By Marking his return to roads action in style, triple Manx GP winner Michael Evans mastered the challenging conditions at Billown this evening, to head the opening Senior class practice session of this year’s Southern 100.
In excellent form aboard the Wilcock Consulting BMW, Evans fastest lap time of 2 minutes 35.511 seconds, placed him just over five seconds quicker than nearest challenger in tonight’s timed practice, Mark Parrett (2.40.538).
Ryan Kneen (2.42.315), Stephen McKnight (2.42.703), Jamie Williams (2.43.474) finished respectively third, fourth, fifth quickest whilst Senior TT victor Dean Harrison (2.44.706) had a steady start to his latest S100 tenure, finishing sixth fastest.
Photo by Mark Corlett
Concluding the ten quickest competitors from first practice, which was delayed for well in excess of one hour, due to radio communication problems around the Billown course, were Rhys Hardisty (2.44.873), Rob Hodson (2.45.215), Jean Pierre Polet (2.46.894) and Tyco BMW’s Michael Dunlop (2.47.297).
In total 35 racers registered representative lap times, with 17 racers securing lap times under the 2 minute 50 second barrier.
The overall result from tonight’s opening Senior class practice session, is as follows:
1 Michael Evans 2.35.511
2 Mark Parrett 2.40.538
3 Ryan Kneen 2.42.315
4 Stephen McKnight 2.42.703
5 Jamie Williams 2.43.474
6 Dean Harrison 2.44.706
7 Rhys Hardisty 2.44.873
8 Rob Hodson 2.45.215
9 Jean Pierre Polet 2.46.894
10 Michael Dunlop 2.47.297
11 Dominic Herbertson 2.47.726
12 Joe Akroyd 2.48.101
13 Andy Sailor 2.48.739
14 Anthony Redmond 2.48.807
15 Richard Charlton 2.49.217
16 Brad Vicars 2.49.459
17 Jonathan Perry 2.49.924
18 David Brook 2.50.767
19 Paul Cranston 2.51.455
20 Sam West 2.51.602
21 Dennis Booth 2.51.878
22 Sean Seddon 2.52.076
23 Alan Connor 2.52.801
24 Richard Eglin 2.52.935
25 Michael Russell 2.53.042
26 David McConnachy 2.53.186
27 Barry Furber 2.53.755
28 Marc Colvin 2.56.730
29 Andy Sellars 2.56.831
30 Paul Gartland 2.57.116
31 Alun Brooks 2.57.854
32 Paul Marley 3.01.697
33 Lee Hembury 3.02.415
34 Michael Sweeney 3.16.323
35 Brian Fuidge 3.20.308
Words by Stevie Rial
