Ben Plant looks back on a fine road racing campaign

Ben Plant returned to the Isle of Man in good form, having secured his first podium racing on the roads earlier this year at Cookstown 100 in Northern Ireland.

The Wem racer had also enjoyed top 10 finishes at Skerries and Tandragee, also raced in Northern Ireland, the latter being the scene of his huge crash last year.

The results meant he was approaching the Manx GP, raced around the same 37.73-mile circuit as the Isle of Man TT, full of confidence.

And despite the weather playing havoc with the practice and race fortnight, during the last week of August and first week of September, Plant still managed to lap the circuit at an average speed of 111mph en route to picking up another Silver Replica.

"The weather was the same as last year, really," he said. "We also had a new bike, which we'd a limited amount of time on, so it was difficult to get the set up required.

"By the opening race we were there or thereabouts but it would have made such a difference to have got in a couple more laps."

Plant entered his GSXR 750 Suzuki in the Senior race and a Kawasaki ZX600 in the Junior class.

"With the 600cc, we knew what we were doing because it's one of my tried and tested bikes," he said.

"The 750cc was also heading in the right direction come race day but despite the sun eventually coming out the weather conditions were so windy.

"We just had to run with the settings we had and it was very rideable but there's a lot more to come from that bike.

"Qualification for both races was okay but I would've liked to have started a bit further up in both races.

"I'm a bit of slow and steady rider, which means I have to build my speeds up once I start feeling more comfortable.

"I needed at least two or three laps under my belt on both bikes really, especially after having a big off last year that showed anything can happen at any time, really.

"I went steady enough in the Junior race but a lot of the other bikes are so much more powerful, because mine is just a stocker, but we did what we could with.

"I was hoping to go a bit quicker but there wasn't more to give and there were about 25 to 30 riders separated by about 1mph average lap speed, it was that close, so we were happy enough to finish 53rd."

Most importantly, however, Plant had improved his lap times from 106mph to 110mph on the 600cc.

"We improved massively and again we know there is more to come from it," he said.

"We managed to get in a qualifying lap in for the Senior straight after the Junior and I managed to post a 111mph lap.

"The race then got moved from the Friday to Thursday, due to the weather forecasts, but although the sun was out the wind was horrific, especially over the mountain where you felt like you were going to be blown off.

"I set off down Bray Hill and immediately I could not work out if was the bike, me or just the weather but it was so hard to ride.

"After the first lap I decided to just do what I could and ride as safely as possible – had I found an extra 1mph I would have jumped about 12 places but in the end we came 40th, which was good enough for a Silver Replica, so I was happy with that.

"It also means in four races at the Manx in two years I've picked up two replicas and two finishers medals, which is pretty good going."

Plant said he could look back on another good race season, which including the Irish roads where he picked up a podium in the B-race at Cookstown, and finished in the top 10 at Skerries and Tandragee, as well as lapping at 111mph on the Isle of Man.

"That's it for the year now but we'll be prepping the bikes over the winter ready for the new season. We're not sure what we'll be doing yet but we'll be back," he added.