A SOUTH Lakeland motorcyclist defied the odds to conquer the world's oldest race track - and he even took his grandad along for the ride.

Tom McHale, of Grange-over-Sands, was one of four newcomers invited to compete at the Isle of Man TT and he showed the more experienced riders how it was done.

The 31-year-old set an average lap speed of 121.4mph which earned him the title of fastest newcomer in the senior race last Friday- an achievement made even more remarkable by the fact he did not have a team supporting him.

While race winner John McGuinness had his tyres changed every two laps by mechanics, Mr McHale spent all evening replacing his own engine on his Honda Fireblade CBR after his first race on the 37-mile course - eventually finishing 32nd out of 71.

Mr McHale said: "I'm pleased with the result but I would like to go faster. I did well considering I'm a one man band doing my own bike. It was hard work as you never stop - there's no time out or rest."

When his family found out he was doing the race, Mr McHale's grandfather, also called Tom, vowed to be there.

Unfortunately he passed away in January but the dedicated family man strapped a picture of his grandfather to the front and rear of his bike so he was there in spirit.

Mr McHale said: "When he found out I was doing it he wanted to come and watch so this was a little something for him to let him have a ride around - even though he hated motorbikes!"

It was a bumpy road for Mr McHale, whose race engine developed a fault after the first race and had to be replaced with a slower one with an untested gear box.

Also, one of the other newcomers, Franck Petricola, died during qualifying.

"I shared a car with him the day before he crashed," said Mr McHale. "You have to block it out. The hardest thing is when there's a waving yellow flag and you slow down, come round a blind corner and see people and bits of bike lying in the road and you don't know what state they're in."

He is now looking for sponsors to help him compete in the Ulster Grand Prix in August.