What Mr Phillips has possibly forgotten is that going back ten years or more it was still permissable to for a rider to nurse a sick bike home on the last lap.  Many of us will have heard the commentators referring to someone 'touring'. 

This practice is no longer allowed as far as I know and in my opinion has a great deal to do with any possible reduction in the time difference between the first and last finishers.

I'm not so sure that the time differential has actually decreased anyway.  The gap between first and last finisher in last year's superbike race was nearly 20 minutes.  A time difference that had previously been crticised by the gentleman in question if memory serves.  It was about 18 mins the year before.

Is it just me but if the current regime had been in charge say in the 10 years prior to 2005 do you think they'd be saying exactly the same thing as they are now?