Northwest 200 new Chicane

Twister

Twister

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Hi,

For those who haven't heard. The organisers of the NW200 have added another chicane to the circuit. Goodbye to the dreaded Mathers cross at 140 mph. The road has had work done recently as it is an accident blackspot for normal traffic. The work done would actually make it a faster corner than it was for the bikes hence the chicane,

see here http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/8647773.stm
 
Noticed it last week and figured it was a chicane. Could make it an interesting spot to watch the race if you can get close.
 
when they put the chicane in at cookstown to slow it down years ago, joey dunlop said 'there used to be one point at which you could get injured on it, and you could control that by going as fast or slow as you want, now there's 3, your entrance, your flick, and your exit'. Rumour has it that the road boys aren't happy with it as it simply benefits the track riders. anyway, health and safety were bound to get a hold of that section sooner or later.
 
Personally I prefer it before they fitted the chicane.........sorted out the men from the boys. some great overtakes approaching there.
 
sijohnston said:
Rumour has it that the road boys aren't happy with it as it simply benefits the track riders. anyway, health and safety were bound to get a hold of that section sooner or later.
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:thumb2


Maybe the NW is becoming a victim of it's own success, but I think that they run the risk of sanitising the course so much to appease the visiting track riders that they lose the support of the local road lads.

Local lads winning at the NW is becoming a rarer thing this past few years and the road racers who pay their race entry fees are getting precious little in return in terms of prize money to the point where they can probably have a better race day and payday now at some of the national road races.
 
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i think they would have been better buying the ground on the outside of the corner and building it up to give a run off catch fence area.. road racing has an large element of danger but the way things are going there will be a load of straight sprints with virtual dead stops at the end of them which sort of defeats the excitement/challenge of roadracing
 
are they gonna sanitize it with health and safety to the point its not going to be worth watching?? its alright making changes but for whos benefit??the larger race teams/the local economy?..certainly not the local guys as they dont get much of a shot at the prize money..i was angry at last years fiasco abandoning races because of a few (small) showers..why have intermidiates and full wets?? .....thats my rant an 2p worth:nenau:augie
 
well the big teams got their start and appearance money. Personally i think it would be better if the best of the local riders were given a seat in one of the big factory teams for the nw200. If Farquhar had an hm plant honda or a TAS suzuki or a nw200 ducati he'd beat the lot hands down.
 
i've high hopes of Farquar kicking some ass with this new BSB spec machine, his talent i never doubted but it takes a good set up for the NW and if your down on horsepower it just dos'nt cut it!...be an excellent result if he left some of the big money teams with egg on their faces :thumb
 
I think that all Farquar needs is a little rain on the circuit to give him the edge (not that I want to see rain). He really excells on the wet road. With regards the new chicane, I don't think it would have made any difference to Seelys little mishap last year. It could make things more interesting but I still liked to see the bikes at that corner at speed.
 
Twister said:
I think that all Farquar needs is a little rain on the circuit to give him the edge (not that I want to see rain). He really excells on the wet road. With regards the new chicane, I don't think it would have made any difference to Seelys little mishap last year. It could make things more interesting but I still liked to see the bikes at that corner at speed.
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i never forget that UGP were he came splashing down the road a huge rooster tail of water in his wake...... the boy has kahunas!!!:rob :thumb
 
BOIRCHE said:
are they gonna sanitize it with health and safety to the point its not going to be worth watching?? its alright making changes but for whos benefit??the larger race teams/the local economy?..certainly not the local guys as they dont get much of a shot at the prize money..i was angry at last years fiasco abandoning races because of a few (small) showers..why have intermidiates and full wets?? .....thats my rant an 2p worth:nenau:augie
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I think last years problem was not so much the rain, but the consistency. If I remember what I was told , it was bone dry in Coleraine and wet in Portstewart, or something like that.

But I agree with you, was gutted at the race being cancelled but no doubt Mervyn Whyte didn't take the decision lightly.
 
martinvrs said:
I think last years problem was not so much the rain, but the consistency. If I remember what I was told , it was bone dry in Coleraine and wet in Portstewart, or something like that.

But I agree with you, was gutted at the race being cancelled but no doubt Mervyn Whyte didn't take the decision lightly.
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Last year I watched all day Mathers.............as well as the rain it was unbelievably cold too.................
 
I was pissed off with last years racing as well but having just watched last years superstock race again on BBC website you can see exactly why Mervyn White had the race stopped. The road was soaking at start/finish chicane but dry at york. The bikes came out of the start finish chicane and were all over the place. Conor cummings actually stopped of his own accord. The only guy that seemed to be happy to race on was Farquar (who loves the wet). I would not like to be in Mervyn Whites shoes. A lot of tough calls to make but there again he puts himself in that position. Didn't help with Mark young on his mind either. Hope all goes well for him and the team this year:thumb2
 
Oy !!!....Irish guys, you're not selling this very well.....:D

Just spent good money on ferry/hotel etc....I've told all my mates it's the 'dogs' etc.....I will never hear the end of it, if it pi**es down, and I don't see a 'bike......:eek:

Ryan yeah, but Guy.....:cool:

Just can't wait........:thumb
 
we're just havin a whinge:blagblah, i never miss even drive a 4hr round trip to watch the practice..they will not be dissapointed, any road race is good and its getting to be a rather large and well run event in recent years.
who was it you said won at Olivers Mount??:augie:D
 
jonnie comet said:
Oy !!!....Irish guys, you're not selling this very well.....:D

Just spent good money on ferry/hotel etc....I've told all my mates it's the 'dogs' etc.....I will never hear the end of it, if it pi**es down, and I don't see a 'bike......:eek:

Ryan yeah, but Guy.....:cool:

Just can't wait........:thumb
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As he says we're just having a whinge:D It is the dogs and You will see plenty of bikes this year whether it pisses down or not. Guy will be thereabouts :thumb
 
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