Joey
Dunlop, OBE. MBE. rode his last TT this year, ironically it was one of his
best, and they always say leave them begging for more......
It is easy to sound profound or poetic in retrospect, but will anyone argue
that those who were lucky enough to have seen the 2000 Formula 1 TT knew
they had witnessed something and someone very special indeed, the stuff
of folk lore.
Honda had originally planned to field its works runners on tuned Evo Fireblades,
after the all conquering RC 45's had suffered a humiliating double defeat
at the hands of David Jefferies on the V&M R1 Yamaha the previous year.
At least in '99 Honda could console themselves with the fact that the RC45
was a five year old pensioner about to be put to grass, they obviously didn't
want to risk a repeat performance with the new v twin SP1, a full blown
World Superbike spec machine no less - that would really have the top brass
falling on the swords!
Joey however had other ideas.
It goes some way to show how much esteem Joey was held back in Hamamatsu
Japan, that when he was un happy with the proposed set up they quickly arranged
one of Paul Birds BSB SP1's for his disposal.
All was still not well, these had been way off the pace at the start of
the season in the hands of James Toseland, as Joey was to find out at the
Northwest 200, when he was way down on top speed compared to the Yamaha's
of Jefferies and Rutter.
Joey for-warned it wouldn't stand a chance when they got to the Island.
Honda took this seriously, serious enough to ship in one of Aaron Slights
ultra expensive WSB
spec engines, would it be enough?
It was David Jefferies who predictably set the early
pace in practice, taking full advantage of the good weather he recorded
a lap at over 123mph on the Monday evening, only the third session of the
week.
As I've said before, Joey always rides at his own pace, and after twenty
five racing years on the Isle Of Man he had never once cracked under pressure
andhe wasn't going to start now.
This was a brand new bike, Honda never intended to race the SP1 on public
roads, it's natural habitat was Suzuka or Donnington, not Bray Hill or Barregarrow!
It would take time to adapt it to the demands of the bumpy Mountain course,
but time waits for no maun.
The shot opposite was taken at an early morning practice, this is MANX early,
thats a 5am start, so early even the Sun wasn't up, Joey was up though,
oh right up for it, even if he does look to have dozed off in the pic.
At the end of this lap he came straight back to the paddock, to the assembled
Honda masses, and whilst there wasn't much waving of the arms or shouting,
the body language said it all.
Joey took his infamous yellow Arai off and he looked stern, if you had no
business to be there then you kept your distance, an autograph hunter who
had waited patiently suddenly thought better of it.
Honda had even flown a Japanese technician in to look after the bike, what
a picture his face would have been if Joey, hands on man that he is, had
lept off the bike grabbed some spanners and started tinkering with the innards
himself, but of course he never did.
A few hushed words to the mechanics, adjustments were made and then the
booming V twin was fired up and he was away for another lap.
Joey looked more focussed and determined than ever before, it was great
to watch.
As it was the conditions were damp and unpredictable, this race would not be about breaking lap records, that would be later in the week.
Joey set off at a frantic pace, a man on a mission, he knew the roads better than anyone in the mixed conditions.
Glen Helen, nine miles later and Joey is two seconds up on David Jefferies with fellow V&M team mate Michael Rutter a further one second back in third.
A major slide had detuned Jefferies on that opening lap and he fell back a further four seconds by Ramsey Hairpin.
Joey by contrast was in his element, it was just like old times, when he came into the pits to refuel at the end of the lap two he was nine seconds up.
Even though they had completed a full distance for a GP or Superbike race,
there was still two thirds of the way to go, and Jefferies was not beaten
yet.
The Yamaha rider was picking up speed to close the gap to four seconds going
into the fourth lap.
With his nose near the front Jefferies put in a big push to set the fastest
lap of the race and edge ahead of Joey for the first time by a slender four
seconds, but at what cost?
The normally bullet proof V&M machine was starting to smoke badly, the
clutch finally shattered at Ballig, his race was over.
The
fans waved Joey all round that sixth and final lap, by the time the bright
red Honda came into view of the packed Grandstand there must have been thousands
of lumps in throats and tears in eyes, who will ever forget it?
Certainly not Honda, it was Joey who was publicly thanking them for the
faith they'd shown him, but in reality it was the other way around.
Joeys last lap pit board, two pints? a conservative estimate.
The
Island was still recovering from post celebrations after the Formula 1 as
Joey lined up for Mondays Lightweight 250 TT.
Conditions were far from ideal with low cloud sweeping the mountains, no
fewer than eight delayed starts.
When the flag did drop and the 2-stroke smoke had finally cleared it was
Joey who had taken the race by the scruff of its neck to lead current British
250 Champion and pre race favourite John Mcguiness by a full five seconds
at the first commentry point at Glen Helen.
He
and Dunlop both headed into the pits at the end of lap one, both riding
identical kitted RS 250 Hondas, but last years winner and current lightweight
lap record holder Mcguiness was struggling to hold onto yer maun, a water
leak was sending the temperature ever higher and John was forced to pull
in at Quarter Bridge on the third and last lap with a cracked cylinder head.
Joey
wasn't about to crack though, he kept cool to chalk up a 25th victory on
the Isle of Man Mountain circuit, the fans went into delirium and the champagne
flowed.
The
competion was lining up to put an end to the Dunlop party in the Ultra-Lightweight
TT.
The problem was how?
Traditionally the closest race of the week there were at least five or six
other riders all capable of taking the winners laurels, Robert Dunlop, Dennis
McCullough, Gary Dynes, Darran Lyndsay and one Welsh man, Ian 'not too lucky
now' Lougher.
The only time any of them got to see Joey was at the start, moments later
as he sped away towards Quarter Bridge the race was as good as won, said
Joey " I can usually tell by the bottom of Bray Hill on the first
lap whether or not the bike is going well enough to win, if it is, it gives
you the incentive to ride harder ".
Joey
was now leading on the road as he screamed down the box for Ramsey Hairpin,
his lead was 10 seconds over Lindsay and Robert who were tying for second.
At the end of lap one as the little No3 red RS 125 flashed past the Grandstand
the lead had been further increased to 18 seconds over new second placed
man Dennis McCullough.
Joey kept on pushing till Glen Helen on the last lap, he was nearly half
a minute up on McCullough by this time and so he could afford to ease up
for the final 28 miles to the chequered flag.
As Joey crossed the line it was time for another re-write of the record
books, 26 wins, first rider to do a treble treble of TT wins, what a star,
and didn't we know it.
" It seems to be a good week " was Joeys responce to it all.
Not only the undisputed King of the Mountain, but a master of understatement
as always.
It had to happen sometime, Joey Dunlop was beaten for the first time in
TT 2000.
The culprit was David Jefferies aboard the V&M R6 Yamaha.
As the shot opposite clearly shows Joey still gave it everything he had,
but his earlier win in the day had taken a lot out of the mercurial forty
eight years young publican.
Fourth place was a good result behind Jefferies, Adrian Archibald and Ian
Lougher.
There was still the 'blue riband' Senior TT to come, surely not even Joey
could make it four wins in a week, but after his displays so far, who would
bet against it.
So
finally, we come to the Senior TT, sadly Joey Dunlop MBE. OBE.'s last ever
Isle of Man TT race.
After the original start had been postponed due to torrential rain the riders
woke to bright sunshine and clear blue skys, David Jefferies prayers had
been answered.
Joey retained his trick Honda SP1 from his Formula 1 victory, this time
it sported the purple Vimto colours, lets say it though , Guiness would
have been more appropriate with the amount of ale quaffed in Joeys honour
over the last week!
Jefferies was unstopable this time, after sharing the lead with Joey at
the first Glen Helen split he pulled away setting a new lap record of 125mph
in the process.
The warm dry conditions suited the more powerful R1 Yamahas and Joey had
to settle behind second placed Michael Rutter for a place on the podium.
Joeys last lap was also his fastest around the Island, 123.87mph, five seconds
quicker than Jim Moodies 1999 outright lap record.
The peoples champion was later quoted " The SP1 is the way to go,
its a big bike and I'm not really used to riding it yet, .it isn't quite
how I want it at the moment, but we'll get there....."
The TT will never be the same again for me or a lot of other people, Joey
WAS the TT, simple as that.
He spanned three generations from his first win in 1977 to his 26th and
last victory of this year.
I grew up watching Joey, and come June 2002 it'll be strange not to see
that familliar yellow helmet starting at number three.
Let no one dare label a future TT star ' the next Joey Dunlop '. There will
never be another like him, how fortunate I am to have witnessed this remarkable
man over the last twenty five years, what a sad and tragic end to the fairytale.....
Rest in peace.
" I NEVER REALLY WANTED TO BE A SUPERSTAR, I JUST WANTED TO BE MYSELF.
I HOPE PEOPLE REMEMBER ME THAT WAY "
