Irish Road Racing Clips

[Leigh]

As a spin off from Buffalo Bill's Isle Of Man thread, I thought a spot for Irish Road Racing clips would be good for opening your eyes and making you lean side to side in your computer chair.

We really should start with Joey Dunlop.
26 times winner at the Isle of Man.
A shy man with a look that could drop a stupid reporter at 20 paces.

Anyway, if you want to see what the course looks like, then there is no better than Joey to show it.

This is a series of 3 clips showing an onboard lap with Joey from 1983.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8qWhVfNM8Q
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd7cfH5CPjU
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS9586eAoek

 

[Leigh]

Killalane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXpRt2QkJ5U

 

[Leigh]

The likes of Joey, his brother Robert, Merv Robinson and Frank Kennedy are gone now.
Like so many others, they lost their lives in the pursuit of speed.
But there is a new generation filling the gaps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnBV5oys3y0

 

[Leigh]

The BBC had some high speed cameras out there last year.
Ignore the soppy music some poor Youtuber has put over the top of this..
Just watch it with the sound down whilst making slo-mo revving sounds yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS15mPd9DSs

 

[Leigh]

So, I've started this off and upped my post count at the same time..

Have at it you lot..
Got a favourite clip?
Found one that makes your eyes boggle?
Can you understand a word that Hector Neil says? (Youtube him, he's there)

Share it with those that know and educate the ones who need to know.

 

[Guest]

Great videos, thanks for posting.....but what language is he talking??

 

[Leigh]

Great videos, thanks for posting.....but what language is he talking??

Who?
Which video?
Actually, that doesn't matter.
They are all speaking English.
Sort of..

 

[Guest]

Cheers for the links, that is some madness there for sure! Those guys definitely have (had) balls of cast iron.

Cam Donald is definitely one of my modern day heroes for sure.

One thing I like also is how AMCN occassionally has a shot from Knockhill or some other circuit the BSB circus visits where someone is leaning into a corner, yet has two wheels off the ground over a hump.

Of course Google Images isn't helping me find an example right now...

 

[Leigh]

You mean like Josh Brookes at Cadwell Park?

..and the video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYx9DoYhCIU

 

[Dogma]

Killalane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXpRt2QkJ5U

That course isn't exactly wide. It reminds me a bit of a place around here called Chicken Hollow Road.

 

[Leigh]

Dogma, most of the small club circuits are just that.
Narrow gutted country lanes with pot holes and dirt on the corners.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

The corner workers must sweep?

The corner workers must sweep?

Dogma, most of the small club circuits are just that.
Narrow gutted country lanes with pot holes and dirt on the corners.

They don't sweep the corners before the racing? I'm sure they do.
The country roads I ride are just so bad. I can never trust them to be clean, so I can never look through a corner, instead I have to look down at the pavement for trouble.
Just amazed the citizens organize racing on public roads, even if it brings in tourist money.
I read some of the 2010 Irish races were canceled for lack of funding, recession blues.
Any word of canceled races for this year?

Thanks so much for these videos Leigh.
Bill

 

[Dogma]

Dogma, most of the small club circuits are just that.
Narrow gutted country lanes with pot holes and dirt on the corners.

I would love to join such a club. There are so many places I'd love to see turned into a closed course for a day or weekend.

 

[Leigh]

Bill, on quite a few of the racing videos I have you can clearly see that triangle of gravel that forms in T junctions of roads. They've only recently started putting up padding and air fences. Before that you used hedges and someone's front garden to stop you.
One of the courses has a medieval castle on the outside of a 90 degree corner. You don't want to get that one wrong.

Dogma, I reckon all of us have plotted out our own 'Private Testing Course' at some time.

 

[Guest]

You mean like Josh Brookes at Cadwell Park?

..and the video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYx9DoYhCIU

Yup, exactly what I meant! Couldn't find an image like that for the life of me...

I've always liked Brookesy's riding and it looks like he's finally cracked a good ride last year and hopefully this year again.

But doing stuff like that, man I'd be leaving everyone behind me a great big smelly mess if I tried something like that! Either that or just flat out kill myself...

 

[Guest]

I must also post this one...

Follow the jump with an immediate overtake... wow...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iwP6gd8mfs&feature=related

 

[Leigh]

Incredible.
I reckon Brookesy will be a big name in a couple of years.

Have a look at this..
Keith Amor at Cookstown in 2009.
Bill, paging Bill, have a look at the corners as he goes through. You can see the dust and gravel being kicked up as he hits his line.
Also look for the bit where the camera is facing him and he has his head in the grass on the side of the road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZrNMpzVCIw

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

So, I've started this off and upped my post count at the same time..

Have at it you lot..
Got a favourite clip?
Found one that makes your eyes boggle?

Isle on Man has been on my bucket list for decades.
Since you offered... this is my favorite video of the TT. Nice mix of old and new. The tank slapper for a split second at about 3:48 still has the "pucker factor" for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE7H6f9PVwk

 

[Leigh]

That's a great clip.
It makes you realise how these guys are on it for 100%.
There's no tucking in and following the one in front for a few laps..

The TT is a time trial. You race the clock, therefore you can't afford to back it off.

 

[Guest]

All these are just plain awesome, and it's a real pity they just don't publicise it enough over here, just occassional highlights and stuff.

Of course Youtube is great...

And yeah Leigh, I've followed Brookesy on and off for a while and he's had some setbacks overseas, but I think last year really kicked it all in for him and I think there will be much more to see of him yet.