http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/American ... 4042236.jp

American rider's bitterness at TT rejection


DOUG DANO: ‘It has left such a bad taste in my mouth’


By JOHN TURNER
A TT sidecar competitor whose passenger had to be airlifted back to America in 2006 has been refused entry to this year's event.
American Doug Dano, who crashed in practice leaving passenger James Cornell seriously injured, said he was very disappointed by the rejection after the money and time spent on this year's entry.

'There has been no sponsor for this,' he said.

'I have taken two jobs to come up with just over £18,000 to pay for it.
Tickets are already paid for to arrive on May 19 for fitting and testing of the sidecar.

'Except that my entry has been refused along with two other Americans I know, one of them Wade Boyd who has competed in the last 14 or so TTs.'

After the crash of 2006, Doug wrote off the remains of the sidecar and commissioned Andy Pearcy of Laxey to build a new chassis from scratch.

'Andy has built a brand new one — state of the art — taking influences from Terry Windle, Louis Christen and the like,' he said.

'But now we have been turned down with a final no and the truth is it is political so I'm going to come to the Isle and pack all my stuff and never come back.

'It has left such a bad taste in my mouth that it is just not worth it.'
Sidecar builder Andy Pearcy said a tremendous amount of work had gone into getting the machine ready in time for the TT this year.

'I can't comment on the race entry, but I understand his application went in in January so it seems very late in the day to reject it after he's made arrangements and bought tickets,' he said.

With TT organisers actively trying to recruit top riders and races becoming over-subscribed, Doug Dano is not the only person to be disappointed.

Last year, Wade Boyde was only able to race when another entrant dropped out.

This year, Argentinian rider Walter Cordoba, another regular competitor in recent years also received a knock back on his entry.

Marcelo Oliver, a supporter speaking on his behalf, said Walter had competed in the past despite the massive obstacles of cost, distance to travel and unfavourable exchange rate.

Despite riding largely unmodified bikes, Walter had still performed creditably and had been a great ambassador for the event in Latin America, he said.

'Walter feels discriminated against by the event organisers and let us not forget that at the centenary TT, some people who appealed got accepted,' he added.

A spokesman for the TT race organisers ACU Events limited, which assess all the entries said decisions were made strictly on experience and performance over the last year.

'He did not meet the required standard looking at events he took part in this year. Each case is judged individually.

'They take account of the overall field of entrants and this is one of the most competitive line-ups for many years.

'It is also to do with safety because you can't have people lapping very much slower than the front runners.

'Remember Steve Plater as a solo newcomer lapped at 125mph last year.'

He added the timing of the final acceptances and rejections was the same as in previous years.g't'n

shame the refusal is so late in the day-all that expense for a NO really does seem unfair, especially as his application came in so early, but then the decision couldnt really be made till after cut off date when all applicants were in

still bad pr for the event if people start to tally up all the money lost by people hoping to come over and race and then look at how much they'd need to spend to race-might strangle the future hopeful privateers who cant get big name sponsors...and even then any sponsor would think twice of investing again if they've already been told sorry try again next year

To be fair, it's the same for everybody, and very few can take it for granted they will get an entry. Many more "local" (well.. across) riders have this happen to them too.
There used to be a perception that if you came from somewhere "exotic" you had more chance of being accepted.
Perhaps that is no longer the case, and it's not where you live, but what you can do that matters.

It certainly seemed as though the guys from "exotic" places went straight into the TT in the past and skipped the Manx. Maybe this will encourage a lot more to do the MGP?

Under the new MGP rules, I'd love to see Walter Cordoba and Wade, and some of the others return to the Isle of Man, but I think for their sponsors (where they have any) the TT is the name they know, and it might be even more difficult to find the huge amounts of money it costs to come from places like Argentina.

Quote from above "A spokesman for the TT race organisers ACU Events limited, which assess all the entries said decisions were made strictly on experience and performance over the last year".

Is it me, is it not a simple case of letting people know much earlier, even if they’ve not entered. If it’s strictly based on experience and performance from last years TT surely that decision could have been taken much earlier.

Can this not be done, say a couple of months after the TT has run? After all it needs to be done at some time, not when people have spent loads of cash. Then the organisers can inform each individual who they think has failed the experience and performance assessment and at least inform them if they enter for the next TT that they will not be successful.

I wouldn’t like to think it depends on the amount of entries that comes in as to how lenient the organisers are with the previous year’s performance.

Is this too simple?

I think that the people from far flung places enjoy the very fact that the TT has a history that is second to none so it is bound to attract riders far more than the Manx, not taking anything away from the MGP but is it a totally different animal. I totally agree that they should have been told sooner, maybe e-mail addresses should be used to get the information to them sooner, but as we all know you usually book months and months in advance anyway.

It is such as shame that the victims of the sucess of the TT are the very people that have suppotred the races for years, Wayde Boyd for one has been coming here for nearly 15 years. But this doesn't guarantee a ride. It has to be based on safety and if the safety of the riders are being comprimised by competitors who are not lapping at the pace. Not saying that these riders are any worse or should not have a chance of review, but if their current results are not showing them capable of being safe on the course then they should not be give the 'chance to prove themselves', to the detriment or the risk of those others that are, for the want of better words, 'on the pace'. I can just see the headlines now 'another two riders have been killed today on the TT course due to the incompetence of the race officials. How can they have let such a slow rider out with those doing an average of 10-15 miles an hour faster, this is not safe for the riders' .... would you like these headlines or would you prefer not to see them this year at all? I think everyone here knows how dangerous it can be, we have all been shouting for increased safety .... you carn't have it both ways ........

I think they have it right ..... they are looking at the safety of the riders first .... and the future of the TT second .......

I think you are right that where someone has simply not got the required results or experience, they should be told as soon as possible.
Competitors need to get their entries in early, so that can happen, and, if you are not one of the obvious acceptances, perhaps indicate in your entry that you need to know BEFORE making all those expensive bookings. I know that's not possible with the present system, so perhaps the system needs to change.
In the light of his previous visit and performance I must say I am a little surprised Doug Dano has gone to such enormous expense in the belief he would automatically get an entry.
Good luck to all those who have been accepted, and must be getting excited and nervous now.

I always found that it was easier to pass a slower rider who stuck to his line than a faster rider lapping slightly slower than you who has a different line every time because he's finding his way round.

But I agree that following the events of last year safety is the most important thing. Perhaps experience should count for something too, and not just as far as the competitors are concerned.

thewitch Wrote:To be fair, it's the same for everybody, and very few can take it for granted they will get an entry. Many more "local" (well.. across) riders have this happen to them too.
There used to be a perception that if you came from somewhere "exotic" you had more chance of being accepted.
Perhaps that is no longer the case, and it's not where you live, but what you can do that matters.

Sorry Helen total BS, overseas riders have to book thier travel months in advance, they also have to seek out machines in plenty of time. Overseas riders should be considered at a very early stage, as early as just after the TT. As Gary said very bad PR.

The TT should now run a race for up and comers to include those that have supported the TT during the bad times that may now not be on the same pace as in the past. The TT is a HISTORY so should be treated as such not just a Business.

All sport is big business these days just look at BSB, hospitaliy suites and tv its Oulton Park this w/end and its my local circuit but after 50 yrs attending sorry i would rather go to Ireland and watch real road racing, its not my opinion but the regulars who used to attend with me.

T-M Wrote:I always found that it was easier to pass a slower rider who stuck to his line than a faster rider lapping slightly slower than you who has a different line every time because he's finding his way round.

Very good point. So, what's better for the leaders? Pass a guy who laps at 108-109mph but is on line and predictable or someone lapping at 115mph but is all over the place...Surely it's the first option?

As far as turning down far flung riders goes, then there has to be a better way than there is at the moment. The same argument came up last year when Boyd was turned down. I don't know if this already happens but if an entry comes in which is borderline for acceptance, wouldn't it be simply good manners to inform the competitor, so they can make their own minds up as to whether they continue with their arrangements.

sticky Wrote:

T-M Wrote:I always found that it was easier to pass a slower rider who stuck to his line than a faster rider lapping slightly slower than you who has a different line every time because he's finding his way round.

Very good point. So, what's better for the leaders? Pass a guy who laps at 108-109mph but is on line and predictable or someone lapping at 115mph but is all over the place...Surely it's the first option?

As far as turning down far flung riders goes, then there has to be a better way than there is at the moment. The same argument came up last year when Boyd was turned down. I don't know if this already happens but if an entry comes in which is borderline for acceptance, wouldn't it be simply good manners to inform the competitor, so they can make their own minds up as to whether they continue with their arrangements.

Why cant they just let them practice on the understanding that qualification speeds if not met mean excusion from races , simple , know its been said before , but got to be ebtter than this way of doing it .

You've only got to go back twenty-odd years to see grids at the TT with well over 100 entries. I don't see why there can't be a reserve list of sorts. There will always be no-shows and non-starters, so if 90 are theoretically allowed to start and you have 15 non-starters, then let the resrves fill the remainder of the grid as long as they've achieved the qualifying time.

This will bring more interest into practice week (which it needs...) and ensure full grids for race week.

Some interesting comments here:

http://www.paddockgossip.com/component/o...5/catid,1/

"Why cant they just let them practice on the understanding that qualification speeds if not met mean excusion from races , simple , know its been said before , but got to be ebtter than this way of doing it"

For the sidecars this year I think the qualifying speed is 94mph ish? Oh how times change. When we went there in 92 I think we only had to get round at 85ish to get in.

shaun hogg Wrote:Why cant they just let them practice on the understanding that qualification speeds if not met mean excusion from races , simple , know its been said before , but got to be better than this way of doing it .

Sorry Shaun but I disagree with you here. I think its better to tell them straight away that they will not be given an entry than for them to risk riding beyond their capabilities to get qualified and for something a little more serious to happen. We all know how hard it is to get those few extra miles and hour off our times and I would hate for it to another year where fatalities could have been avoided.

Some very interesting and valid points being raised here, the 1st point is that after a TT the riders who have not reached the deemed qualifying speed or were close should be informed that it is perhaps unlikely that they will get an entry for the next TT, the rider then has the choice wether to risk spending huge amounts of money preparing for the next TT.
One post suggested a seperate race or prep race for the 'slower' riders to get used to the pace etc, isn't that what the Manx GP is for?
Also a couple of posts have said and rightly so to a point, that it is easier and safer to pass a rider who is much slower but on the right line than a fast rider who is a tad slower than yourself but all over the place, ok, but what makes us think that these riders in question on are the right line just because they are slow? It is more likely that THEY are the riders way off line that is why their times are not so quick cos they're s***in themselves? Possibly?
Race organisers have in the recent past also been heavily critised for allowing some of these slower guys into the TT because of their times and then other quicker riders were not accepted, now the organisers are stopping these slower riders coming, thye are being critised too? They cannot win. Lets remember in their defence, which is not something I'm known for, it is only at the latter stages of the build up to TT 2008 that we've even knwon who was running it.

One of the riders in question would also find his times dropped considerably if he spent more time learning how to ride the TT course properly instead of wheelying round most of it.
Lets hope some of the comments that have been made in this thread are perhaps used next time to at least help the riders who have, rightly or not, spent alot of time preparing for this years TT only to be told they ain't in.
Cheers
Russ

Fair point Clucie , i think the point here is that they should have been told a lot earlier than now that there entries would not be accepted , i am by the way speaking about the sidecar crew here not the paddock clown who i think Russ was talking about in his post & i fully agree with your post Russ .
I am all for safety & with the speeds these guys are pushing now there can be no chance taken whatsoever .
I think maybe after last years TT the organisers should have taken Mr Boyd aside & told him to save the postage for this year or go classic in the MGP .