Just back from practice and i cant wait for saturday!!!! Everyone you would expect looked quick and on the pace, the only race winner i'd pick would be anstey on the superstock, cos lets face it he's frigging unbeatable on that bike!!!

heres just a few comments from tonight:

It was nice to see so many riders with the number 45 on their bikes, and especially poignant to see stephen thompson with 8 on one leg and 45 on the other. the paddock itself was all hustle and bustle but there was one quiet place, the milsport yamaha team had set up martins tent with his superstock and superbike on display, it was a bit like a pilgrimage with people just coming up and standing there in silence and many (myself included) having to wipe away a wee tear. It was a beautiful tribute to the big man.

I've never seen a team so nervous before first practice as the NW200 Ducati team! They were running around panicking all over the shop even Michael seemed really nervous. I got him to sign my programme but he didnt quite seem his usual self. The funniest thing was when the team were wheeling the bike out then suddenly realised they hadnt put petrol in it ha ha. Calm down lads and enjoy the week!

I can understand the need to charge into the paddock and i paid my £15 for the week, but one question. Once in, how the hell do you get out if you want to watch from another vantage point? You can only get into Blairs caravan parks and to get up to juniper hill I had to climb under one of the security fences to get out first!!! Think you forgot about the exits lads.

Wee Robert was looking good on the track but since when was he part of the KRP team? His bike was in their truck and he had KRP stickers on the wee bike? Are they just helping him out for the weekend or is it a long term thing?

All in all a great night and hope the lad that came off at Blacks hill is ok, he was just a touch offline from looking at the tyre tracks in the banking!!!

Why were there so many non qualifiers in the 600s?
The most laps any rider got was only three?

a rider came off quite heavily at blacks hill and was knocked out. The session was red flagged.

one other question i have. Was Ian Simpson out on a bike? He's in the programme, the bike had his name on it but i didnt hear him mentioned by the commentators. I did see Duffus and Morrisson. Ian hasnt changed a bit but I dont think brian would fit into his old leathers anymore lol

Simpson was on track and posted 15th fastest time in the Superstock. Was speaking to him in the pits earlier - he's not as slim as he was a decade ago!!!!

good to see he is still competitive, he was a class act and i'm sure he'll have a good run on saturday, would love to see him get top 10!

So what was all the rubbish on here then that he definitly wasnt racing?

Also good to see his times after some of the crap that he was past it!

Thanks conor337. That was a nice account.

conor337 wrote:

QUOTE:
good to see he is still competitive, he was a class act and i'm sure he'll have a good run on saturday, would love to see him get top 10!

So what was all the rubbish on here then that he definitly wasnt racing?

Also good to see his times after some of the crap that he was past it!

Firstly he is lapping at 112.7 which is the same as he was doing in 1998. Hardly competitive.

Also it was announced at Tandragee by Bill, Ians father that he would not be racing at the NW200. So if it was rubbish then you can blame the Simpson family for that one.

And finally, we all hope he does well (me included). I just don't think he is properly prepared to go road racing. The delicate future of the sport rests on such decisions.

good for you ian good for you

so edscape do you believe that competition only happens in the top 10 and the rest are out for a sunday ride?

I personally would say that he was more than likely re learning some of the areas of the course and therefore to go as quick as he did when he was racing Factory bikes year in year out on his first night back on a privateer bike was quite impressive! (especially with the extra balast on the bike lol )

also he was 1 sec down on John Burrows, Paul Cranston and Rob Frost and ahead of Christian Elkin, Carl Rennie, Dwyer Agnew and Ollie Linsdell. So basically what you are saying is that if he is dangerous and uncompetitve so are they????

hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm

anyone know who slipped off in the 600s to bring out the red flags?