Southern 100 Club statement

[themoudie]

During the final race of the Southern 100 meeting there has been an incident involving 4 riders. I shall leave the details of the Southern 100 Club press release for you to read if you wish.

Link: Southern_100_600cc Challenge race_statement

The road racing fraternity are not having an easy time at present and I know that these incidents are part of the territory, but it still makes me pause. My condolences and thoughts are with all concerned and their loved ones.

Bill

[CrazyFrog]

  Very sad indeed.

[Oldtimer]

The thing is the bikes are getting faster and faster but the corners are still the same and coming off at a higher speed is bound to hurt more.

[themoudie]

Aye oldtimer,

I agree and the lap times back up those sentiments, with improved tyre grip, suspension control, electronic acceleration and traction control the room for the nanosecond error is even more finite. Yet, I suspect the adrenalin exhilaration from achieving and then maintaining those speeds and centrifugal forces is VERY elating.

However, racing is racing and that involves being FIRST and the development of the means to come first and then keep doing it is a VERY egocentric psyche. That state of mind is not only part of the riders psyche, but that of the sponsors and the team. Spectators feed their adrenalin exhilaration to varying degrees from their ability to empathise with the riders.

Watching BSB or Supersport 600 riders coming off the end of the straight at Knockhill (180mph+) down into 'Duffus Dip' from the rear is lairy stuff. To watch Leon Haslam loose it mid corner and the bike to barrel role through the air for over 50' was "heart stopping", but Leon got up, walked away and jumped on the back of a scooter for a ride back to the pits. Road racing isn't like that, but if the opportunity isn't given for it too take place in a controlled manner, it will surely become a clandestine event, much as steeple chasing was for Regency 'Gentlemen' and their jockey's.

The conundrum remains and I sincerely offer my condolences to those involved in the aftermath of the incident at 'Stadium Bends'. I also post an update link on the health of the riders involved in the incident, from the Southern 100 club website below:

Southern_100_Stadium_Bends_update

Bill

[SteveC#222]

Very bad news but I suppose they all must know it can come with the sport.  Ivan Lintin is a local lad, from Bardney just up the road, lets hope he pulls through OK.

[timbo]

Its obvious that the level of carnage sustained recently cannot continue. Personally, I believe that Road Racing cannot be justified any longer in its present form. I think possibly a reduction in cc, and change of courses to areas such as the proposed Welsh road race, where there is very little hard road furniture, just mostly bog land.
The current spate of deaths and injuries has had a very deep affect on me, and its not about the riders, its about the families that are left behind.

[Andy M]

I think you are spot on Tim

You can't go on getting faster without a fundamental change in technology like aerodynamics or new materials (which are beyond bike development funds). If you go on hitting hard objects at ever higher speeds people die.

I'm not keen on capacity as a control, maybe emissions or fuel or weight or materials instead? but they certainly need a reboot so they get slower due to limited resources and start the development process again.

Andy

[themoudie]

Update on Ivan Lintin, hopefully his progress will continue.

Link: BBC_NI_Ivan_Lintin_update_2018-08-01

Bill

[Moto63]

Excellent news about Ivan Linton, let's hope he can make a full recovery 👍👍