CAR WARS

Funny how an event for two wheels becomes a battle ground for car wars. It’s happened again. David Mylchreest, who provided the course cars for years, has been stood down for the second time in four TTs.  In centenary year 2007 Audi came along and provided the cars but promptly disappeared. The ever-courteous David agreed to return despite being seriously aggrieved at what had happened. This year it’s happened again. I sympathise with David who must be reflecting that loyalty isn’t exactly a two-way street, but on the other hand it gives another of my acquaintances a chance with Manx-born Adrian Kermode coming home in style.

Adrian Kermode. Photo: CL

 Adrian is boss of Porsche dealership Corkills and after a tendering process he’s won the right to supply twelve Cayenne, 911 and Panamera cars this summer. Adrian knows something about being forced off the road having been in charge of the Porsche dealership in Liverpool when the city council decided to build a museum on his site. The council then failed to offer a suitable alternative within the city (supporters of Everton FC may recognise this) so Adrian upped sticks and relocated to Ellesmere Port where business blossomed.

SNAP CRACKLE AND STOP

Worrying news is that sidecar ace Tim Reeves has lost a key sponsor.  It’s left him with a £15k shortfall in his TT budget and he’s saying that if he can’t find someone to plug the gap he won’t be racing.  Tim has made a massive impression in his two years at the TT. Getting on the podium was only part of the story. Telling Radio TT listeners that he’d proved the doubters wrong and “pissed on their cornflakes” was the real highlight. We need more of this. Anyone who can help Tim can get in touch on  07595 929376. Memo to Kelloggs: worth an enquiry?

Tim in action. Photo: Mark 'Wally' Walters

100mph TARGET

Rossi and Czsyz at TT 2009

Michael Czysz has entered his MotoCzysz team for the TT Zero this year. MotoCzysz were one of the pioneers who took part last year, one of several teams based in Oregon where the state government provides financial support for innovative technology. This time they’re bidding to become the first electric bike to clock 100mph average round the Mountain Course. Last year Mark Miller retired the machine at Marown so I hope they have more luck this time.

AN UNPLEASANT EMISSION

It’s a shame that the relationship between the IOM Govt and TTXGP has turned sour. The Govt has issued a statement accusing the TTXGP people of reneging on an agreement to organise zero-emissions racing at the 2010 TT. The statement says that TTXGP, run by Azhar Hussein, signed up to a rival event in Paris which clashed with the TT. Apparently Azhar wanted to skip TT 2010 and come back in 2011. This smells pretty bad to those of us who welcomed Azhar and co last year, but I think there were always going to be problems if two separate organisations were running races at the same event. There were certainly some difficulties last year, among them being a decision by the TTXGP team to publicise dates for their races on the island in 2010 before they’d been agreed by the DTL. If I remember correctly they planned to race at the Manx GP and ended up pulping hundreds of their race programmes when it was spelt out that this was not going happen. Now TTXGP are busy promoting racing around the world that has nothing to do with the TT. I think they should remove the “TT” from their title. I know “TT” is not exclusive to the IOM but the TTXGP began its competitive life on the IOM, and has benefited hugely from the connection. Its own website is egrandprix.com and that’s what it should be known as from now on.

NON STARTER FOR 2010?

The IOM Govt spends a fortune enticing people to come to the island for the TT. So it seems a bit perverse to me that one man who has the motivation to travel, and the time, and the cash, and most importantly a ferry ticket, can’t do so because he can’t find anywhere to stay. All the more embarrassing because the person in question is one of the TT’s best ambassadors, editor of the excellent TT Supporters Club magazine Graham Bean.
Graham is confined to a wheelchair which makes finding suitable accommodation a challenge. Especially, it seems, on the IOM where some of the major hotels seem simply clueless.  One told him: “as the IoM is not in the UK it is not bound by the access for the disabled legislation, which applies in the UK – you will not be able to get your wheelchair down the side of the bed and what disabled people usually do is to get out of their chair and shuffle down.”  Hmmm. I’d prefer to see the island use its unique status as an opportunity to exceed what’s on offer in the UK, not an excuse for falling well short. Several other hotels can’t offer any disabled accommodation at all. The new Joey Dunlop Home is understandably reserved for ex-competitors.
I’d like to think stops would be pulled out for Graham but despite the DTL being aware of his situation, the stops are, well, stopped.
In the meantime I know that several individuals are helping Graham find a suitable billet. I hope they are successful. Having missed the last two TTs due to work commitments it is the unkindest cut of all that he might miss out again.

RE-LIVE PLATER’S 2009 SENIOR TT

Plater’s first Senior win, McGuinness’s hard luck story and Guy Martin losing his chain in the pits – it’s all right here on my blog. Check out the Audio page (see sidebar on the right).

NEW RADIO DEAL

I gather that the new contract agreed (though still not actually signed) by Manx Radio and the DTL is for three years with an option for a further three years. That’s great news because it means we can all stop thinking short-term. I know the radio station has been wanting to upgrade the broadcast kit in the tower but they obviously were not going to go ahead until the future of Radio TT was settled.

Producer's controls, Radio TT, 2009. photo: DJL