Friday 11 June 2010

Ben Wylie - Supersport and Senior Races


Ben Wylie scored a brilliant 19th in the second Supersport race held on Thursday, following postponement of the race from Wednesday due to bad weather. Ben's R6 performed without problem over the 4 lap race distance and he achieved a best lap of 119.83 mph, down on his first race best, because of wind and a number of yellow flag incidents which hampered progress. Ben held off challenges from privateer cup winner James McBride, Mark Buckley and Ian Mackman, but failed to catch Olly Linsdell, who finished 4 seconds in front at the close of the race. The pit stop was achieved in 51 secs, including a slightly slow fuel cap replacement. Ben was content with his performance albeit with the race conditions curtailing the result. "If I had been allowed to start in my race one finishing position (15th instead of 38th), then I would have missed two incidents, which cost me over 30 secs, and I could have easily bettered my race one position."

Bens Wylie's Senior Race was cut short with a burnt out clutch on lap two of the rerun 4 lap event.

(Actionshots taken by Martyn Collister from Ramsey)

Ian Pattinson- Supersport and Senior Races.

Ian brought the bike home in a steady 24th position in Thursday's postponed Supersport event. The race was marred by a fatal accident involving the kiwi rider Paul Dobbs, a friend and close competitor of Ian's.

Ian's race was trouble free, holding off challenges from John Burrows, Rico Penzkoffer and David Johnson. The little R6 ran faultlessly and Ian pronounced himself satisfied with his performance.

Ian chose to sit out the re-run 4 lap Senior race held on Friday out of respect for Paul Dobbs.

Ian Pattinson at speed

Monday 7 June 2010

Wylie scores a brilliant 15th in Monday's Supersport race.

Ben Wylie fought to a brilliant 15th place in today's four lap Supersport race, held in warm overcast conditions. In doing so, he earned his first silver replica on only this, his second visit to the Island. His race was achieved in 1hr 15.35 mins and at an average speed of 119.8 mph, with a best lap of just over 122 mph. Ben was delighted with his result and deservedly so; when the flag dropped he had disposed of a host of favoured names such as Olly Linsdell,James McBride and Chris Palmer. The almost standard engined Yamaha R6 ran perfectly and no changes were planned before race two.

Ian Pattinson completed a trouble free race in 25th position (out of the 50 finishers) to score a well deserved bronze replica. Ian 's race average was 117.1 mph, with a best lap of 118.9 mph.

For the Team the race was straightforward with no problems taking the total IOM races to 10, with a 100% finish rate. Both Supersport stops were achieved in around 44 secs, dictated by fuel flow.

Ian Pattinson also raced in the Superstock event scoring 30th position at a 119.9 mph race average. Ian's race was hampered by poor grip from lap 2, with several big moments sapping his confidence.

Today's racing has taken the Team's total IOM laps this year to 62.

The Team are next out on Wednesday, with both riders for the second Supersport event.

Sunday 6 June 2010

Monday; Supersport and Superstock races.

The first Supersport race will be held at 10.45 and the Superstock race will be at 13.15.

Both Ian Pattinson and Ben Wylie will compete in the Supersport event, each on Phase One entered R6 Yamahas. Ian Pattinson will also compete in the Superstock race on a 2009 Yamaha R1, supplied especially by Yamaha Europe.The forecast is for rain in the afternoon, so it is hoped that the notorious Isle of Man mist will allow at least the first race to be completed. Pattinson and Wylie are both intending to better their Superbike positions and all is set for a very competitive race.

Work today has centred on engine maintenance on the Superstock bike and preparations for Friday's Senior classic, which will be the next time the Superbikes will race.

21st and 26th in the Saturday’s opening Superbike race.


Ian Pattinson led home Team mate Ben Wylie in a great start to the week’s events. Pattinson started in a relaxed mood and quickly settled, battling with Jimmy Moore and James Mc Bride for 25th position. By lap two he had put them behind him and had Rico Penzkofer in his sights. The lap was completed at 123.1mph, stopping at its end for a 49 second refuelling and re-tyre stop. Ian’s race then settled and a fourth lap time of 122.9mph placed him in 22nd before his second stop, also at 49 seconds. He rejoined in 20th still ahead of Mc Bride and Moore and went on to do a 123.3mph lap in pursuit of Dobbs and Penzkofer, but to no avail. The end result was dictated by other events; two places lost through a pit lane speed penalty (60.7 kph in a 60 kph limit, costing 30 secs) and one place inherited from a receding Mark Murray. The end result at 21st was an appropriate award.

Ben Wylie scored an excellent 26th place on a slower machine and in only his second TT. Ben started confidently and scorched to a 120.8 mph opening lap from a standing start followed by an equally impressive 121.5 mph lap into the first refuelling and re-tyre stop. A 49 sec stop set him up to take 28th position in the mid-race stint, after a battle with David Hewson. At stop two, (48secs) Ben was also penalised for a pit lane speed limit breech (60.6 kph) costing 30 secs and two places in the end result, robbing him of his natural position of 24th ahead of David Hewson. Next time out on the Superbike will be with a faster engine and a different tyre strategy…

For the Team, the Superbike race was a chance to accumulate more IOM laps, taking this year’s total to 49, and the Team’s overall race finish accumulation to seven, a hundred per cent finish rate.

The Superstock and Supersport race 1 will both be held on Monday 7th June.

Pattinson takes on fluids

Another 6 laps completed

If only you'd given me another tyre....

Friday 4 June 2010

All set for the Superbike race on Saturday.

Both riders have now achieved laps of over 120 mph, with Pattinson on 121.7 mph and Wylie on 120.3 mph. The mood in the Team is one of satisfaction and anticipation. The bikes are now both set well, with no outstanding rider comments. A further 5 laps of practice were completed tonight, taking the Team's total to 37, all successfully completed. So, it is really up to the riders now to show us what they can do.!

Tomorrow's race will start at 12.00 and the forecast is for dry warm conditions.

Busy pitlane for Thursday's practice

All bikes are scrutineered before each session

Phase One kit out marshalls with Akrapovic caps

Laxey Wheel, one of the island tourist attractions

Thursday 3 June 2010

10th and 12th in tonight's 600 qualifying.

Ben Wylie pipped Ian Pattinson by two places in Thursday's Supersport session. Both riders were happy with the set up on their bikes and returned their best 600 times of the week. Wylie's time was 119.2 mph and Pattinson's was 119.1mph.

On the Superbikes, Pattinson led the way with a 119.6mph lap, two mph down on yesterday's best of 121.7 mph and Wylie returned a 119.2mph lap.

As well as the excellent Supersport times, the big breakthrough was with Ben Wylie's Superbike. All week the team had struggled to find a workable set up which gave acceptable straight line stability over high speed bumps, and tonight that was found. A fork rebuild and lighter front spring rate appeared to solve the problem and further work in this area tomorrow should finesse it.

The team were happy to record another 6 laps tonight, taking the total to 32 laps, all trouble free. Tomorrow will be the last chance to make minor alterations before the superbike race planned for Saturday. The Team and riders were pleased with tonight's progress.

26 laps and 1000 miles of practice completed


Wednesday night’s practice resulted in improvements for both riders. Wylie achieved 119.0 mph on the Superbike and Pattinson returned a best lap of 121.7 mph. Wylie managed four laps and Pattinson crammed in five, giving a weeks total of 26 trouble free laps. As both riders were largely happy with their 600s, the main focus was on the Superbikes. Pattinson tried a gearing change and some suspension tweaks and was happy, however Wylie really was suffering. The issue again was high speed stability. Geometry had been set from Pattinson’s bike and different shocks and spring rates were tried, but with only marginal improvement. As we go into Thursday’s sessions the focus will be on the Superbike front end.

Pattinson’s Superstock bike went well but for Thursday a slightly softer rear set up will be tried to improve things further.

Pattinson heads out on the Superbike

Pattinson and Whitham at home in the spotlight

Wylie relaxes away from the sun

Phase One's Isle of Man kit

Wednesday 2 June 2010


Mike Wain wields his equipment

Ian Pattinson 14th in Tuesday's Supersport qualifying.

Phase One's Ian Pattinson laid down his marker in the Supersport class on just his
2nd lap of practice yesterday. Lap 1 was for bedding down the brand new engine and lap 2 being a flyer at 117.5 mph. The session was headed by Miachel Dunlop at a speed of 122.7mph, with Keith Amor coming second at 122.6mph.

Ben Wylie settled well on his Supersport bike with a 115.2mph lap, some 23 seconds behind Ian. He had no problems with set up. Ian's Superstock and Superbike settings proved "good enough to race" with only minor adjustments being needed before tomorrow's sessions. High speed instability was holding down Ben Wylie's lap times on his Superbike and it was planned to transfer the relevant data from Pattinson's Superbike before Wednesday's session.

Pattinson un-phased waiting for qualifying

Wylie starts Tuesday's practice

Wylie looks unconvinced

Riders leave at 10 second intervals

Ben Wylie's Phase One Superbike

New meets old at "Governor's Dip"