Never thought about it before I always to busy but I agree 100%.

In 1977 & 1978 I sponsored Charlie Williams in the Junior, Senior and Classic races on the very best Maxton Yamahas that money could buy at great personal, expense, he won the Junior and finished 2nd in the Classic in 77 and finished second in the Junior again in 78 for me.

I never got to see any of the presentations to my rider because I was always racing in the same races with a lower starting number.

In the old days with a 120 starters in some races such as the senior some of the very late starters would be going through the the grandstand to start their last lap when Ago, Mike Hailwood or whoever was on the rostrum, actually did it myself once when my starting number was 100 in the senior on a T500 production bike which was a bit slow in comparison with the M.V.

Must agree that when you finish 4th 5th or 6th the attitude is a bit different to when you struggle home in the last three with some problem or other and that,s from personal experience.