Will, steady on with suggestions for improvement mate, you could end up agreeing with me!

Without departing too far from my hobby horse a 'classic course licence' would achieve much the same as my own preference, not admitting current TT riders, but as pointed out this would be a problem for riders in places like Ireland and the IoM itself where there aren't enough classic meets. Also, I remember the late great John Goodall circulating on his G50 at the back of a modern club F400 race just to get a signature for the stupid course licence!

The idea of a 'buy the winner' rule could stop some of the more blatant megabucks replica rocketships but once they get a bit old and ratty they may be just as fast but about to blow.... buying them could do the owner a favour! Again pushing my mind back into the mists of time didn't BSA pay some fine to the organisers so they didn't have to sell their works bikes? The rule was dropped shortly after that I believe. Anyhoo I feel that would be a tough one to get through and I'd rather see a more 'appropriate' level of rider in this clubman event.

On qualifying I fully agree some common sense needs to be brought into the equation. As with Guy Martin (who I dont begrudge his qualifying) if conditions are so bad that people can't get a quick lap/enough laps logged in the week some allowance should be taken of their past record. I can think of a number of occasions Jackie Wood did so, with impeccable judgement, shame such judgement has been lacking since.

My tactic has always been to get a quick lap in asap so in the event of bad weather or breakdowns you don't have to worry so much about speed and can just get the required number of laps in as time allows. Strangely enough this never used to be a problem when we had morning practice and the long Thursday session.

Lastly before I bore everyone to death if the earlier troll actually was Farkie and not just some nameless idiot, it's disappointing if a top sportsman can't understand why us lesser mortals would like to strive towards an award that isnt a win. Oh to be so perfect myself.