If you ever needed proof that racers think differently from us normal humans, here is a tale from the Cliffhanger Hill Climb.
The Cliffhanger is a road-based hill climb that runs on closed public roads, just outside Gladstone near Masterton in New Zealand.
Racing on roads isn’t an uncommon event in NZ, with the annual Cemetery Circuit road races in Wanganui perhaps the most famous. Maybe that is why you find – comparatively – so many Kiwis at the TT? … but I digress. Back to the racers mentality.
First of all, you have the desire to prove you are the fastest and never mind the weather. Conditions over the weekend were not ideal, a damp track with low cloud stopping the sun from breaking through to dry things out.
Then there is the desire to prove that fast is never fast enough. It doesn’t matter if you are the fastest, there is always more speed to be found. No run is perfect. There is always more speed to be found, you just have to go looking for it.
The saying … “There are only two events in life; Racing and waiting to go racing” … appears to be true the world over.
The video below is from Doyle’s fastest run of the day. On the next run, while searching for a little more speed, Doyle had an unsuccessful argument with the laws of adhesion
Airlifted to hospital, he later shared his thoughts on the day from his hospital bed …
[I’ve got ..] “Fractured vertebrae T11, 8 broken ribs, collapsed lung, dislocated knee, and nerve damage in my foot. Other than that, I feel brand new but the shitiest news is that I only came bloody 2nd” [… in class]
As I say, Racers are a different breed. Nothing seems to phase them. Get well soon Doyle.
And the winner..? Congratulations to Steven Gregg on his 2005 Honda CBR600RR 600, who set a winning time of 2:21.622. An average speed of 96.9820 MPH from a standing start over the 3.815 mile course (6140 meters) for the 600cc class.
And to the overall winner, Shannon Dellow on a 2008 Suzuki GSXR1000 with a time of 2:19.639, averaging 98.36 MPH.
