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MANX GRAND PRIX 2002, by Mark Castle
 The preparation for the Manx Grand Prix was far more hectic than I’d ever hoped or planned for. It’s taken me several years to finally get here and all my best thought out ideas about how I wanted things to work, and being ready early with no last minute rushing were all but a distant dream. Not helped by a fight to get fit pending a massive highside off my 400 at Cadwell Park back in April, which left me with a broken pelvis and a cracked hip socket amongst other things.
Whilst I was unable to fix the bike, I sent the engine to Ricky at RLR Motorsports for a pre Manx rebuild. When I was back on my feet the bike had to be re-framed and almost every part of the bike had to be replaced or repaired. I managed to get everything ready for a meeting at Darley moor two weeks prior to the GP and I was able to potter round and run the bike in making sure that I was up to riding again too.
After a frantic last two weeks getting ready we finally got to the paddock on Thursday 15th August, I don’t think it’d sunk in that we were actually at the Manx and in 72 hours time I’d be back from my first practice. We spent most of Friday organising the kit and went to signing on where I was given my novice jacket and practicing numbers. My friend Rodger Steel took me for a lap of the course, he was impressed with my knowledge considering I’d never ridden on closed roads before, I owe a lot to the Hailwood Foundation for that.
 Saturday dawned a beautiful day and Chief mechanic Tim and I spent the morning prepping the bike until I had to go to my pre-practice briefing, then onto the newcomers coach for our compulsory lap. Already we were getting complements about how well turned out the bike was and how well the team worked and presented ourselves. We had no problems at scruitineering and left the bike in park ferme, we even had time to rest and have some tea. The scheduled start was 6pm but fog on the mountain delayed it till 6:30, the mist didn’t clear so the session wasn’t timed. I wasn’t nervous really, more apprehensive for the bike and the set up. I’d done the groundwork on the circuit but only experience could teach you how to set the actual bike up.
I set off from the line paired with my good friend Danny Williams, also on an RVF400. However after less than 100 yards I’d had a lock-to-lock tank slapper, so I crossed St Ninians leaning over the bars adjusting my steering damper. I followed Dan cautiously down Bray Hill, with my visor steamed up, so as I climbed up to Ago’s I clicked it open.
Quarter Bridge next, nice and steady down the hill. Everyone tells you to take care at QB but I wasn’t prepared for the bike to react so badly to a corner, firstly she didn’t want to turn in then she / we nearly fell over, it was awful. I thought that I can’t possibly do another 30 odd miles with the bike handling like this, she was the same over Braddan Bridge too.
 It was on the fast run to Union Mills that it occurred to me the new tyres might be the problem, and I should try and relax and enjoy it. She turned into the village much better but was running wide which was very unnerving. The open visor didn’t help either not only were my eyes stinging but I was going deaf too, I tried to shut it but it steamed up instantly. I managed to settle a bit but struggled with the steering, I got right through to Bishopscourt and was flat out in top gear when the bike died completely, I thought she’d blown up, or run out of fuel, then I realised that the throttle had spun back in the grip. So now I had to fight with the throttle too, by the time I got the Ramsey my wrist and shoulder felt like they were about to drop off.
As I got further onto the mountain the mist got thicker and I caught one of the 600’s up and followed him back home. I came in at the end of the lap and we tried to put some more lock wire on the grip and alter the rear ride height so that I could go back out, but the session was cut short due to the conditions. When I took my helmet off, we noticed that the tear offs had put an inch wide scratch right across the visor, another lesson learned, don’t use tear offs on a double curvature visor. As I was complaining about how horrendous my first lap had been and that after all these years waiting to ride here that’s not what I expected, Tim shoved a stop watch in front of me, “You’ve got round in 27 minutes, if that’d been timed you would’ve qualified, so shut up moaning” That told me!! I also got a mention on the radio later that evening.
Sunday was rest day although we never stopped, the grips were super glued on and the rear suspension raised to quicken the steering. More crew arrived at teatime and it was an excuse for Tim and I to finally venture out on our road bikes.
Oh my God…Monday…Early morning practice, 4:30am it’s dark and I’m in a scruitineering queue. I got away early in the session, the bike was steering great now. Treading cautiously over greasy mountain roads in bright sunshine, I completed 2 laps, unofficially timed at 24 mins. We checked the bike over and changed the rear sprocket because she was over-revving.
I got out early again and although tired, really enjoyed the evening practice. I rode with earplugs and combined with the gearing made the bike feel slow, a time of 22m54s - 98.83mph proved it wasn’t. The official paperwork put me in 1st place, so we went for a drink to celebrate.
 I got breathalysed at Tuesday evening scruitineering. I’d struggled on Monday with the bike fighting me on the second lap. Russ Henley advised me to turn the damper up, as it’d be over heating, which worked a treat. Had a great ride round with my friend Dan Williams and improved my time to 22m50s - 99.12mph. The chain was absolutely shot so we decided to miss early practice on Wednesday.
Spent Wednesday working on the bike, fitted a new chain and noticed the rear sprocket wearing heavily. My friend Chris Barton came over for the day and took me for a lap in the van, we got back for scruitineering where I got queried about the aluminium bobbins in my Pro-Lite brake discs. Had a nice steady run at 99.95 mph. The sprocket was completely shaved on one side, still unsure why.
Tried to solve the sprocket problem on Thursday morning and changed down another tooth on the rear sprocket. We changed the forks for my softer road bike ones. I went out for 1-lap, the forks were much better but the sprocket was still chewing up.
Enter Dave Madsen Mygdal and problem solved, all down to being parked on a slope, causing a gap to open up when the clamp is loosened to tension the chain, throwing the sprockets out of line. I cracked the magic 100mph so I was well chuffed.
During Friday I was introduced to Kev Spur of SS motorcycles, he showed us how to rebuild the forks to get full adjustment, and also set the suspension to improve the handling. I went out with new tyres on but the bike was weaving, it felt really strange. Most of the course was wet, with a dark visor on it was unnerving. I came in after one lap, changed my visor and went back out again, the bike still weaving and the roads even wetter. I was glad to finish the session.
A damp Saturday Morning at Jurby airfield gave us chance to bed in a new chain and also solve the weave problem, seemingly a bad front tyre and tight wheel bearings. On my last run I snapped the throttle cable. We changed back to the wheels and tyres I’d used all week. The practice was a steady one in preparation for Monday. I improved my speed to 100.84mph.
 We spent most of Sunday preparing for Monday’s race, including fitting the race numbers, attending the pre race briefing and getting the kit ready for the pit stops. We practiced a pit stop in the paddock much to everyone’s amusement.
Monday morning arrived after a restless sleep. We were though scruitineering by 8:15 and held in park ferme. Tim, Mike and Eddie sorted the fuel filler and familiarised themselves with the equipment, I think they were more nervous than me. The bikes moved from Park Ferme to the pit area, then later onto Glencrutchery road to await the start. It was a boiling hot day and I tried to stand in the shade while the boys queued with the bike. We got away on time and I was paired with Mark Barrell also on an RLR RVF 400. I was cautiously fast, I could see graham Burden ahead so I knew I was ok on time, but my main opposition started behind me so I didn’t know how I was doing. I got a P2 at Ginger hall, so I tried a bit harder and got right up with Graham. He overshot at Signpost corner so I nipped by. I gave a thumbs up as I crossed the line, clocking almost 130mph through the speed trap, an average speed of 102.90mph at 21m 59.9s, from a standing start.
I got really caught up with 3 slower lads right through to Crosby and Graham showed a wheel, braking down to Ballacraine. I was held up through the Glen Helen section so Graham passed me, I held back climbing the hill and got better drive, I flew past both of them onto the Cronk-y-Voddy straight. I got held up again going through Kirk Michael and over Rhen Cullen. Graham got the better drive this time and passed through Bishopscourt. I seized the opportunity to pass him on the brakes down to Sulby Bridge.
I got a P1 sign at Ginger hall, but I didn’t know what the gap was, as it happened it was 12 seconds over Graham and I didn’t know the other lads had retired. I was steady through Parliament Square and up to May Hill but I ran massively wide, right out to the footpath and Graham passed again. I was really cautious over the mountain but going round the big left-hander at Bungalow Bridge the bike cut out for a split second. I thought I was running out of fuel, I was trying to work out how many miles I’d got left till the fuel stop, I decided to nurse it back. I went round the left-hander at the Bungalow and the bike ran wide again, out to the kerb so I leaned it more to pull it round and the front washed out. I slid up the kerb, over the tramlines and up another kerb onto the grass. I watched for the other lads to come through and they never did, I was distraught.
I was more worried for the team back at the paddock thinking the worst might have happened. The Marshals and medics looked after me and arranged a lift back in the course car with Murry Walker.
When I got back to the paddock the team were very supportive, I thought they’d never let me race again. The consensus was to visit Nobles with my rapidly expanding foot and skinless wrists then make a decision on Tuesday. I had a drink at the beer tent then off to nobles, an hour later I got back to the paddock on crutches with a cast up to my knee, I was bruised from my lower back down to my toes. It’s bad when you can tell the nurse what settings you have your crutches on!! The lads went for the bike, which was drawing quite a crowd. My girlfriend Charlene’s first words were quite casually “Oh, I’ve seen it much worse than that”.
 I arrived at the paddock on Tuesday where work had already begun on the bike, I spent the day sliding around on the awning floor helping the lads. We were concerned that the frame was bent but it turned out to be the forks twisted in the yokes. Eddie took me to Dave Sells workshop at Ballaugh that evening so that I could repair my exhausts and weld up my radiator. Tim found a battery terminal loose, which would explain the cut out prior to the crash, so I might not have finished the race anyway.
I visited the Orthopaedics at Nobles on Wednesday and they removed the cast, I think they knew that I would’ve cut it off come race day anyway. My leathers were split from hip to ankle so I took them to a cobbler in Douglas for some TLC.
Back up to Jurby on Thursday, we lengthened the gear change because I was struggling to bend my foot under it. On Thursday afternoon it was announced that Fridays races would be postponed until Saturday, a welcome day of rest for my very poorly foot.
Friday was awful, a decision well made. We were given some Dunlop KR364’s by Kev Spurr so we had them fitted on the wheels which weren’t bent.
Saturday dawned damp but the weather was improving. We got the bike and leathers etc through scruitineering. I finally found the doctor and was passed medically fit, although I’m not sure what for! We went through all the pre race procedures, I just wanted to finish this time. The race was very uneventful really, my lap times were painfully slow. I really struggled getting used to the Dunlop tyres and I was missing gears all over the place. The pit stop was a relaxed affair, the boys did a great job, very professional, only I messed it up by forgetting the kill switch so it wouldn’t start, then I missed a gear leaving the pit lane. I finished the race and needed lifting off the bike, my fastest lap was 99.61mph and my race average was 96.56mph. We were all so pleased that I’d made it and managed to get a silver rep.
We stripped the bike and gave back all the borrowed parts, then packed up and set off home very tired, and with mixed emotions. The thoughts of what could’ve been will stay with us all forever.
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