Connor puts
them all to Shane!
Twenty two year old Irishman Shane
Connor grabbed the headlines on the Isle of Man today
with a record breaking performance in this mornings
Manx Grand Prix Newcomers Race. Connor broke Ian Hutchinson’s
lap record with a lap of 19 minutes 20.84 seconds; 117.008mph
on lap two of the four lap race averaging over 114mph
for the race. That makes Connor the tenth fastest newcomer
EVER around the TT Mountain Circuit and a hot prospect
for the future at TT level.
Connor dominated the race from the
off, leading off the line from starting partner and
pre race favourite Mats Nilsson from Sweden. Connor’s
pace was relentless and he eventually crossed the line
1 minute and 14 seconds ahead of the hard riding Swede
who in turn impressed on his standard R6 Yamaha, complete
with standard rear shock absorber!
Local rider Jules Croft crashed out
of third place at Kerrowmooar and sustained a suspected
broken collar-bone leaving Irish Support star Michael
Weldon to get the better of another local rider Andy
Cowin for third, with Irish Senior Support Champion
in waiting Wayne Kirwin fifth and Southern Irish rider
Kiaran Hankin in sixth.
Dunlop dominates despite miss-fire
Michael Dunlop followed in his father’s
and more recently cousin’s footsteps by winning
a race around the TT Circuit as a newcomer in today’s
125cc/400cc Newcomers Race. Riding his father Robert’s
super trick 125cc Honda, the youngest of the new generation
Dunlop’s dominated the race from the opening lap
despite suffering from a misfire for most of the race.
Michael was as aggressive as ever,
and didn’t let his problems get the better of
him, posting a more than impressive fastest lap of 105.329mph
on his way to winning by more than a minute from former
TT winning sidecar passenger, local man Daniel Sayle.
Dunlop now must be among the favorites for honours in
Friday’s Ultra Lightweight Race proper, where
he will be aiming to repeat the achievements of Philip
McCallen, Martin Sharpe, Chris Dowling and Stuart Sturrock
winning the Newcomers class and a Manx GP Race proper
at the first attempt.
Sayle had a lonely ride to second place
on his 125cc Honda finishing over half a minute ahead
of Australian Ken Onus on the ex Richard Britton 400cc
Padgett Honda.
[Newcomers
Race A - Results]
[Newcomers
Race B - Results]
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