be Roy Hanks, so we kept the pace up, caught up to Roy going into Quarry Bends and then passed him on Sulby Straight. As I have said I wasn’t great over the mountain and I had Roy nipping at my heels the whole way. We did managed to pull away after Windy Corner.
Chrissie and I crossed the finish line with sheer delight, having managed to complete a TT race and having a race with a legend in Roy. Smiles and joy overwhelmed us when the team told us we had finished 13th and fastest newcomer, a lap of 108.088 mph and a bronze replica! I had hurt my wrist, which of course I didn’t notice till later, caused by the steering damper blowing apart on the first lap.
All our celebrations all turned to dust later that evening with the terrible news of Dwight.
Monday saw us out for Practice again, Chrissie and I said we would just go around and see if I could get the Mountain section any better. We didn’t even make Greeba before I hit a rock, destroying a wheel and worst of all hurting Chrissie! They air lifted Chrissie out to ensure nothing major was damaged, which thankfully it wasn’t and they released her.
John and Paddy came out with a spare wheel and I rode the bike back though the traffic to the pits. I think Chrissie was more upset that she didn’t get to do ride in the traffic than the actual incident.
Debbie Barron suggested that we try the hyperbaric chamber that she works at. Between this and 2 to 3 hours of Physio a day for the rest of the week and Chrissie was feeling, while still very sore much better. Consequently we didn’t do the other practice sessions to give her as much time as possible to heal.
After Wednesday practice we held an Aussie BBQ for Dwight and just about every sidecar team came down, it was quite a gathering. A lot of tall tales and true took place, I believe Noel and Robyn where taken back by the outpouring of support and affection.
Friday saw our 2nd race, before this John’s handy work was called upon to repair the damage to the platform and we also added padding to it, and the Physio’s had padded Chrissie as well. It was agreed that while I wouldn’t be going slow I would take the edge of it a little and Chrissie would not “work” a lot of the bumpy lefts so as not to aggravate her injuries. Chrissie determination to continue was amazing, I wouldn’t have blamed her for pulling out.
We circulated in what I thought was a good considered pace, passing a few bikes in the process. We came away with a very respectable fastest lap over 105 mph and 20th place. Chrissie disputes that I’m slow over the mountain as we kept catching others up through it. The whole team was extremely happy with that result.
Unfortunately another incident marred the race, this time Ian Bell. Again a dark cloud over what I considered was for us a very successfully first TT.
To summarise our TT achievements: Chrissie and I achieved a lap of 108.088 mph, 2 top 20 finishes with a 13th and 20th placings, awarded a Bronze replica and fastest newcomers. Our objectives were to qualify and finish both races, I believe we far exceeded them.
Prize giving was held in pit lane, shortly after the Senior race, Chrissie and I were delighted to go and get our awards. The organisers were not impressed when I tried to take the “Best Newcomers” silver cup home! You can but try!
Then came the hard task of packing and the sad farewells of many new and old friends. Will we go back? Yes! Next year? We don’t know we have to do some number crunching.
Well that’s another story!
ALMCC 