- This topic has 1 reply, 1 voice, and was last updated 18 years, 10 months ago by
.
- Posts
The organisers of the Isle of Man TT Races have announced the event’s schedule for 2006. Last year’s programme featured two 600cc Supersport races, but this year there will be only one. Ostensibly this is due to a high rate of machine failure during the second race last year. The essence of a TT race is for it to be a test of man and machine; if engines are tuned to the nth degree then there is a much increased chance of failure; what has to be considered is that if you don’t finish you can’t win; so competitors have to decide if squeezing out an extra 1 or 2 bhp is worth the risk.
I suspect that avid race fans will be disappointed to have one race less to watch (two less than in 2003 if the 125cc/400cc event is counted as one). 2007 will see an extra race added to the programme; hopefully we shall be able to find out what the race is in the near future.
Friday January 13th saw the official press launch for the event at which we learnt the full details regarding team line-ups and who the star newcomers are and those who are returning to the event after sabatticals – full details will appear on this site.
To whet your appetite for the best free show on earth here is the schedule:New-Look TT Race Schedule Ushers in Bright New Future
The Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure in association with the Manx Motor Cycle Club are pleased to announce details of the race programme for the 2006 Isle of Man TT Races.
This year the Department and its partners have delayed making this announcement at the request of the competitors and teams, to ensure all those wishing to make suggestions, get the chance to make their ideas known. A wide scale consultation process has been carried out on this subject, coordinated by TT Team and Rider Liaison Officers Richard Quayle and Paul Phillips.
The decisions made by the TT Coordinating Committee around the 2006 race schedule come after seeking and receiving views from a complete cross section of all the major stakeholders in the event. These specifically include the riders, teams, motorcycle manufactures, engine builders, marshals, medics, fans, the media, and the residents of the Isle of Man. The organisers are therefore confident that with this feedback, the changes to the race schedule will please the majority of those people.
These changes are the first of two steps, the second of which is planned for TT 2007, which will see the event run to an overall schedule which will suit all the needs of the events stakeholders.
Slimmer, fitter, faster than ever!
The 2006 TT Races will feature the same solo and sidecar classes as in 2005; Superbike, Supersport, Superstock, Senior and F2 Sidecar. However there will be one less race, with the second Supersport Race being dropped. Safety around the TT course is paramount to the organisers, and concerns have been raised by some of the riders, teams, manufactures and engine builders around the running of two races for Supersport 600cc machines. There were two Supersport races at TT 2005, and whilst the racing was close and exciting, the organisers have to recognise that there was a high mechanical mortality rate in the second race. The prize fund from this race will be reinvested into the overall start and prize money fund.
There are provisional plans to introduce another class in time for TT 2007 and the race organisers will be and in some cases have already been communicating with stakeholders and the organisers of other race meetings to research the feasibility of this. Details of these plans will be released in due course.
Race schedule
The Superbike Race will again open the race schedule, taking place on Saturday the 3rd of June over six laps. The Superstock Race will be held on Monday the 5th of June, over four laps instead of three as in previous years, and that will be followed by the first leg of the TT Sidecars over three laps. Wednesday the 7th of June will see the four lap Junior TT followed by the second three lap Sidecar Race. The racing will be brought to a close with the six lap Senior TT. The Senior Race will be open to all solo classes and this year will also offer prize money for the first three 600cc machines to finish.
The organisers have had great success recently in attracting more of the high quality riders and teams in motorcycling, and the slimmer race schedule for 2006 will help continue this trend with resources concentrated on the six races.
Increased practice time
Practice time around the 37 and ¾ mile Mountain Circuit remains massively important, and the revised schedule for 2006 will see more actual practice time available per machine, than ever before. Practising will commence on Saturday the 27th of May, with speed controlled sighting laps for solo and sidecar newcomers followed by the first sessions for the rest of the entry. Practice continues on Monday 29th of May, through to Friday the 2nd of June. An extended road closing order for evening practice sessions will allow competitors to enjoy more laps per machine than before in all classes.
Further practice sessions will be available to Superstock, Supersport and Sidecar competitors on Saturday the 3rd of June, Supersport and Senior competitors on Monday the 6th of June and Senior competitors on Wednesday the 7th of June.
Working towards a bright future
Although the TT Coordinating Committee are confident that the changes for 2006 will suit the majority of people involved in the consultation process, they appreciate that some parties may not find all the changes to their liking. The Committee wish it to be known that all views are still welcome, and any concerns will be addressed appropriately. The Coordinating Committee will be seeking further opinion on further amendments to the race schedule in time for TT 2007, on the run up and during TT 2006.
On the announcement of the changes to the race programme TT Coordinating Committee Chairman and Minister for the Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure David Cretney MHK said:
“This year every effort has been made to find out what our stakeholders want from the event. The lines of communication are more open than ever before, and the organisers are now perhaps more accessible to the competitors and the fans, than at any other motorcycle event in the world through our Department, the MMCC Race Office and the Rider Liaison Officers.”
“Safety always has to be our number one concern when it comes to the racing, so we need to ensure that the competitors have enough practice time, especially our newcomers. We are confident we have found the right balance with this new schedule, which has already been warmly received by the majority of competitors, teams and manufactures.”
“In addition, we will soon be announcing details of key entertainment events outside of the race periods. These events will cater for the entertainment aspirations of race fans and the Island’s residents, better than ever before. This new race schedule allows us to do this, and TT 2006 will build up to a fitting climax with some special events planned for the end of Race Week and Senior Race Day in particular. TT 2006 is sure to go out with a bang, leaving everyone looking forward for twelve months when we will celebrate our centenary.”
Isle of Man TT Races 2006
Saturday 27th of May
• Newcomers Practice Laps
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeMonday29th of May
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeTuesday 30th of May
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeWednesday 31st of May
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeThursday 1st of June
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeFriday 2nd of June
• TT Solo Practice
• TT Sidecar PracticeSaturday 3rd of June
• TT Superbike Race 6 Laps
• TT Sidecar Practice
• TT Solo PracticeMonday 5th of June
• Superstock TT 4 Laps
• TT Sidecar Race A 3 Laps
• TT Solo PracticeWednesday 7th of June
• Junior Supersport TT 4 Laps
• TT Sidecar Race B 3 Laps
• TT Solo PracticeFriday 9th of June
• Senior TT 6 Laps
• TT Classic Parade Lap, 1 Lap
LOVE IS GIVING SOMEONE THE ABILITY TO DESTROY YOU, THEN TRUSTING THEM NOT TO.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, VODKA in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming…….WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.