Steve Parrish
Hi everyone, I’m still at the Isle of Man TT right now, on the penultimate day of racing, and the weather is still shite. We’ve just learned the second Supersport race has been cancelled completely, but they’re hoping tomorrow (Friday) they can run the TT Zero and the big one, the Senior TT, which of course will take priority. There is a backup plan to run on Saturday, however the weather forecast looks appalling. Plus it would then clash with other races on the Island and other activities. So Supersport race 2 has gone, but I wouldn’t mind if the TT Zero misses out. I really want it to succeed, I really do, but this year only the Mugens have apparently made it all the way around so there could possibly be only two on the podium! Maybe Guy Martin will finally get his TT win on it, but then Guy is all over the place given what’s happened, and he’ll have to beat Bruce Anstey on the other Mugen, though Bruce looks like he’s ready to go out to pasture this year, frankly. As for Honda, what on earth is going on with them? The new Honda boss guy, Jonny Twelvetrees, looks a bit like a rabbit in the headlights right now whenever we interview him, the poor fella looks like he has no idea what to say. And everyone at the TT is protecting Guy, with him being so popular, by assuming the new Fireblade is just a piece of crap. I’ve heard word of an issue with the gearbox, or the shifter, and even McPint alluded to it a little in one of our interviews and Guy’s crash was due to a missed gear, or a false neutral, or something. There was even a rumour doing the rounds that McGuinness asked someone at Honda not to let Guy race that bike in the Senior, which sounds pretty concerning, if true. But Guy’s crash, holy cow, I don’t think he should race the Senior now, his head’s gone. He should get on the TT Zero podium and then walk away this year. After his big crashes at the TT in the past, this one was amazing as others have been killed there before like Phil Mellor, but Guy miraculously bounced and walked away. What was weird was Guy didn’t even appear to tip it in or make the corner, I wonder if he got target fixation? It’s clear Honda would have wanted Guy aboard for many reasons, maybe to win his first race, but for the obvious coverage he’d garner. But it’s come back to bite them in the arse hard as everyone here, the fans etc. are calling the bike a piece of shit. It’s a bit of a Rossi/Ducati scenario! Honda are in the crap right now, getting a beating in GP, Formula 1, the Indy 500, WSB and Road Racing, they’re in the wars alright.
Many of us were surprised that Michael Dunlop was over a minute behind Ian Hutchinson in the Superstock race, and I’d love to know why this was, but then he’s almost impossible to talk to here. He even left Steve Plater (who’s his mate, apparently…) and a film crew waiting for ages the other day for an interview – four hours later they found out he’d gone off to Jurby instead! How happy he’ll be with the Suzuki remains to be seen, but then MV Agusta is about the last manufacturer left he hasn’t raced before if it hasn’t gone well. I must say, if I was Suzuki’s sponsor I’d want the main rider, Michael, talking to the press and TV folks, wouldn’t you? He’s a character alright!
I did forget to say that at the North West 200, after his amazing win there, we stitched Glenn Irwin right up. I have fake parking tickets, stuck one on his car then got some cops to pose pretending to give it to him. He went absolutely bonkers, it was brilliant! Flying around the TT course in Plummet Airways with Peter Hickman was also fab, they said don’t go under 1,000 feet but, erm, I may have knocked four-fifths off that figure at times!
I must say I’m so sad about Nicky Hayden, what a pity, he was fantastic. Why does it always seem to happen to the nice guys, too? I guess given that fact I’ll always be okay! But RIP, Nicky, I’ll miss you loads.
I should also offer congratulations to Andrea Dovizioso on his amazing Mugello win, and of course send all our best to James Whitham who is currently going through treatment for cancer which has flared back up after a couple of decades. We miss you at the TT, Whit’, get well soon my old mate! Right, I’m off to enjoy the last few days at the TT, one thing its done really well with is the fans, I’ve never seen so many Americans and Aussies here. Hopefully next year they’ll come again and the weather will be better!