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No wet weather imminent, blue skies, perfect conditions, the scene was set for a tip top Junior Manx Grand Prix.
As on Saturday, first off at 11:15 AM was S1-R Paton armed Michael Rees.
Lap 1:
Boosted by Supersport race success, JLG/NCE Racing’s Jamie Williams made a fast start, leading Saturday’s Super Twins winner Lewis Arrowsmith by 2.144 seconds at Glen Helen.
Williams continued to lead at Ballaugh Bridge, upping the gap to 4.474 over fellow RS660 Aprilia rider Arrowsmith.
At Ramsey, new leader on the road Williams was six seconds plus clear of Arrowsmith with Toby Shann (Cowton Racing Kawasaki) speeding to within 0.267 of the Preston-racer.
By the time competitors made the Bungalow, Shann +4.418 behind Williams, had usurped Arrowsmith for second.
Entering the pits for scheduled pit-stops, Williams (114.539) led via a diminished margin of 2.805 over Shann (114.268) with Arrowsmith (113.784), 5.063 additionally in arrears.
Harley Rushton (Allspeeds Racing Kawasaki – 113.447), Liam Chawke (Jack Reid Cars/KMR Kawasaki – 113.388), Caomhan Canny (Caomhan Canny Racing – Aprilia) fourth, fifth, sixth were all still firmly in podium finishing contention.
Lap 2:
Almost immediately post pit stop explorations, drama as Arrowsmith into the race lead thanks to an ultra-swift pit-stop had stopped at Quarter Bridge, then ultimately retired at Braddan Oak.
This allowed Williams to re-capture P1 by Glen Helen, leading Shann by 5.747 seconds.
Arrowsmith’s retirement meant a shake up for positions third through to sixth, now held by Chawke, Michael Gahan, Alex Sinclair, and retiree later-on in the lap, Harley Rushton.
Williams, Shann, Chawke, Gahan solidified first, second, third, fourth place positions at Ballaugh.
Across Ramsey, onto the Mountain, Williams, Shann had become virtually-inseparable, 0.011 in it as both reached the Bungalow.
Incredibly at Cronk ny Mona, Shann was into the race-lead!
Then all change again, Williams regrasping P1 as lap two wrapped up. 0.574 was the lead he held going onto the third, final lap.
Gahan got ahead of Chawke for third whilst Sinclair kept fifth with Canny rounding out the leader-board top six.
Lap 3:
After lap two’s position fluctuations, drama in spades, what would final lap action produce?
At Glen Helen, Williams had stretched narrowly his P1 advantage over Shann to 1.113 seconds. Gahan third 9.694 further back looked to be barring an astonishing charge, out of race winning contention.
Williams, Shann’s compelling victory scrap continued to highly enthuse, at Ramsey all that separated them was 1.599 seconds. The stage was set for a gripping Grandstand finish.
First past the finish-line, Williams (115.519) had to agonisingly wait for Shann.
Once Shann took the chequered flag, we were all glued to the live timing screens, who had won?
Answer Williams, the IOM ace making it a victory double at the 102nd Anniversary Manx Grand Prix.
Williams final race winning margin over runner-up x2 this week, Shann (115.258), stood at 3.232 seconds.
Gahan (114.977) third, took his first MGP rostrum finish, Chawke (114.691) placed fourth, Canny recording the race’s quickest lap (19 minutes 32.711 seconds – 115.824) beat Sinclair to fifth whilst top debutant in eighth behind twice class winner Andy Farrell was Eddy Wormald (Team ILR with Frog Vehicle Developments).
Capping off the top ten finishers in ninth, tenth were Grant Thomson (Kel Properties by RPM – Kawasaki) and last year’s rapidest newcomer Johnny Stewart.
Post Race Reaction:
Jamie Williams
“Unbelievable, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would stand in here once never mind a second time around.
Fantastic race, Toby Shann kept me honest, I think pretty-much, the whole way throughout but we had a really-good pit-stop, credit to the boys, bike never missed a beat, the NCE Racing Aprilia was fantastic from the get-go.
What more can I say, felt settled I enjoyed it, every minute of it and the result came in the end.”
“Don’t think the first one’s set in yet and I don’t think it has because we had today, I could not let my guard down and relax yet.
That one was just, I really do not know what to say, I don’t know what I’m feeling at the minute other than excitement, just disbelief is probably the right word.”
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
Gahan got ahead of Chawke for third whilst Sinclair kept fifth with Canny rounding out the leader-board top six.
Lap 3:
After lap two’s position fluctuations, drama in spades, what would final lap action produce?
At Glen Helen, Williams had stretched narrowly his P1 advantage over Shann to 1.113 seconds. Gahan third 9.694 further back looked to be barring an astonishing charge, out of race winning contention.
Williams, Shann’s compelling victory scrap continued to highly enthuse, at Ramsey all that separated them was 1.599 seconds. The stage was set for a gripping Grandstand finish.
First past the finish-line, Williams (115.519) had to agonisingly wait for Shann.
Once Shann took the chequered flag, we were all glued to the live timing screens, who had won?
Answer Williams, the IOM ace making it a victory double at the 102nd Anniversary Manx Grand Prix.
Williams final race winning margin over runner-up x2 this week, Shann (115.258), stood at 3.232 seconds.
Gahan (114.977) third, took his first MGP rostrum finish, Chawke (114.691) placed fourth, Canny recording the race’s quickest lap (19 minutes 32.711 seconds – 115.824) beat Sinclair to fifth whilst top debutant in eighth behind twice class winner Andy Farrell was Eddy Wormald (Team ILR with Frog Vehicle Developments).
Capping off the top ten finishers in ninth, tenth were Grant Thomson (Kel Properties by RPM – Kawasaki) and last year’s rapidest newcomer Johnny Stewart.
Post Race Reaction:
Jamie Williams
“Unbelievable, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would stand in here once never mind a second time around.
Fantastic race, Toby Shann kept me honest, I think pretty-much, the whole way throughout but we had a really-good pit-stop, credit to the boys, bike never missed a beat, the NCE Racing Aprilia was fantastic from the get-go.
What more can I say, felt settled I enjoyed it, every minute of it and the result came in the end.”
“Don’t think the first one’s set in yet and I don’t think it has because we had today, I could not let my guard down and relax yet.
That one was just, I really do not know what to say, I don’t know what I’m feeling at the minute other than excitement, just disbelief is probably the right word.”
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
