We’re used to seeing high-speed racing on the streets of the Isle of Man thanks to the TT. The effect never dulls, though; I’ll always be in awe of the sheer bravery needed to commit fully amongst unforgiving street furniture on a two-wheeler.
But here’s a slightly different perspective on tackling the streets of the Isle of Man. The Peel Kart Grand Prix, for gearbox karts capable of speeds up to 150mph (and reaching 130mph in the narrow streets of Peel), was a better-kept secret than the TT. It appears to have its heyday in the 1990s, which is when we think this video was recorded.
As far as we can ascertain, the race hasn’t been run since 2005, having been cancelled in 2006 owing to lack of entries and in 2007 so that the IOM Kart Racing Association could concentrate on organising an international event. That’s a pity, because it looks utterly thrilling.
The opening moments of this video, in particular, are spectacular, before the camera car catches up with another kart and the speeds of both are compromised while they defend and attack respectively.
So who is more brave, the IOM biker or kart driver?
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