Overcast conditions, damp patches, mist
and an earlier diesel spill from Braddan Bridge to Kirk
Michael all contributed to a severely reduced practice
on the Isle of Man today at the Manx Grand Prix, sponsored
by visitisleofman.com.
The two proposed practice sessions were run together
with modern bikes at the front, starting from the pit
lane exit, and the classic machines following from the
pit lane entrance. The session began almost an hour
late, shortly before 7.15pm, with Dan Sayle, who yesterday
set an unofficial lap record in the lightweight class,
on his 600cc Junior machine and Peter Symes on his Senior
bike. Sayle’s opening lap of 104.467 was the fastest
for most of the evening before Paul Smyth went round
in 106.316. Michael Moulai was the fastest Senior competitor
of the evening with 104.459.
In total 91 riders went out for the session and times
were considerably down on the previous evenings, with
many of the competitors electing not to go out for the
practice. Mark Buckley on the Suzuki XR69 in the Senior
Post Classic Class went close to posting a 100mph lap
with 99.871 while Michael Dunlop, with an extremely
conservative lap by his standards, recorded 99.343mph
Chris Palmer went round in 98.372 for the fastest Junior
Classic time of the evening.
The Manx Grand Prix Races start on Monday 30th August
and organisers have admitted that the fast times in
the Post Classic Class have forced a reappraisal of
the schedule. Michael Dunlop has shattered the Post
Classic lap record, albeit unofficially, with a time
of 119.590mph (18:55.78) around the 37 ¾ mile
mountain course, achieving a lap time only 25 seconds
outside the outright Manx Grand Prix Lap Record, and
on a machine that was built seven years before he was
born.
Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman confirmed that: “The
Manx Motorcycle Club has changed the race schedule on
Monday to ensure that riders of comparable standard
and times are running together. The Post Classic Senior
Class will now follow the Newcomer A Group with the
Newcomer B Group going ahead of the Post Classic Junior
competitors.”
Olie Linsdell, who posted 114.931 on the 746cc Yamaha
in Wednesday’s practice was the second fastest
qualifier for the Post Classic Senior class with Mark
Buckley third fastest on the 997cc Suzuki with a time
that he set in Friday’s session. In the Post Classic
Junior Class Chris Palmer, with his unofficial record
from Friday’s practice on the ’91 Yamaha
TZV Twin 250cc, tops the qualifying leaderboard with
111.075mph from Roy Richardson on the Yamaha TZ 249cc
at 109.136 that he set in Tuesday’s practice.
The positions are reversed in the Junior Classic with
Roy Richardson on top on his 349cc Aermacchi, set on
Thursday, and Chris Palmer the second fastest qualifier
on the 350cc AJS from Wednesday’s practice. Tom
Jackson narrowly heads the Lightweight Classic qualifiers
from David Smith.
Monday’s Races start at 10.15am with the Newcomers
and Post Classic (Senior and Junior) Races with the
Junior and Lightweight Classic starting at 1.15pm and
a practice session and Vintage Motorcycle Club Parade
following after the races.
The two riders who were injured in Friday night’s
practice were both confirmed with fractures. Finland’s
Osmo Partti was reported as comfortable in Nobles hospital
with an arm fracture following following an accident
at Cruickshanks while Andy Lawson was discharged from
hospital on Saturday morning with a broken finger. There
were no incidents reported in this evenings session.
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