Billown Circuit Race Reports.

Since writing the reports below sadly Peter Jarman lost his life during the Classic Parade at the 2003 TT. Just hours before he had finished 9th in the 400cc Lightweight TT.

8-11/07/02 Steam Packet Company - International Southern 100 Road Races. Castletown, Isle of Man. Practice Report: Practice started on Monday evening and all went well. After the first session we backed of the front compression damping and that was all the suspension adjustments we made all week. FastEst lap was 2.50.4 which was good enough for third fastest time in qualifing behind only Dave Madsen-Mygdal and Ryan Farquar. Tuesday was much the same and though I felt I was going faster my lap time from the night before stood as my fastest. Race 1 - Junior 250GP and Formula 400s. My lap in practice had put me on the sixth row. We are out with the GP250 boys in this race so have no real chance of the outright win, class honour is what it is about in this race. I got a bad start to be honest and took a lap to settle down. 16th place as we crossed the start line at the end of lap 1. Managed to catch Peter Jarman and Dave Corlett on the second lap. Dave  crashed at Castletown Corner at the end of lap 3 I think and it was then down to just me and Peter. Dave M+M and Ryan had cleared of by this piont and it was a battle for the last podium spot. But every time I passed Peter he could just ride straight past me on the next straight. My bike was handling like a dream and was even fast on the straight but Peters bike was just so fast  he could pull out 4 second on the front straight alone. Any way onto the last lap and I over took Peter again at Cross Four Ways and he passed me again before Church and the again I pass at Castletown corner but again he just drive staight passed me and pulled 1.5 seconds before the finish line?! So fouth place and second newcomer in the race and fist newcomer in class. Plus 4th fastest lap in the Formula 400 Class. Not bad for a "Newcomer". Race 2 - 125/400cc race. This time we get a 4th row start and I got a fairly good one, but was only 5th in class and about 10th overall so needed to get a move on and I did just that. First on the list was John Crellin and I tried into Ballabeg Hairpin but only managed to bash knees and fairings and had to leave it nearly another lap but made the move and made it stick into Iron Gate on lap 3. There was then a big gap to my old chum Peter Jarmann of about 8-9 seconds. Ryan Farquhar pulled out at the end of lap2. By Ballabeg the next lap I was with Peter and by Cross Fourways was passed him. But them the same as last time, he came straight back passed. This happend a couple of times and then Darren Linsey got passed as I was trying one of the moves and that really cocked things up for me and him as he had the same problems as me getting past Peter. We even both overtook him one lap and he just passed us both before the braking point at Church Bends?! This let John catch up and on the last lap he passed me on the drag out of Church bends, I passed him back at Castletown Corner but in the drag race to the line his bike was a little faster than mine and 4th place again for me. 0.3 of a second off 3rd and 0.9 second of 2nd. To be honest I was so upset just after the race that I did not want to talk to anyone but as time has gone by I am proud of my performance and will be back next year. So 8th overall. 4th in 400 class.3rd fastest lap in class in the race and knocked another 5 seconds of my qualifing time with a lap of 2.45.4 and 15 seconds of my lap times from the Steam Packet races in June. I also won the Best Newcomer Award - The Taubam Trophy. I would like to thank all that made my trip to th eSouthern 100 possible, Peter Tyer for giving me a bed and transport to and from the track, Dave Madsen-Mygal for helping me around the track and my wife for letting me leave her for a week! Click here for Full Results from Southern 100 Races. Click here for 250/400 Junior Results. Click here for 124/400 Results. 08/06/02 Isle of Man Steam Packet Races. Castletown, Isle of Man. This was my first visit to the Billown circuit and to cut a very long story short I absolutly loved it. The club has to be the best orginised that I have raced with as yet and made everyone welcome, from newcomers like me to the pro's like Robert Dunlop, Ryan Farquar and Dave Madsen-Mygdal. As for the race it was a bit of a ride around for me as the bike would not rev between 6500-10,000rpm, bit of a big flatspot. This made the exit of turns a little interesting to say the least as you were not sure if you would have drive or not. This was due to the bike I was riding had been stood for 10 months and the carbs had clogged up. But none the less a good way to learn the circuit I suppose and I will be back in July for the Southern 100 with no pressure and no-one expecting anything of me. At the end of the race I finished 13th overall, 7th in Class and 5th newcomer. Not last and all things in, not a bad effort I think. Well I was pleased and I had fun which has been missing a bit in my racing of late. My thanks to Pete and Lorraine Tyer for giving me a roof over my head and Dave M&M for the help with the bike when he had better things to do and was feeling well below par. Thank peeps. Click here for Full results from Steam Packet Races.