Blog

31/05/2009

How do I start? What an experience yesterday was. First practice and I managed to do 4 laps without any problems, somewhat of a contrast compared to the NW a few weeks ago. I`m not really sure what to say about it, the buzz is like nothing else (clique I know) but it really is. I found myself going through a section thinking wow this is my favourite bit and then getting to the next section and thinking, this bits even better!! They even managed to sort the weather for us!

The newcomers lap I followed Milky, a nice steady lap, then I came in, had a drink and got 3 more laps in. I did about 105mph which I`m told for first night is pretty good although I did get passed and left by another newcomer. I`m pretty happy still and I`m really looking forward to tomorrow night. I`ve only ridden the R1 so far so I’ll hopefully get out on both bike in the next practice.

The atmosphere in the paddock is brilliant and all the lads are enjoying themselves, I think there all liking the laid back approach and the sun shine! We even have Wi Fi supplied in the paddock which is a real credit to the way this thing is organised.

If anyone would like to ask any questions about thoughts feeling or anything else from any of the team feel free to post it on the site message board. Let’s hope this weather keeps up and bring on Monday night!

2nd June

I’m sat in a very noisy awning trying to write this. There`s compressors rumbling away and bikes in bits all across the workshop, happily though it’s all just routine maintenance getting the bikes ready for tonight’s practice. It shakes the bikes to bits round here so each day the lads are taking things apart and checking all the nuts and bolts. Last night went well, I got 2 laps on the R1 and 1 lap on the R6.

In a way I almost seemed like I forgot more of the track last night, I think as you go slightly faster through one section the next section becomes much harder. Still I managed to do nearly 108mph so going in the right direction and was 3rd fastest newcomer on both bikes. Also something I`m quite impressed with is that I was the fastest newcomer through the Sulby speed trap at 171mph on the R1 and 161 on the R6. That’s scary when I can’t see a thing because of the bumps and I reckon I could actually close my eyes along there and it wouldn’t make any difference, maybe IL try it!

Yesterday morning me and Nathan decided to go for a ride on our push bikes to grebe castle, partly because there was a section I wanted to stand and look at and also for something to do, It really is like being on holiday we have so much time on our hands, It has been commented on several times by passers by that we must be the most laid back team in the paddock. We have some blow up chairs and a little garden by the truck so we are all relaxed lying around in the sun.

I think for the rest of the day I`m going to watch a few on board laps and try to concentrate on a few sections, I`m really looking forward to tonight, we are planning to do 2 laps on the 600 and 1 on the R1, It would be nice to do 110 mph but no pressure and we`ll see what happens. I just need to prep my helmets and leathers and were good to go!

Thanks for reading

Ben Wylie

3rd June

I`m really pleased with our progress last night, I`d hoped I could do 110mph by the end of practice and did that strait away. We made some changes to the 600 in the day to soften it off quite a lot so decided to go out on that first and do 2 laps. I managed a speed of 110.837mph on the second lap which I was really pleased with and also means that I had qualified on the 600 so a small amount of pressure off, the only small change we are making for tonight is moving the footrest position as I felt a bit cramped last night.

We`d made no changes to the R1 other than putting a different rear tyre in so went out on that second in the hope of getting 2 laps in, luckily I managed to get out on time and did 2 laps. I managed 113.498mph on the R1 so again really happy. I think the only thing we did wrong was going on the R6 first because when you get on the R1 everything happens faster, I went into Milntown in the gutter on the first lap just from carrying too much speed through the kink before it. A bit of a heart in mouth moment but soon forgotten, going up the mountain mile the same lap I had my first sort of sentimental moment, it hit me what I was doing, something I`d been watching people do for as long as I can remember and now I was allowed to have a go!

I`m planning to go and have a walk through the Glentrammin to Miltown section later to try and get it in my head clearer. It`s a section that I try and tell myself how fast I can go but can`t make my wrist agree with my head.

The weathers cooled down which could be better as long as it doesn’t rain, the bikes are being prepped for tonight and everything’s looking good, can`t wait!

I think I must have been tired this morning, I couldn`t drag myself out of bed until 11! We managed 5 laps last night which was brilliant, 2 on the R1 with a fastest time of 116.4mph and 3 on the R6 with a fastest of 115.4mph.

I went out on the R1 first and did a “steady” couple of laps with no real moments. When I came in I was the fastest newcomer but Steve Mercer did another 2 laps on his stocker whilst I was on my 600 and went .4mph quicker. The R1`s feeling really good and really fast, we have put a new set of tyres in it for tonight as we`ve only used part worns up to now. I`d be happy to do about 117.5mph on that tonight so we`ll see what happens.

I then set off on the 600, the only adjustments made to it was altering the footrest positions which felt much better. I`m finding that my knees are really aching after a couple of laps, I think it must be because of how much you have to stand on the pegs around here over the bumps and on the more cramped 600 it gets quite painful. The footrest positions seemed to help this.... a bit. After 2 laps I came in and was told I could fuel up and go out for another lap, bonus!!

I felt really good on the 3rd lap on the 600, John 130.1mph Mcguiness followed me down the mountain and came straight over with some advice when we came in, not the worst person to help me out ay! One thing I did notice was how the factory CBR600rr was not that much faster than my R6 which has a completely stock engine in it. We decided to run stock motors in both bike in the hope that they would just keep running all fortnight and we could get maximum laps in, I figured more laps would make me go faster than an extra 10bhp. So far this has been good, we have done the maximum laps possible in every practice which is a real credit to the Yamaha`s and also the lads looking after them, fingers crossed they can keep it up for another week!!

Weathers looking good again although a little cooler, hopefully we can knock another 10 seconds or so off and get into the 117`s!

Saturday

We are obviously all really disappointed that the racings off today but If there`s one thing we can’t control it`s the weather. All credit to the organisers though for calling it off last night while most other organisations would keep us all hanging on until the last minute.

Last night`s practice was by far the coldest and windiest we have had but luckily still dry. I went out on the R1 first which had a new chain and brake pads fitted ready for the race so took I it really steady on the first lap to bed them in. The second lap I had a couple of moments, the first was my foot bouncing off the peg and going under the tyre going out of Cronk-Y-Vody, it nearly pulled me off the side of the bike and has really hurt my foot, luckily no real harm done though. It`s something that`s happened a few times this week due to the bumps. The second was running out of road going through tower bends and running off the side of the tarmac. I very nearly went down to be honest but luckily it bounced me back on, I took it really steady up the mountain mile thinking I had bent a wheel or something so was really surprised when they said I`d done 119mph.

I then went out on the R6 which also had a new chain and brake pads so just did a steady lap, still doing a 116mph and the bike felt really good. I went through the speed trap at Sulby on the R1 at 180mph which I thought was quite impressive, especially as it puts us top 10 overall and 2nd on a superstocker. The R1s Fast!!

Today we don’t really have much to do, there was open paddock this morning so we got the bikes on show gave out some posters, then we went over to the TT hospitality for a few hours to try and entertain the folks who were hoping to see some racing, but I don’t think we were much of a consolation. Our lads thought it was really surreal when John Sargent of recent TV dancing fame turned up to ask where Guy Martin was so he could interview him.

I`m reliable told that there will be no racing tomorrow but hopefully Monday, all we can do is sit and wait, I`m really eager to get a TT race under my belt and even more eager to do a 120mph lap, if I can do that this week then my ambition for my first TT will have been fulfilled, and in all honesty I see no reason why we can`t, up to now everything has gone brilliant and I can`t give enough credit to the team who are also newcomers to this!

Well we have our first TT race in the bag but I must admit I`m slightly disappointed. My best lap was 119.7mph, so close to my 120mph aim, I was second newcomer and was the first person to not get a replica. On the plus side I did the fastest lap for a newcomer and the experience was like nothing else. The 6 laps seemed like about 2. I felt like crap all morning, it`s been a long time since I`ve been nervous before riding but was really bad this morning. As usual though that had gone by the top of bay hill.

I started 62nd which meant that by the 11th milestone I had caught 3 people. I made the mistake of not just passing them straight away and kind of got sucked into their pace. It took me a whole lap to pass 4 people which I reckon cost me about 30 seconds. There was a real lack of grip today compared to last week, I think the rain must have washed rubber off the road or something, that caused some problems but I guess it was the same for everyone. Other than that everything went pretty much to plan, the lads did a brilliant job in the pits and at their first attempt and the bike was brilliant.

4 races to go so plenty of time to make amends and I must be more aggressive overtaking. Supersport and Superstock tomorrow so we have 8 laps to do, I really want a replica and in the Superstock race really want to do a 120mph lap, but as we have all week I`ll treat it like a Sunday ride out!!

Thanks,

Ben

It`s been a really busy one today but absolutely brilliant! I was a lot more relaxed this morning than I was before yesterday`s race so was able to enjoy the build up a bit more. The 600 race went perfectly to plan. After getting stuck behind slower riders in the superbike race I was determined that as soon as I caught anyone today I was forcing my way past. I think I caught 5 people on the first lap but didn`t let myself get stuck into their pace so mission accomplished on that point. The race was really fun, I felt really comfortable and had no little moments what so ever. The pit stop went off with military perfection and when I hoped off the bike at the end had a mic stuck in my face and told I was first newcomer, result! Then I got the results sheets and found out I`d got a replica and that I had done 119.5mph lap.... on a standard 600 engine! I had a smile on my face after that mornings work and so did the whole team.

Not much time to rest though as the Superstock race was in the evening. Again this went to plan in most ways, again there were no moments, I did 120.7mph lap and got a replica. The only downside is I somehow ended up 33rd!!! And 3rd newcomer. Only 10 seconds behind the first newcomer Steve Mercer at the end of the race, Steve`s on fire this week! The guy who is second newcomer was starting one behind me which is annoying because he has me as a carrot the whole time. He had caught me by the second lap and passed me, I passed him back and he just sat on my ass for the rest of the race. Still top 3 newcomers all finished within 10 seconds of each other so it was a close race.

I`m really looking forward to the 600 race in the morning, I guess there is some pressure to be top newcomer again now and if I can go 4 seconds quicker than I did today I`ll do 120mph on the 600, then I would be smiling but we`ll see.

Just a bit of a plug now and if anyone buys anything it will help toward getting us to the Ulster!

It`s was a strange day yesterday, I don’t think I`ve ever sunbathed whilst the race is delayed because of hail stones! We did finally go though and the track was very wet from alpedine through to bishops court. I think it was the right decision to start the race, I think if we waited for perfect conditions we`d never get anything done, and as Ian Lougher said “the throttle goes both ways”. I didn`t really enjoy the race but not really because it was slippy, I was just so tired yesterday I could hardly see strait. To be honest I`ve really struggled sleeping since I got here, I can`t seem to turn my brain off. To make that even worse someone decided to run an engine at 12.30, 3am, 6am and half 7 right near our truck where we`re sleeping.

I rode the race for a finish really, and also to build on my TT and road racing experience, like I said it`s not always going to be perfect conditions is it! Even though finishing 40th is nothing I`d write home about we have started 4 races and finished 4 and the R6 has been amazing. It`s done the whole TT fortnight without missing a beat which in itself is such an achievement for the team and for Yamaha and Silkolene.

It has been really nice to have a day off to rest my body and brain today, I`m feeling well up for the senior tomorrow now, I think I may have said before that I have done everything I wanted to do in my first TT so anything we do tomorrow is a bonus really. It would be nice to get top newcomer but Steve Mercer and Luis Carreira are riding well so will be tricky to beat.

It has been really nice how many people have been reading my blog and supporting me the last couple of weeks, I have a small selection of Wylie and Holland Racing T shirts that I am going to give away tomorrow to anyone who mentions reading the blog. First come first served from about 10ish and then after the race at out awning if there are any left. I also have loads of poster which are available any time. As I said yesterday go online and buy some of my stuff from mugs 4 u. Hopefully every bit will help us get to the Ulster in August! www.mugs4u.com/94---ben-wylie-19-c.asp

Well this will be my final TT 09 Blog, It`s all over for another year. It`s a little delayed because of us travelling back and me being too exhausted to write anything that would even remotely make sense. I was pleased with my performance in the senior race in a way but annoyed with myself in another. In every other race I had dropped time to the other newcomers on the first lap and then pulled it back over the race and in all but one occasion (first supersport race) it wasn’t quite enough the be top. I had decided to push harder on the first lap and not take so long to get up to speed. I did what I wanted too and did 120.3mph from a standing start, only a few seconds off my best of 120.7mph, and pulled 8 seconds on my nearest newcomer rival. Mission accomplished on that one so I`m happy.

The problem came on lap 2 when my right wrist sort of seized up, It`s something I have never had before and can only really put it down to trying hard on lap one on the Superstock bike which has no quick shifter, meaning you have to flick your wrist to change gear. Something else that only occurred to me earlier today is that I have big problems with my right shoulder and am supposed to be going for an operation to fix it pretty soon, whether it is linked to that I don’t know but either way I`m annoyed that it let me down over the rest of the race. My speed got slower and slower as I really struggled to open and close the throttle to the extent that my last lap was 117mph, I could do that by 3rd night of practice! But we finished the race in 25th position, which was actually my best to date and got a replica so on the whole I`m pretty happy, I just know how much better it could have been!

What a fortnight it`s been, I think I can say it`s the best thing I have ever done, as I`m sitting here writing this looking over at 4 replicas and a best newcomer of TT 2009 trophy it`s starting to sink in what we have done. To go to the TT as a newcomer with a team who are also virgins to road racing, finish ever practice lap and every race without a problem, do over 120mph lap`s and win the best newcomer award feels better than I could have imagined, as always in racing luck has to be on your side, something that usual lets me down but not this time. The team of lads I took with me, Tony, Nathan, Mark, Allan and Ross did such a professional job but still managed to enjoy the whole thing and sunbath that much we got called the most laid back team in the paddock on several occasions. I did 1697.85 miles during the fortnight at an average speed of just over 115mph, for the 2 Yamaha`s to do that without missing a beat is a real testament to the boys looking after them and also to Yamaha and Silkolene, I think I am as happy about their performance as I am about my own.

Finally I feel I have to say how great the event is put together and organised and how it makes it so much more fun to be involved with. The TT team put a lot of effort in getting myself and other newcomers there which is key to the future of the event. The marshalling is brilliant and that makes you feel a lot safer when you’re going through someone’s village at 180mph, and there are so many of them its unbelievable so a big thank you has to go to those guys too for making it possible. Also the enthusiasm and support of all the spectators is different to anywhere I have raced before, it`s really nice that everyone appreciates what we’re doing and that they enjoy it so much and that`s another thing that makes the TT so special for me. I hope to be able to do the Ulster and a few others and the other one I would really like to get to is Macau but we`ll have to wait and see what we can put together.

Thanks for everyone who has been reading this and who have supported me, all being well I`ll be back next year!

www.mugs4u.com/94---ben-wylie-19-c.asp click me