Post Classic records tumbled on the
opening day of the 2010 Manx Grand Prix sponsored by
visitisleofman.com, with both Michael Dunlop in the
Senior Post Classic and Chris Palmer in the Junior Post
Classic races posting lap and race records. Perfect
conditions all around the course were reported as a
packed grandstand settled down for the first day’s
racing on the Isle of Man.
Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman revised the start
order following the speeds posted by the Post Classic
Senior machines with the Post Classics Senior class
following the Newcomers A away with Newcomers B slotting
behind and Post Classic Junior at the end of the pack.
First away in the Post Classics were Olie Linsdell
on the Yamaha FZ 746 and Mark Buckley riding the Suzuki
XR69. However, it was Michael Dunlop, who set a series
of blistering times in qualifying riding 1981 Suzuki
XR69 997cc who established an early lead to Glen Helen
with a time of 118.485 from Olie Linsdell and Mark Buckley.
Dunlop extended his lead at Ballaugh (124.607) from
Linsdell to 4 seconds with Buckley a further 10 seconds
back on Linsdell. Linsdell was the quickest through
the Sulby Speed trap on the first lap with 164.1 to
Dunlop’s 149.1.
Linsdell was first through the Grandstand with 117.271
on the opening lap with a new lap record, but Michael
Dunlop improved it to 117.979 shortly after and led
by 6.75 seconds with Scotsman Mark Buckley third with
114.575. Dunlop extended his lead to just over 9 seconds
from Linsdell by Glen Helen with Mark Buckley a further
46 seconds behind Linsdell, making up the Top 3.
However, Olie Linsdell came off at Bishop’s Court
in what was described by race organisers as a serious
incident and was taken by Air Med to Nobles Hospital.
No further details were available.
On the second lap Dunlop recorded 118.186 to extend
his lead to 1 minute 24 seconds over the second placed
rider Mark Buckley with Maria Costello moving up into
third. Dunlop had a lead of over a minute and a half
through Glen Helen from Mark Buckley and completed his
third lap in 110.586, a time that included the pit stop
at the end of the second lap. At the end of the third
lap his lead was almost 2 minutes from Mark Buckley
with Maria Costello holding third place.
Michael Dunlop completed the expected victory with
a final lap of 117.355 for an overall race record of
1:18.06.23 with Buckley second (1:20.36.81).
However, a costly final lap for Maria Costello of 22:46.13
(99.425) depriving her of her second MGP podium, which
would have been only the third occasion a woman has
finished in the top three following Costello’s
2005 third place in the Ultra Lightweight and Carolynn
Sells victory in last year’s 400cc Ultra Lightweight
race. Geoff Martin eventually took the final podium
spot from Chris McGahan on the Miles Trident with Maria
in fifth place.
After the race Michael Dunlop said: “ I could
have gone faster but I held back to make sure that a
few more boys could claim their replicas. I’m
just so pleased for all the team who have worked so
hard on the bike. I felt the bike could have done 121
or 122mph as the bike was faultless – all the
team put a lot of hard work in.."
In the Post Classic Junior race Chris Palmer, on the
1962 AJS 7R 350cc, dominated the race and led from start
to finish. He posted an opening lap record of 111.729,
giving him a 38 second lead from Brian Mateer (108.268mph)
on a Yamaha TZB 249 with Stuart Garton in third place
with Barry Davidson fourth and Ewan Hamilton in fifth.
The top five in the Junior Post Classic race all broke
the lap record on the opening lap.
Palmer extended his lead on the second lap with 109.996
from Mateer with Barry Davidson in third after Garton
dropped out before Glen Helen on the second lap. Palmer’s
third lap (105.143) gave him a lead of almost 2 minutes
from Mateer with Davidson holding third and Palmer eventually
came home with an impressive final lap of 109.312 for
a win by over 3 minutes from Phil McGurk with Barry
Davidson taking the final podium slot.
Chris Palmer said: “Traffic wasn’t
as bad as I expected but there was definitely a bit
of congestion in places. I didn’t want to do anything
silly on the last lap so I just rolled it off and came
home. The conditions were great on the track and as
I’ve been on the Isle of Man for 10 years I now
consider myself Manx so it was nice to hear the anthem.”
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