An American Newcomer Racing on the Isle of Man: A Perilous Dream Within Reach

A Perilous Dream

It's much steeper than it appears.

Peering up Bray Hill from the point where my little SV650 should be turning hard right in excess of 130 miles per hour (if I'm to be competitive), I was somewhat awestruck by the precipitous grade before me. Even the old turn 12 at Road Atlanta, mercifully no longer used by motorcycles, paled in comparison to this corner and its precipitous drop in terms of sheer ominousness. Harvey, a former Isle of Man sidecar racer, generally nice guy, and president of the Manx Motorcycle Club, who had collected me from the airport to bring me to Douglas for my Manx GP Newcomers training, having perhaps seen a glint of uncertainty in my eye, made mention of a pair of young Frenchman that upon viewing the sight as they arrived for their newcomers training, misplaced their smiles, and their jovial attitudes turned dead serious. Having been here four times previously as a motorcycle equipped spectator, and sporting the demeanor of a crusty adventurer, my countenance remained more or less even. I simply mused to my new friend that it didn't look so severe from the saddle traveling in the proper direction. Inwardly though, I was murmuring, Wow...
                                         
 A Long Road To the Paddock 

The Bolivian Death Road is safer than the Mountain Course I figure

My infatuation with the Isle of Man stretches back over twenty years when we in the States began getting race recaps from the TT on cable tv. My healthy craving for speed grew exponentially as I watched the likes of Joey Dunlop, Dave Jefferies, and a young John McGuinness tame the 37.73 miles of public road known as the Mountain Course. Having been smitten, I took to American tracks shortly thereafter aboard my ZX6R Ninja, but I was relatively new to riding, and my skill at that point placed me mid-pack in the novice class. I was far faster on four wheels, and turned my attention, insofar as racing was concerned, to karting and Formula Fords. However, I always kept a motorcycle, or twenty, around and an eye on racing

Getting up to speed at the WERA/AMA finals at BMP

the Mountain Course. Since I got my first bike at sixteen, I've ridden at least half a million miles, covering 54 countries and 49 of the United States. Having never lost the desire to compete on the Isle of Man, a couple of years ago I decided that it was time to get busy preparing to do so, or spend the rest of my life in regret. I pulled my leathers out of the closet, and headed to Roebling Road Raceway to see if I had the speed I needed to be competitive. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was faster in my late thirties than I had been in my early twenties. It was nice to be racing at the front of the novice class, and fighting my way to mid-pack among the experts as I returned to motorcycle racing in order to qualify to race on the Isle of Man. Fortunately, my recent race results were good enough to score me an invite to the Manx GP.

Learning the Course

Though there is some debate, according to Wikipedia the Mountain Course is comprised of 219 turns; The vast majority of which are taken in excess of 100 miles per hour. Even for riders endowed with outstanding skill and motorcycle control, obtaining course knowledge is of paramount importance. That's what the newcomers weekend is mostly about, taking part in as many guided laps as you can fit

The best way to arrive on the IoM

into two and a half days to begin wrapping your mind round such a long, and unforgiving ribbon of asphalt. I arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed Friday morning at the Manx Motorcycle Club offices to find, Heather Fox, the kind Club administrator I'd been corresponding with over the previous months, and one other newcomer, a big fellow from the northeast of England by the name of Mark Kirkby, waiting for the first instructor to appear. Mark had been there for hours, having hit the island early morning in his van via the ferry. He had a motorcycle and a crude bunk in the back. My kind of lifestyle! Fortuitously for Mark and I, a lanky, steely eyed Brit by the name of Dave Madsen-Mygdal arrived to guide our first laps. Having compiled roughly 30,000 competitive miles on the Snaefell Mountain Course, Dave is the most experienced racer in its history. Though a 120 mph man in the TT that's won round here in the Manx GP, riding legendary machinery such as RC30s and RC45s, he was affably approachable and shared his encyclopedia-like knowledge with pleasant ease. What a badass! As it turned out, all the instructors to guide my laps were pretty awesome.

I took seven laps that counted, and another four that didn't

Colin Croft has been racing the Isle going on seven years. He is, and forgive the expression, a cheeky bugger, and I mean that in the most complementary way possible. We are of similar age I figure, and I could identify with his blunt and often irreverent way of putting things. In addition to offering terrific insight, he has a 114 mile per hour lap to his credit, which proves without a doubt that he knows what he's doing. Carolynn Sells is a young mother that, if I'm not mistaken, walked away from racing after becoming the only woman to win an event on the Mountain Course back in 2009. Her interaction was very hands on, and we stopped to get out of the car several times to closely examine particularly dangerous points along the 37.7 miles of tarmac. Her instruction was clear, and her evident concern embodied that of a caring, super fast, mother. Jim Barnett's concise instruction was fluid and engineer-like. His familiar voice inspired confidence. After about four miles I knew why. I'd already ridden round the Isle for a 112 mph instructional lap of his on YouTube around forty times. Preparation has been the key for Jim, and he's a smart man. His first ever practice lap of the Isle demonstrated the effectiveness of his methodic approach. It was a most impressive 101 mph. Rhys Hardisty is young and fast. He is currently running in the 120 mph range at the TT, and his instruction was more on the practical side of things. "Bring a bike to race that you are accustomed to; Don't worry about suspension setup too much; When you return to the Isle to practice on your own, you'll likely find a car more useful than a bike." Occasionally he'd throw in a "no brakes here....maybe a downshift". I'm anxious to see what he does at this year's TT. He certainly put in the laps over the weekend, day and night. I suspect if weather cooperates in a couple months time he'll be a few miles per hour quicker this year than last.

                                                       
 Fellow Newcomers

In my extensive travels I've found unique places attract unique people. This is very much true of the Isle of Man. It's been called a Siren, however, I think it's more a magnet. A siren seduces the unwitting, while a magnet attracts particular qualities and compositions. Racers on the Isle are hardly naive, but simultaneously unsure of exactly what it is we hope to achieve, we simply know that we are on our way to compete. Our newcomers class was comprised of no fewer than eight nationalities; And though we hail from different points around the globe, and embrace our individuality, there is something common among us, though I cannot quite articulate what it is. Is it fear of mediocrity? A need for speed? A quest to obtain the elusive? Whatever it is, each and every one of us has made peace with the fact that we will engage in an extraordinarily risky endeavor in order to achieve it. We're a band of brothers fighting battles I'm unsure any of us fully understand.


                                                 

                                                   
Back to the Real World

Our Newcomers Weekend officially concluded for lunch at the Sulby Glen Hotel along one of the three fastest parts of the course (I need my little SV to hit 145 mph through here come August).

Following hastily finishing my meal I ventured alongside the road to collect my thoughts in solitude. Aptly enough, about six years ago I got my very first taste of racing on the Isle at this very spot, with riders blasting by approaching warp speed. Quite a lot has transpired in my life since that day, but every trial, every encounter, and every long winding road followed has led me here. As I parted ways with the Isle once more I was already preparing for my return.

                                                     
To be continued....