The Fix Auto - Tiva Engineering motorcycle racing team concluded a highly successful campaign at the 2013 Isle of Man TT races with four finishers medals and a new personal best lap time for rider Graham English, who tallied an average lap speed of 118.47mph in the prestigious Senior TT

The Hertfordshire-based team, with supporters and sponsors including Terry Gilbert’s expert collision repair shop Fix-Auto Stevenage and independent BMW motorcycle specialist motoscot of Bedfordshire, returned for the second time to compete in the most demanding motorsports races on earth, entering two machines into four races; a 2012 BMW S1000RR built in Superstock trim, along with a Suzuki SV650 entered into the Lightweight class 

Steve with Graham heading to the start

The notorious Isle of Man weather played havoc during week one, with a resulting delay of the first Superbike race from Saturday to Sunday to allow for additional practice on the ‘big’ bikes. English’s performance in practice paid off handsomely, with a personal best lap speed of 115.95mph putting him 60th in the starting order of 79 competitors for the Superbike race and 57th of 73 competitors in the Superstock race

                   

Fortunately, the weather turned for the better and race week saw some of the best TT race conditions in years. The team took advantage of the conditions and their well- sorted machines turned in a string of stellar performances

English took 41st in the Dainese Superbike TT on the BMW. ‘My team did a marvelous job of preparing and managing me and the bike’, said English ‘and we are happy with our results in that demanding race.’ He completed the grueling 226 miles in a time of 1hrs 59 min, 5 minutes faster than the previous year, at an average speed of 114.05mph, with a personal best lap of 116.4mph

Two days later, Graham went back out and placed 45th in the four-lap Royal London 360 Superstock TT on the the very same BMW S1000RR, completing the 151 mile race at an average speed of 114.48mph

Friday’s PokerStars Senior TT was delayed and restarted due to an incident on the first lap. Finally getting away at 4pm, Graham settled in and put the prior two weeks of Mountain Course experience to work. English set a new personal best of 118.47mph for a lap, finishing the race in 45th place at an average speed of 114.65mph (1hr 58m 28sec) 

“I am really proud of our effort in the Senior TT,” said English. “My personal lap record actually came on a pit-stop lap, so I know I could have added another MPH or two. And I had a minor mistake on the last lap which cost approximately 40 seconds with only 3 corners to go,“ he added

Plans are already afoot for the team to return to the Isle of man to compete in both this Augusts inaugural Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix, as well as the 2014 TT races. “We still have a way to go to get up with the big boys and it is a 3-5 year learning curve to really know the Mountain Course,’ said English. ‘Two years in and we are making great progress.

With 4 race starts and 4 race finishes covering over 1,200 miles averaging in excess of 112mph, that is an achievement in itself, and one we will certainly build on’

Graham added

“In the racing fraternity, when asked if you’ve had a good TT, it is acknowledged that as long as you get on the ferry to come home you have had a good TT!”

Well, I’ve knocked 5 minutes of my 6 lap race time and increased my average speed for a lap by 4.5mph, so this makes it an excellent TT! He also noted ‘ I’ve set goals for next year…a  120mph average lap and several Bronze replica’s 

– I can’t wait!”