Practice Report
Sunshine met the competitors for Wednesday evening’s practice session and conditions were perfect for the third night of the 2010 Isle of Man TT Motorcycle Races.
Riders were warned of a few damp patches at Quarry Bends and Governor’s Bridge but with close to ideal conditions, it was almost inevitable that the 130mph would be broken and so it was but, surprisingly, only by John McGuinness on his second lap.
It was William Dunlop and Bruce Anstey who got the session underway promptly at 6.20pm, the Northern Irishman on his 600cc machine and the Kiwi on his Superbike.
Following them were John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop, Ian Lougher and Cameron Donald, Keith Amor and Daniel Kneen and Adrian Archibald and Carl Rennie, all Superbike mounted with the exception of Kneen who was out on his 600.
McGuinness was the first to complete a lap at 129.265mph with Anstey and Donald not too far behind at 127.915mph and 128.011mph respectively.
Michael Dunlop, Lougher, Amor and Archibald were all above 126mph but Guy Martin was close to McGuinness’ pace at 129.145mph, Ian Hutchinson also going well at 128.018mph.
Second time around and McGuinness really showed his class with a lap of 130.242mph, Hutchinson increasing his speed to 128.735mph and Archibald to 128.618mph.
Martin had called in to the pits at the end of his first lap but got no further than Quarter Bridge on his second before pulling off, eventually going back out on his Superstock bike. Davy Morgan was also in trouble retiring at Sulby Bridge.
McGuinness and Hutchinson both swapped to their 600cc Supersport bikes, the latter going second quickest on the night with a lap just over 125mph.
It was that man Michael Dunlop who was quickest here and he was marginally faster than Hutchinson at 125.087mph.
Meanwhile, Amor posted an impressive time on his BMW Superstock bike at 127.525mph.
Most of the riders were able to get back out for a fifth lap and Hutchinson went back out on his Superbike recording a lap of 129.164mph to go second quickest on the night.
Amor was close to 128mph on the HM Plant Honda but Ryan Farquhar was flying on his Superstock Kawasaki and a lap of 128.076mph saw him go quickest, that speed also the Northern Irishman’s fastest ever lap of the Mountain Course, albeit unofficially.
Conor Cummins posted a late lap of 127.010mph with Gary Johnson also having a better run after problems earlier in the week, the AIM Racing rider lapping at 126.488mph, just quicker than Dan Stewart, who also recorded his fastest ever lap.
The newcomers again continued to make good progress and this time it was Stephen Thompson who was quickest at 115.114mph. Herve Ganther and James Hurrell both lapped in excess of 111mph with Clinton Pienaar also over 110mph for the first timer whilst former British 125cc Champion Dan Cooper impressed on the 600cc Suzuki at 111.026mph.
In the sidecars it was Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance who again led the field away from John Holden/Andy Winkle and Klaus Klaffenbock/Dan Sayle but Tim Reeves and Dipash Chauhan were again in trouble on the opening lap, stopping at Kirk Michael to make adjustments. Molyneux’s first lap was 113.917mph but went quicker second time around at 114.748mph whilst Klaffenbock’s impressive week continued with a best lap of 113.576mph, another, unofficial, personal best.
Holden and Simon Neary were again above 112mph with Reeves able to get going to lap at 109.028mph on his second lap. Gary Bryan and Roy Hanks were two more retirements.
Brian McCormack, Scott Wilson and Paul Shoesmith were all involved in an incident at Waterworks but were reported as OK, Jenny Tinmouth’s bike ended up in a hedge at Sulby Bridge, Takahiro Itami came off at Braddan Oak, Brendan Cretu at Nook and Steven McIlvenna at Governors Bridge but all were reported as OK.
In the Carl Fenwick’s passenger Keir Pedley sustained leg injuries at Cruickshanks and was taken by airmed to hospital.
Pos No. Rider Machine/Entrant Lap Lap Time Speed
1 2 John McGuinness 1000cc Honda / HM Plant Honda Racing 2 17 22.89 130.242
2 4 Ian Hutchinson 1000cc Honda / Padgetts Motorcycles 3 17 31.59 129.164
3 8 Guy Martin 1000cc Honda / Wilson Craig Racing 1 17 31.75 129.145
4 9 Adrian Archibald 1000cc Suzuki / AMA Racing Team 2 17 36.06 128.618
5 6 Cameron Donald 1000cc Suzuki / Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing 1 17 41.06 128.011
6 5 Keith Amor 1000cc Honda / H M Plant Honda 2 17 41.78 127.925
7 1 Bruce Anstey 1000cc Suzuki / Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing 1 17 41.86 127.915
8 10 Conor Cummins 1000cc Kawasaki / McAdoo Kawasaki Racing 2 17 49.43 127.010
9 3 Ian Lougher 1000cc Kawasaki / Blackhorse Kawasaki 1 17 52.39 126.659
10 11 Gary Johnson 1000cc Suzuki / AIM Racing 1 17 53.84 126.488
11 13 Daniel Stewart 1000cc Honda / Wilcock Consulting 2 17 54.52 126.409
12 14 Michael Dunlop 1000cc Honda / Street Sweep/Robinson Concrete 1 17 56.49 126.177
13 15 Carl Rennie 1000cc Suzuki / PRF Racing 1 18 02.25 125.505
14 12 Ryan Farquhar 1000cc Kawasaki / MSS Colchester Kawasaki 1 18 07.22 124.931
15 33 Jimmy Moore 1000cc Yamaha / East Coast Racing 3 18 20.48 123.426
16 24 Ian Mackman 1000cc Suzuki / PRF Racing 2 18 21.58 123.303
17 41 Paul Dobbs 1000cc Yamaha / Dave East Engineering 1 18 24.71 122.953
18 40 Steve Mercer 1000cc Yamaha / Jentin / SMR Road Racing 2 18 25.35 122.883
19 21 John Burrows 1000cc Suzuki / BE Racing 1 18 25.97 122.813
20 29 Mark Buckley 1000cc Kawasaki / OTSS Racing 1 18 27.02 122.697
21 18 Dan Kneen 1000cc Suzuki / Manx Gas / Marks Bloom Racing 1 18 30.66 122.295
22 27 James McBride 1000cc Yamaha / Downview Finance / Pazzo Racing 1 18 32.39 122.105
23 19 James Hillier 1000cc Kawasaki / Bournemouth Kawasaki 2 18 34.55 121.868
24 23 Derek Brien 1000cc Kawasaki / Hunky Dory Racing 2 18 35.70 121.743
25 25 Ian Pattinson 600cc Honda / Phase One Endurance 2 18 35.77 121.734
26 37 Luis Carreira 1000cc Suzuki / Benimoto Suzuki Cetelem 3 18 38.58 121.429
27 30 Oliver Linsdell 1000cc Yamaha / Team Flitwick Yamaha 2 18 40.37 121.235
28 55 Roger Maher 1000cc Honda / Monarch Honda 2 18 41.32 121.132
29 32 Stefano Bonetti 1000cc Honda 1 18 43.18 120.932
30 43 Sergio Romero 1000cc Suzuki / Sondel Sport Racing 3 18 49.53 120.251
31 59 James McCullagh 1000cc Yamaha / C & C Limited 4 18 57.45 119.415
32 47 Kiaran Hankin 1000cc Honda / Slingshot Racing/KH Tool & Plant Hire 2 18 57.48 119.411
33 38 Antonio Maeso 1000cc Yamaha 1 18 59.05 119.246
34 52 Michael Russell 1000cc Yamaha 2 19 01.12 119.031
35 44 David Hewson 1000cc Kawasaki / The Other Bike Shop 2 19 01.95 118.944
36 45 Ben Wylie 1000cc Yamaha / Phase One Endurance 1 19 04.59 118.669
37 49 George Spence 998cc Yamaha 2 19 08.49 118.267
38 35 Robert Barber 1000cc Yamaha / Race Spares UK 1 19 09.76 118.136
39 36 Paul Owen 1000cc Kawasaki / Speedycom.co.uk 2 19 11.11 117.998
40 57 James Edmeades 1195cc KTM / Redline Motorcycles Ltd 3 19 12.64 117.841
