I have wanted to return to the Ulster gp since the foot and mouth
year when it was the only road race to run.
We set off on the evening ferry from Holyhead to Ireland landing at 8
o clock and travelling up to Dundrod with Dot Benson and Tim we got
to Belfast at around midnight and spent some time driving round some
decidedly dodgy looking areas until we finally found the circuit .To
be told that the security guard on the gate wouldn't let us in to the
paddock. Spending the night camped in the pit lane. we were awoken to
the knock on the door. Get up and in to the B paddock. Park over here
the standing water will clear said the marshal, sod this we said and
moved to a slightly drier position lower down the field, after
setting up the camp we took the commando and the f1 to sign on etc,
waited to start practice as the heavens opened and we waited to start
practice and it rained even harder. The practice was abandoned and we
went back to the caravan had a few beers. Conditions were little
better the next day. A riders briefing standing in the rain in the
pit the clerk of the course told riders that all that was necessary
to qualify was that we did 5 laps of the circuit on any bike.
I was waiting to go out and practice Phil Read came over and told me
I was mad to go out on cut slicks! I told him " honoured to be told
I was mad by Phil read" and that he was in good company as Robert
Dunlop had already told me I was mad a few years ago. He went away
shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. I went
out did 5 laps as required on a circuit with at least 4 river
crossings. I was starting to think that that Phil read bloke had a
point but I got round well enough even though a few classic bike came
past.
Friday was a day off so the weather cleared up enough to have stunt
displays etc and we joined in by standing next to the f1 and
answering questions.
Race day morning and it wasn't raining .got the f through scrutiny
and waited for it to be my turn.
By the time it was my turn things had already run late due to various
incidents.
By the time we were on the grid it was declared a 4-lap race and
after warm up lap we were off. After the run down the flying kilo I
had passed a few of them and had settled on having that Phil read
bloke in sight all going ok until one guy decided to head for the
field only to hit a fence that was in the way, from that point I sort
of knew that the race would get red flagged. Back on the grid we were
told that that was that and it would be declared a result.
Not happy but they had run out of time,
As we had won some prize money on the race we went to the Ballymac
for a meal and a few beers.
Arrived home Sunday night.
Went to bead.
That was my Ulster gp 2004-08-24

I was asked before we left if we would be back next year and I do
remember saying yes.

Thats road racing.