Friday Update

Well, thanks to an over zealous marshal at Ramsey, Dan did not manage to get a two lap practice in last night. However the one lap that he did manage to do proved to be a cracker. From a standing start and running in a new piston, Dan clocked a 105.235 lap, so far his fastest of the week.

What could he have done on the flying lap if someone only knew the fact that a 2 stoke smokes a little when it is clearing its throat from low rpm after having a long run at high rpm on the run into Ramsey.

Dan was black flagged on the mountain after the Marshals up there had received a radio message to say that his bike was smoking excessively. A quick look around the bike proved there was no oil leaking anywhere, none on the tyre, none in the belly pan, none on his leathers/boots, so why the flag ??? Apologies were received from the guys on the mountain, but the damage had been done by then, and Dan was disallowed his opportunity to put his flying lap in. (Not impressed at all I can tell you).

Funny, I thought that everyone knew that 2 strokes smoke, but apparently this official at Ramsey did not, so Dan was denied a potential 107 lap last night and possibly the fastest lap of the night in the Ultra Lightweight Class.

He was away in the 6th pairing last night, and kept the engine rpm in check until he was approaching Greeba and tailing Maria Costello. He decided by then that the "wee bike" was running sweet and had bedded in sufficiently to let it have its head. He overtook Maria and wound it up for the rest of the lap. He was first across the line to start the 2nd lap, having overtaken everyone who had started before him. He was looking good, smooth and stylish and it looked the bike was on song and not suffering any problems after the Thursday night incident at Windy, (and neither was Dan by the look of it).

The remainder of the first lap was pretty uneventful (getting round Windy this time without any problems), and Dan was feeling pretty good with the bike. Right gearing, suspension behaving well, motor running sweet and his knee feeling fine. He crossed the line and gave it all it had down Bray Hill.

His second lap was getting better, the bike was instilling confidence in Dan and he felt as if he has never gone faster around the mountain (on a solo that is). Rhencullen and two wheels in the air, (I thought I was never coming back down said Dan), and through Sulby he was on it. Not quite so fast as Monday, but still in the high 130's. His time to Ramsey from the Grandstand was far better than he had ever achieved and it looked like the 107 lap was on.

That is until he exited the hairpin. Unknown to Dan he was now going to be "pulled" and his opportunity to get that fast lap in would be denied.

Now we have to get Dan up for it all over again, and hope this time that people recognise a 2 stroke when they see it.