My team for the event was PRF
Racing run by Paul Rennie out
of Skelmersdale in Lancashire,
England, an outfit that has been
around since 1995 and seen suc-
cess with team rider and Paul's
brother, Carl Rennie. I figured
with the same name as me, albeit
as a surname, this was a good
omen for a solid TT debut.
After arriving on the island a
week before the first night of
practice to get my bearings and,
more importantly, get into the
time zone, Paul and I met face
to face on Thursday, May 26.
A quick test for the Metzeler
Moto USA/PRF Racing Suzuki
GSX-R600 followed at the Jurby
Airfield the next day—this is the
traditional shakedown area for
TT competitors to get the bike
somewhat set-up for the rigors
of the 37.73-mile course—and
although our quickshifter wasn't
working, nor was the gear posi-
tion indicator, I still had optimistic
feelings about the race proper.
My engine was a beast. Paul
said it was good for 137 horse-
power, which, if true, put it 18
horsepower up on my personal
GSX-R back in California. It pulled
hard even with the ultra-tall TT
gearing fitted, and the suspen-
sion felt near spot on. As it turns
out, I didn't touch the front once
for the full two weeks save for
two turns of preload, and the rear
shock only got a slightly heavier
1.0 kg spring and a bit less pre-
load. Again, good omens.
STEP ONE:
ROOKIE LAPS
Having spent hours on the
PlayStation, watched countless
YouTube on-boards and spend-
ing a week doing car laps of the
track with rookie liaison officers
Milky Quale and Johnny Barton,
I felt I was in a good position,
knowledge-wise, as we walked
up to the packed grid to com-
plete my rookie speed-controlled
lap on Saturday afternoon.
This is something every new
TT rider has to do, from Honda
Britain's Glenn Irwin right down
to little ol' me. This lap is held at
the beginning of the first session
of practice week, when enthu-
siasm is at its highest and the
cameras are rolling everywhere.
I wasn't even nervous. A little
excited, a bit edgy, but just look-
ing forward to getting this lap out
of the way so I could start my TT
apprenticeship.
However, my GSX-R refused
to play ball.
Home for two
weeks was the PRF
Racing pit setup.
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 28 JULY 12, 2022 P99
