Jump to content

130 MPH Average around the Mountain Circuit


Mekong

Recommended Posts

I never thought I would live to see the day, but yesterday in Centurary Senior Manx TT John McGuinness broke the 130 MPH mark with a lap time of 17:21.99.

 

For those of you who are not aware of the Manx TT's, it is regarded as the Road Racing Capital of the World, at 37.73 mile (60km) with 450 corners run on public highways it is by far the worlds most demanding. The Senior is run over 6 Laps / 225 miles / 2,700 corners.

 

Being a Manxman myself It was part of my breeding to take on the mountain course, in 1981 in the Manx GP I was happy with breaking 100 MPH laptime and finishing in the top 20, Races are 120+ competitors starting at 5 Second intervals, you race the circuit not each other, the last time I raced there in 1985 I managed a 110.2, (The lap record was 115 back then)

 

In 1992 Carl Fogarty was the first to break 120 with a 123.61 lap, and he went on to be 4 times World Superbike Champion, and now 15 years later the 130 Barrier has gone.

 

 

I know, Monority Sport, I have never played professional football or International Rugby or Cricket, but I have hurled myself around the mountain circuit at speeds detremential to my wellbeing so it is a sport close to my heart.

 

Hats off to John McGuinness, another Milestone set.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

watched the highlight lastnight on BBC. That is a serious race. So demanding physically also. I ve got alot of respect for these guys that have the balls to do this. Would love to have a go on a bike sometime. A few of my friends were over at it. They ride yamahas and Honda fireblades. They ve some serious balls.

The local lesiure center near me is named after the late Joe Dunlop. Won 26 TT races. He was crazy. I doubt many on here will have heard of him, but he is a legend in his own right. Mcguiness seems to be the man of the day at the minute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On another sad note, one rider was killed in his debut, age 34. It was the final lap of the final race, a few miles from the end. He came off his bike, and the his bike careered into two spectators at the side of the road. Both were killed. very sad that this happens. Its just inevitable that there will be fatalities in this sport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the Dunlops were a family well into the Manx TT scene. Maybe more than one lost his life on the island.

 

 

 

Joey died racing in Tallin Estonia in 2000 in a 125 race, he had already won the 600 and 750 classes. Robert crashed a few times on the Island but is still alive today.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Putting the IOM aside for a moment, did anyone watch the Moto GP today? If not, you missed a fantastic race, easily the best of the season to date. Stoner won it by a bike length from Rossi and Pedrosa and went up several places in my opinion of him. He's still got the quickest bike by a country mile, but he rode it with style and courage today to a throughly deserved victory. Interestingly, the top 5 places went to 5 different marques, Ducatti, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki, now that's what I call racing, and I don't remember ever seeing it happen before. :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...