By The anticipation was building and building ahead of the eagerly awaited, fourth Superbike/Superstock/Supersport practice session of TT 2022.
First 1000cc runner to sped down Bray Hill just past 7:10 PM was outright lap record holder Peter Hickman.
He wasn’t fastest though as competitors reached Glen Helen, with anticipated 1000cc races rival Dean Harrison quickest.
Not much was separating Harrison and Hickman at Ballaugh Bridge and by Ramsey Hairpin just 0.740 separated the two speediest Mountain Course pilots in history.
As opening timed laps finalised, Hickman (131.29), Harrison (131.181) both dipped over the 131-mph barrier.
Added notable standing start lap speeds included Milenco by Padgetts Davey Todd (130.77), Conor Cummins (129.55), top Superstock exponent KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan’s Jamie Coward (128.19), Nathan Harrison (126.37).
With speeds step by step increasing, could the 132, even 133 mph lap mark be surpassed?
The answer was almost! As on their second timed laps DAO Racing’s Harrison, Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing’s Hickman lapped respectively at 131.713, 131.957 mph.
Fourth quickest tonight behind Harrison, Hickman, Manxman Conor Cummins (130.17), John McGuinness MBE (129.12), Michael Dunlop (129.391) recorded personal best lap speeds of practice week.
Same notion applied to rapid Mountain Course debutant Glenn Irwin, lapping 125 mph plus!
Paul Jordan headed 2019 IRRC Superbike Champion Todd, Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston in the Supersport class whilst Jamie Coward’s aforementioned 128 mph lap, was enough for the Hebden Bridge racer to top the Superstock times sheet.
With just minutes of the session left to run, red flags unfortunately arose, following an incident at Ballagarey.
TT 2022 – Wednesday evening practice results per class, read as follows:
Superbike:
1st – Peter Hickman – 131.957
2nd – Dean Harrison – 131.713
3rd – Davey Todd – 130.768
4th – Conor Cummins – 130.174
5th – Michael Dunlop – 129.391
6th – John McGuinness MBE – 129.117
7th – Jamie Coward – 128.19
8th – James Hillier – 127.686
9th – Phil Crowe – 127.603
10th – Nathan Harrison – 126.368
11th – Lee Johnston – 125.97
12th – Ian Hutchinson – 125.851
13th – Shaun Anderson – 125.556
14th – Rob Hodson – 124.388
15th – Michael Browne – 123.818
16th – Gary Johnson – 123.655
17th – Matt Stevenson – 123.341
18th – David Datzer – 123.014
19th – David Jackson – 122.827
20th – Brian McCormack – 122.751
21st – Michael Evans – 122.606
22nd – Stefano Bonetti – 122.496
23rd – Michael Booth – 122.25
24th – Mark Goodings – 121.743
25th – Mark Parrett – 121.169
26th – Brandon Cretu – 120.692
27th – Richard Charlton – 120.385
28th – Mike Norbury – 120.298
29th – Julian Trummer – 120.274
30th – Josh Daley – 120.068
31st – Timothee Monot – 119.926
32nd – Joey Thompson – 119.61
33rd – Forest Dunn – 119.555
34th – Raul Torras Martinez – 119.16
35th – Derek Sheils – 118.653
36th – Davy Morgan – 118.364
37th – Lukas Maurer – 118.26
38th – Dave Hewson – 117.718
39th – James Chawke – 117.703
40th – Thomas Maxwell – 116.945
41st – Barry Furber – 116.345
42nd – Tom Weeden – 116.23
43rd – Jonathan Perry – 115.969
44th – Richard Wilson – 115.84
45th – Michael Russell – 114.561
46th – Ilja Caljouw – 110.716
Superstock:
1st – Jamie Coward – 128.19
2nd – Michael Dunlop – 127.454
3rd – Nathan Harrison – 126.368
4th – Ian Hutchinson – 126.032
5th – Lee Johnston – 125.97
6th – Craig Neve – 125.87
7th – James Hillier – 125.708
8th – Glenn Irwin – 125.447
9th – Rob Hodson – 124.388
10th – Gary Johnson – 123.655
11th – Matt Stevenson – 123.341
12th – David Datzer – 123.014
13th – David Jackson – 122.827
14th – Michael Evans – 122.606
15th – Stefano Bonetti – 122.496
16th – Michael Booth – 122.25
17th – Mark Goodings – 121.743
18th – Mark Parrett – 121.169
19th – Brandon Cretu – 120.692
20th – Richard Charlton – 120.385
Supersport:
1st – Paul Jordan – 124.041
2nd – Davey Todd – 123.581
3rd – Lee Johnston – 123.134
4th – Jim Hind – 122.545
5th – Michal Dokoupil – 121.031
6th – Mark Purslow – 120.857
7th – Joe Loughlin – 119.571
8th – Michael Sweeney – 118.774
9th – Brian McCormack – 118.689
10th – Pierre Yves Bian – 118.539
11th – Rhys Hardisty – 117.661
12th – Matt Rees – 117.204
13th – Xavier Denis – 115.993
14th – Chris Sarbora – 115.827
15th – Jim Hodson – 115.569
16th – Jamie Cringle – 115.09
17th – Tom Weeden – 115.009
18th – Rennie Scaysbrook – 114.563
19th – Paul Williams – 113.889
20th – Julien Toniutti – 113.868
21st – Sam Johnson – 113.154
22nd – Jonathan Goetschy – 112.898
23rd – Miroslav Sloboda – 111.49
24th – Masayuki Yamanaka – 110.646
Sidecars Round Up:
Having endured in more ways than one, not the ideal start to the TT fortnight, Sidecar heroes next generation, established, experienced gained much needed track time this evening.
Their opening timed practice stint got underway five minutes behind schedule at 6:35 PM.
First driver/passenger pairing to approach Bray Hill were practice week pace setters, three wheeling royalty Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall.
The Birchalls went quickest on the run to Glen Helen, a touch under four seconds faster than most rapid Sidecar TT newcomers in history, Ryan Crowe/Callum Crowe.
Averaging just shy of 124 mph by the time they made Ballaugh Bridge, the ten times TT winning Birchalls pair were showing why they are considered strong favourites for more TT success.
It was confirmed post completion of their standing start lap, that the Haith backed duo had recorded a lap speed of 116.82 mph, (19 minutes 22.664 seconds).
Leading the chase to the Mansfield pairing were FHO Racing’s Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (115.43).
Third fastest thanks to a new unofficial personal best lap speed were the talented Crowe brothers (114.598).
Harry Payne/Mark Wilkes (110.554), Team A.R.C’s Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie (110.545) registered impressive lap speeds, Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde (110.812) almost nudged the 111 mph lap mark whilst 17 times TT winner Dave Molyneux/Daryl Gibson (109.599) finally completed a lap at this year’s TT.
Unfortunately, due to the above showcased incident at Ballagarey during the Superbike/Superstock/Supersport session, the second planned Sidecar practice stint was cancelled.
TT 2022 – Wednesday evening Sidecars practice result, reads as follows:
1st – Ben Birchall/Tom Birchall – 116.825
2nd – Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley – 115.432
3rd – Ryan Crowe/Callum Crowe – 114.598
4th – Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde – 110.812
5th – Harry Payne/Mark Wilkes – 110.554
6th – Lee Crawford/Scott Hardie – 110.545
7th – Dave Molyneux/Daryl Gibson – 109.599
8th – Steve Ramsden/Matty Ramsden – 109.311
9th – Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle – 108.965
10th – Paul Leglise/Melanie Farnier – 108.716
11th – Gary Gibson/Tom Christie – 108.405
12th – Estelle Leblond/Clement Carre – 107.473
13th – Greg Lambert/Ben McBride – 107.338
14th – Gordon Shand/Frank Claeys – 106.062
15th – Roger Stockton/Bradley Stockton – 105.176
16th – Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney – 104.988
17th – Cesar Chanal/Olivier Lavorel – 104.693
18th – Rob Handcock/Shaun Parker – 104.193
19th – Andy King/Andrew Sigsworth – 103.282
20th – Bruce Moore/Ashley Moore – 102.465
21st – Shaun Chandler/Ben Chandler – 101.503
22nd – Alun Thomas/Kenny Cole – 99.148
23rd – Goulven Crochemore/Marlene Lelubez – 97.25
24th – Tim Reeves/Kevin Rousseau – 96.223
25th – Craig Currie/Justin Sharp – 95.25
26th – Maria Costello MBE/Vicky Cooke – 90.745
27th – John Shipley/Mark Gash – 87.261
28th – John Holden/Dan Sayle – 87.079
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
