Getting underway 1 minute ahead of schedule, Friday’s Classic TT practice session saw a reversal in fortunes for Michael Dunlop, who jumped to second in the overall Superbike qualifying charts.
Lapping from a standing start at 124.920 mph to set tonight’s big bike pace, the 15 times TT winners performance was more all the more prodigious, courtesy of the fact that he was piloting for the first time Lee Johnston’s Team Classic Suzuki.
Having been involved in a Sidecar incident at Jurby, sustaining hand injuries which have ruled him out of action, Steve Wheatman’s outfit elected to provide the six times international road race winners machine to the Mountain Course lap record holder, who has this week endured a spate of breakdowns.
Photo by Mark Corlett
Second fastest Mistral Racing’s Jamie Coward (124.012) wasn’t far behind his illustrious counterpart, whilst team mate Dan Kneen (122.792) is beginning to place himself into podium finishing contention.
Others to impress included reigning Junior Manx GP champion Andy Dudgeon (120.382), Dan Hegarty (118.341) and Shaun Anderson (115.447).
Bruce Anstey (117.537) looked in typically smooth ice cool fettle in topping the Lightweight time sheets, as second quickest Michael Rutter (113.359) continues to show impressive form aboard the rasping 750cc Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati.
With mist rolling onto the horizon, the Junior 350/Senior 500 practice session, was soon red flagged following an incident at Brandywell.
Ultimately this became a full scale cancellation of tonight’s competition, due to debris around the course, which once cleared would have not left enough time to get the session back underway.
Results per class, from a reduced Friday evening Classic TT practice session, are as follows:
Superbike:
1 Michael Dunlop 124.920
2 Jamie Coward 124.012
3 Dan Kneen 122.792
4 Horst Saiger 122.765
5 Ivan Lintin 120.914
6 Derek Sheils 120.912
7 Andy Dudgeon 120.382
8 Josh Brookes 119.922
9 Conor Cummins 119.623
10 Danny Webb 119.567
11 Michael Rutter 118.755
12 Dan Hegarty 118.341
13 William Dunlop 117.392
14 Matt Rees 116.299
15 Shaun Anderson 115.447
16 Scott Wilson 114.866
17 Timothee Monot 113.754
18 Ben Wylie 113.549
19 Richard Wilson 113.271
20 Raul Torras Martinez 112.221
Lightweight:
1 Bruce Anstey 117.537
2 Michael Rutter 113.359
3 Gary Vines 111.660
4 Phil Harvey 110.351
5 Ian Lougher 110.177
6 Paul Owen 108.506
7 Stuart Hall 108.120
8 James Cowton 108.102
9 Rikki McGovern 107.315
10 Dan Kneen 104.713
11 Nigel Moore 104.229
12 Ben Rea 103.779
13 Dan Stewart 102.811
14 Neal Champion 101.901
15 Jim Barnett 101.153
16 Richard Gelder 100.546
17 Steven Howard 99.299
18 Alistair Haworth 99.176
19 Simon Hunt 97.855
20 Adrian Morris 97.312
Words by Stevie Rial