Isle of Man TTT 2022

[edgelett]

I was lucky enough to attend the Isle of Man back in 2014. it was an AMAZING day, being there gives you extra appreciation for exactly how insanely dangerous the track is.

this year's event is the first one back after COVID, and it's been full of tragedy. 6 competitors have died during the event, the most recent being a father/son team in the sidecar event.
I know everyone competing knows the risks and they know people die racing, but 6 in one year is heartbreaking.
I wonder whether the fact it hasn't been run since 2019 has played a part? perhaps unfamiliarity with the track or not much time to study it enough. or general lack of racing events that people in the UK could compete in means skills aren't as honed as they should be.

Whatever the reason, the loss of life is sad though they died doing something they love and wanted to do.

I hope it doesn't lead to the event not going ahead after this.

 

[FTR London]

2014? - that's definitely the year Karl 'Bomber' Harris lost his life and from memory, Bob Price.

I think you have to go back to 1970 for the last time that there were six fatalities. Barry Sheene (amongst others), was instrumental on getting it removed from the world championship. He made one appearance in 1971 in a 125 race but crashed out in the rain at Quaterbridge. The following year Ago raced there for the final time and branded it as outrageous that such a dangerous circuit should be part of the FIM World Championship. In the case of Sheene, the standing joke was that he was too tight to pay to bring his caravan over on 'Steam Packet' every year - (the ferry crossing monopoly). Whatever, it was thankfully pulled from the calendar in 1976.

My best friend lived on the Island for several years, in Peel, and I used to go over for the races. I rode Mad Sunday several times, which was absurd. He knew Milky Quayle quite well, (they both worked in haulage) - one of only three Manx-men to have won a title there. It wasn't his legendary crash at Ballaspur that stopped him racing, it was the arrival of children. Now, although he is a rider coach on the island, he's terrified of his lad getting the bug.

As you say, the riders are fully aware of the dangers of road racing - most of them know no fear. John McGuiness was recently quoted as saying, he'd sooner go down Bray Hill in his underpants than go to the dentist.

“The reason I do it is because if you do it wrong, it will kill you. If you think it’s too dangerous then go home and cut your lawn and leave us to it.”- Guy Martin.

While there are motorcycles to be raced, there will always be the Island.

 

[edgelett]

yep that's right about 2014. We only went for 1 day (we were in the middle of a UK/Ireland trip at the time) and there were no fatalities the day we went thankfully.
it was colder than Philip Island by the way!!

And yes that quote from Guy Martin is spot on, and I agree with it. which is why I'm wondering if it's the time away form the island that has cause this many fatalities in a year.

Hopefully the rest of the event this year is incident free.

 

[Helge]

I went to IOM for 10 days till 4th of June and than I left in the morning.
It became every day more and more busier and it was not cosy for me to drive between lots of crazy riders...they talked about 55000 people / motorcycles at the mid weekend.
I took the practice week to explore these beautiful island during the day (approx. 150km each day) and watched practice sessions in the evening at different locations.

 

[mark.lb]

2014? - that's definitely the year Karl 'Bomber' Harris lost his life and from memory, Bob Price.

I think you have to go back to 1970 for the last time that there were six fatalities. Barry Sheene (amongst others), was instrumental on getting it removed from the world championship. He made one appearance in 1971 in a 125 race but crashed out in the rain at Quaterbridge. The following year Ago raced there for the final time and branded it as outrageous that such a dangerous circuit should be part of the FIM World Championship. In the case of Sheene, the standing joke was that he was too tight to pay to bring his caravan over on 'Steam Packet' every year - (the ferry crossing monopoly). Whatever, it was thankfully pulled from the calendar in 1976.

My best friend lived on the Island for several years, in Peel, and I used to go over for the races. I rode Mad Sunday several times, which was absurd. He knew Milky Quayle quite well, (they both worked in haulage) - one of only three Manx-men to have won a title there. It wasn't his legendary crash at Ballaspur that stopped him racing, it was the arrival of children. Now, although he is a rider coach on the island, he's terrified of his lad getting the bug.

As you say, the riders are fully aware of the dangers of road racing - most of them know no fear. John McGuiness was recently quoted as saying, he'd sooner go down Bray Hill in his underpants than go to the dentist.

“The reason I do it is because if you do it wrong, it will kill you. If you think it’s too dangerous then go home and cut your lawn and leave us to it.”- Guy Martin.

While there are motorcycles to be raced, there will always be the Island.

I thought Barry Sheene died of cancer of the esophagus and stomach in 2002 at age 51. He did however suffer some horrific crashes in his career.

 

[FTR London]

I thought Barry Sheene died of cancer of the esophagus and stomach in 2002 at age 51. He did however suffer some horrific crashes in his career.

Yes he did.

Like I said, during the 70s he vociferously campaigned for rider safety and was particularly critical of the TT, Spa-Francorchamps and Imatra.

 

[R. Warshawsky]

I was lucky enough to attend the Isle of Man back in 2014. it was an AMAZING day, being there gives you extra appreciation for exactly how insanely dangerous the track is.

this year's event is the first one back after COVID, and it's been full of tragedy. 6 competitors have died during the event, the most recent being a father/son team in the sidecar event.
I know everyone competing knows the risks and they know people die racing, but 6 in one year is heartbreaking.
I wonder whether the fact it hasn't been run since 2019 has played a part? perhaps unfamiliarity with the track or not much time to study it enough. or general lack of racing events that people in the UK could compete in means skills aren't as honed as they should be.

Whatever the reason, the loss of life is sad though they died doing something they love and wanted to do.

I hope it doesn't lead to the event not going ahead after this.

I read an article about this, a real tragedy. Did they race in bad weather?

 

[edgelett]

I read an article about this, a real tragedy. Did they race in bad weather?

racing is cancelled when weather is bad

 

[FTR London]

racing is cancelled when weather is bad

"Rain on the mountain" Tash.

 

[SPEIRMOOR]

I was there in 2014 also 2018. I'd go every year if I could. The greatest race in the world