(03-02-2011, 02:18 PM)Jo Rowe Wrote: Just one hour extra, that's all it is! Anyway, didn't there used to be racing on the Sat evening?

There did Jo. The Saturday evening used to be the Classic race (before there were separate SCL and J/LCL races). It was noticeable that the classic boys then used to love it as they could practice all week, race on the Saturday then jump on the ferry to be home for the weekend. Putting the races in the week gave no more riding but an extra week's time and expenses away from home, though it has enabled 2 classic races rather than one for those with the machinery. Maybe a thought should the classic entries field drop still further and the MMCC think of combining them into a single race.

However, this proposal could be OK if done right. Most people have qualified by the last Saturday of Practice Week and not many will be looking to do more than 1 lap in any case. It is a good idea in my view to separate the Newcomers race from any other class, since they are normally long on horsepower and short on course knowledge. The only thing I wouldn't like to see is the Saturday practice being lost altogether - the amount of practice is dangerously low already, given the amount already lost and the tightening of qualifying times. At some point the ACU and MMCC will need to realise that asking riders to race on the world's most hazardous course with decreasing amounts of practice could be leaving them open to litigation on health & safety grounds.