Guy Martin was ruled out of the inaugural Classic TT after turning up too late to register for Saturday’s Bennetts 500cc event.
The Ulster Grand Prix hat-trick hero travelled home to Lincolnshire on Sunday while many of his fellow TT stars journeyed direct to the island for the opening Classic practice sessions on Monday and Tuesday.
When Martin failed to turn up for the Wednesday evening either, whispers went round the paddock that he was likely to be turned away if he arrived the following day.
And that is precisely what happened as when he did attempt to sign on with the Classic TT organisers on Thursday afternoon he was refused a start.
‘I had some work to catch up on at home and as Andy Molnar [the bike’s owner] told me the bike wasn’t ready, I didn’t rush over to the island,’ said Martin.
‘I didn’t know that you had to complete two laps of the course by Wednesday evening, which is apparently what the rule is.’