thewitch Wrote:The Billown races a poor spectacle.. what rubbish!
Call them TT or not that 250 was epic

No it wasn't. The first 8 laps were a decent race but you'll see plenty of decent races on the same circuit next week with a much better class of entry.

thewitch Wrote:Oatssi... what you on today, boy, or are you doing an FC and winding us up!?

It was steak pie, mashed potato and carrots. I could ask you the same question. You agree with just about everything in my post and then tell me off. Bizzare and confusing to say the least.

thewitch Wrote:the 250 list is a waste of time...

Have to disagree with you there. The race doesn't necessarily need to be a grid of two strokes. The point is there are bikes and riders out there to improve the specticle. It just needs to idea floating (e.g., on here) and someone to take it forward (Paul).

...and by the way the vast majority of fans want to see racing not practicing. I can see the attraction of practice though - the riders start in pairs!

Good luck with the change of focus for 2009 Paul. I am not sure what was needed to make the event more defensible. We have seen things like a change in organiser, an increase in prohibited areas, charging for car parking and grandstands, no real increase in safety defenses. Most of these things caused the head sratching but you mention that all of these things are not your responsibility? Also, does your statistic of 9 podium riders include the Billown TT races? They were 'TT races' after all.

Back to the case in point, I suspect there was more chaos caused by the amount of emergency road closures this year than would be caused by an afternoon practice session which is planned months in advance. I think everyone needs a rethink on that one.

My other point was that most of what is suggested will never happen. The reason is that more time is spent pleasing health and safety and local people and there is no appetite to take these parties on or even negotiate with them. The next bow will be to the tree huggers who only want to see clean emission races!

Some excellent points, Paul, and good for responding.

Paul Phillips Wrote:In addition that though, we are scouring Europe for talented riders who will compliment our event, and we are back into the States to talk to one or two more. Thank God for the internet!

If you want more North American riders to think about the TT, maybe you could talk to Duke/Greenlight to see if they could actually sell TT coverage to an American broadcaster for similar same-night feeds that ITV had this year. Being 5 to 8 hrs behind, they could even do an American-biased feed with the extra hours if you get more American/Canadian racers entered

I'm a member of a very large American-based message board, and get great interest from my personal reporting on the TT (photos, write-ups, etc), but every year there are a large number of comments regarding which channel in the US is showing the TT - I'd imagine that you are missing out on a possibly very large market over there . Maybe find out from Road Racer X magazine on how their coverage of TT 2006 by Gary Khalil sold in the States?

Oatssi.

Paul has responded in great depth on his responsibilities when he did not have to, I can clearly see what his role is and hope others now do as well, and will say that its not what we all had thought. Let it be now and let them get on with the job in Hand.
As Paul has said if anyone has a problem contact him directly instead of slagging him off on a public forum, and I agree.

A good letter Paul, you have my support, however my suggestion would be to start planning TT2012 as from now and change the dates then.

This would "celebrate" the Mountain Circuit centenary and by then the programme could be re-vamped yet again, to allow more practice and to re-locate the race capacities and days, and add more race day practices.

If the dates are changed suddenly it would be the cause of people deciding not to come, because we could conflict with other racing and other factors.

To be fare Ian I would not say that the decision to change dates would be down to Paul it would be down to large party of people to sit down and make the decision. I would hope that it would be considered at length and with a lot of research. Its the new breed of spectator that the event needs to attract and those are the ones that have not booked June as a traditional holiday date or maybe their holiday entitlement is controlled by their employers. It could not be done overnight but would a few years grace. It maybe worth the DTL taking out something in the press in the UK and further afield to see what the fans want.

FC Wrote:Oatssi.

Paul has responded in great depth on his responsibilities when he did not have to, I can clearly see what his role is and hope others now do as well, and will say that its not what we all had thought. Let it be now and let them get on with the job in Hand.
As Paul has said if anyone has a problem contact him directly instead of slagging him off on a public forum, and I agree.

What are you talking about FC? Do me a favor and direct your posts to someone with and IQ level that can understand them. Clearly mine is too low. From what I can see you have completely misunderstood what I have said and not even thought to ask me to clarify. Which, if you read my post, was what I was doing. Thanks for killing the debate.

Oatssi wrote
We have seen things like a change in organiser, an increase in prohibited areas, charging for car parking and grandstands, no real increase in safety defenses. Most of these things caused the head sratching but you mention that all of these things are not your responsibility? Also, does your statistic of 9 podium riders include the Billown TT races? They were 'TT races' after all.

We may not all agree with what is mostly fact, but is that Pauls fault No

safety defences arround the track have never been better, four years ago most of it was hay bales.

If you read Pauls reply you may understand exactly what his job is.

FC Wrote:We may not all agree with what is mostly fact, but is that Pauls fault No

Point out where I said it was.

I was actually backing him. As I say most of the what I listed appears not to fall under his domain. I was just confused by what does given his post but to be honest I'm not really that interested so let's drop it. What appears clear is that there is an admission that things can improve and people are working on them. That appeared to be the biggest wish from posters on our own forum where a very broad debate took place, not all of which I agreed with.

FC Wrote:safety defences arround the track have never been better, four years ago most of it was hay bales.

A few things on that. Is a recticel really much better than a bale? Why are there still so many exposed walls in easy to cover locations? What is safe about marshals standing in front of or sitting on bales?

I take your point though, if you start with nothing an increase of one is infinately better I suppose. But is one acceptable?

Yes thats one thing that gets my back up, when I see marshalls sat in the line of fire. It has to be looked at and rectified asap, we should have learned from the past by now. It may be worth IOMMA taking a look at some of the on board video to see what other can see.

That would be the TTMA's remit, and I'm sure if you pass any evidence of marshals putting themselves in danger to the organisation, that will be dealt with swiftly, tactfully and effectively.

I think you should all look at the poll results it would seem to me that there is no desire for a change in dates. The vast majority seem to be saying leave it where it is.

If and I say if there is a demand for more practise time then I'm sure there would be a way of getting it in the current two week period.

Just a thought.If practise time is such a problem and need to be increased, is there any reason why you can't use Sunday of race week period. This surely would be less disruptive to the local residents as for most it is not a working day and a 4 hour afternoon session would be possible.
Probably also reduce the R.T.A.s on that day.
Someone tell me why Sunday's can't be used

Arthur Lawn Wrote:Just a thought.If practise time is such a problem and need to be increased, is there any reason why you can't use Sunday of race week period. This surely would be less disruptive to the local residents as for most it is not a working day and a 4 hour afternoon session would be possible.
Probably also reduce the R.T.A.s on that day.
Someone tell me why Sunday's can't be used

Take away the opportunity for the fans to have a blast around the track on mad sunday would do more damage to the TT than not enough practice sorry to say.

Surely F C there is still plenty of time and plenty of other days for visitors to have a blast round the course as you put it. plus I think we should get out of the habit of calling this day 'Mad Sunday' as might have been ok 40yrs back but it send the wrong signals to the media as a whole in this day and age and does nothing to enhance the reputation of the TT.

Arthur Lawn Wrote:Surely F C there is still plenty of time and plenty of other days for visitors to have a blast round the course as you put it. plus I think we should get out of the habit of calling this day 'Mad Sunday' as might have been ok 40yrs back but it send the wrong signals to the media as a whole in this day and age and does nothing to enhance the reputation of the TT.

Wrong Arthur the roads are being used by the local residents to carry out their everyday chores and are use to staying out of the way on the Sunday

Re moving the TT dates. This is my first post so hi to you all (Witch & Cargo, I am the lucky one who won your quiz on the early morning bus tour this year so thanks again!). My point is that as a TT visitor since 1982 (for the full week or 10 days as it is now) I would find it difficult to attend a later meeting due to school holiday and family holiday commitments. Also I have no problem getting annual leave from work at the end of May/start of June as no one else wants time off then. I suspect that this situation would be true for many other TT visitors. If Paul Phillips says he has had no adverse comments on keeping things as they are then that is good enough for me. I realise that the TT is a racing event for the riders but moving it to the start of the annual UK school holidays would be a mistake as far as the attendance of spectators are concerned. Given a chioce between attending the TT or taking a family holiday I am sure most TT visitors would choose the TT (I would) but how many married people with kids would actually get away with it (I wouldn't!).

degsy24 Wrote:(Witch & Cargo, I am the lucky one who won your quiz on the early morning bus tour this year so thanks again!).

You're just not going to let me forget are you?