Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MEETING UP WITH A MANX LEGEND
Not a lot of people know this, but I’m the proud holder of a TT circuit lap record. Yes, indeed – three and a half hours in a white van. Including lunch.
I doubt if it will be beaten in my lifetime, but since part of my trip to this year’s TT was an interview with Monster Energy rider John Mcguinness, I was going to ask him for some tips on getting it down a bit.
Now 46, he’s notched up 23 Isle of Man wins, only three short of Joey Dunlop’s record, and last year was hoping to get ever closer to that until a bad crash in practice for the North West 200 left him with a broken back and ribs, plus a badly smashed leg.
This year, he was signed to ride for bornagain British company Norton as well as riding in the one-lap Zero TT for electric bikes, but with his leg slower to heal than hoped, he was a spectator at both events.
“It’s a little bit frustrating, but I’m over it,” he said. “If I was 25, I’d be tearing my hair out, but I’m 46 and I’ve had a good go at it.
“I’m planning to do the Classic TT later in the year, the Norton deal is ongoing and my fingers are crossed for doing the full season next year.
“Even as a spectator, the speed at the TT still blows me away, but I did a lap the other day, which was the first time I’d pulled leathers on since the crash, and I was a bit nervous about whether the leg would snap again, but it felt good. It was only a 115mph lap, waving at the crowd, but you don’t forget, do you?
“I hope I’ll know when the time comes and I retire from choice, not because I’ve crashed and left myself lame for the rest of my life.
“I never think about matching Joey’s 26 wins unless someone mentions it, but I’m only three away, and it’d be the icing on the cake to match a legend and my great hero.
“Having said that, Michael Dunlop’s only 29 and has 18 TT wins already, so he’s going to smash through that in the next three or four years, and it would be great to see a Dunlop do it.”
Oh, and John’s advice on reducing my TT lap time? “Dump the van. Use a bike.” Splendid. I’m just in the process of hauling out the Royal Enfield now.
I’ll keep you all posted.