09.15 -  Roads close Barrule Park, Ramsey to Bungalow

09:30 - Roads close Bungalow to Creg Ny Baa

10:00 - Roads close rest of the course

 10:30 - One lap Practice for either Supersport or Superstock (rider choice)

501 - 600cc, 4 stroke, 4 cylinder, Production based
The Triumph 3 cylinder 675cc and MV Agusta 3 cylinder 675cc engines are eligible for this class.
Rotary engines are not permitted.

Dry today with patchy cloud and sunny intervals this morning, then longer spells of sunshine developing during the afternoon. Light to moderate north or north-westerly winds will become moderate to fresh during the afternoon, highest temperature a cool 12 or 13 Celsius on windward coasts but up to 15 in places sheltered from the breeze.

First Race up today and the weather is looking great.

We should all be looking forward to a great and safe days racing.

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10:15  

Serious Rad Traffic Incident at Ballacrye that could cause a delay to the start of racing.

Radio announcement informing everyone to abide by the instructions of the Marshals and to STAY OFF THE ROADS when they are officially closed for Racing

Due to the above RTC there will now be a minimum 2 hour delay to the racing.

This will necessitate a re-think on the overall race schedule.

Announcement made that it is planned for:

A Practice lap at 12:30 for Superstock/Supersport classes

With the Sidecar Race to go at 13:30

Dean Harrison off at Crosby Crossrodds - he is ok.

William Dunlop off at Laurel Bank - he is ok.

Sidecars are getting out onto the grid

Sidecar crews being warned of oil on track at Crosby

 

And Sidecar Race 1 is away 

First through on the road is Moly, then comes Harrison, now its the Birchalls and next it is Reeves and Holden closing in on him. Bennet next and then close is Ian Bell.

Holden

Birchall

Moly

Harrison

Reeves

Bell

Bryan

Founds

Lockey

Knight

Birchall clocks a 146  through Sulby Speed Trap.

Holden does a 144, Harrison a 142, Bell a 141

Reeves retired at the top of Barregarrow

Moly first on the road, next is the Birchalls with Harrison close behind

Next comes Holden, a gap to Bryan, then it's the Bells, a gap to Lockey followed by Founds

Knight goes through, next is Baker, then Handcock

Moly

Birchall +0.3

Holden

Harrison

Bell

Bryan

Founds

Lockey

Handcock

Baker

2.5 seconds covering the top 3 at the Bunglaow

Moly missing at Cronk ny Mona - making adjustment at Brandish - Later Comment - retired.
Francois LeBlond/Anne Garnish retired Ginger Hal
Bennett/Cain retired at Douglas Road Corner lap 1

Birchalls go through, next it is Harrison next comes Holden, Bryan and the Bells go through.

Birchalls

Holden +5

Harrison

Bell

Founds

Bryan

Lockey

Knight

Handcock

Baker

First is the Birchalls and a gap to Harrison and then Holden appears to be closing. A big gap now back to Bryan,

Now it is the Bells and then comes Founds a way back, now it's Lockey.

Knight is next, followed by Baker, then Handcock.

Birchalls

Holden +8

Harrison

Bell

Bryan

Founds

Lockey

Baker

Handcock

Birchall gap to Holden is down to +6 at Ballaugh

BRILLIANT BIRCHALLS TAKE THE HONOURS IN OPENING SURE SIDECAR TT RACE


Ben and Tom Birchall took a dramatic victory in the opening Sure Sidecar race at the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, coming home almost twenty five seconds clear of John Holden/Dan Sayle for their second TT victory.

The duo won in a new race record time with Conrad Harrison/Mike Aylott taking third but there was disappointment for pre-race favourites Dave Molyneux/Ben Binns and Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance who both went out on the first lap.

At Glen Helen on the opening lap it was Holden/Sayle who led by just half a second from the Birchalls with Molyneux/Binns a further second back. Harrison/Aylott were in fourth ahead of Reeves/Farrance but the latter were soon out having retired at the top of Barregarrow.

It was all change at Ramsey as Molyneux went to the top of the leaderboard but only by the miniscule amount of 0.003s and Holden/Sayle were only a further half second back! Harrison/Aylott remained in fourth but had dropped to eleven seconds in arrears with Ian and Carl Bell moving up to fifth.

There was further drama on the opening lap though as Molyneux/Binns stopped at Brandish to make adjustments and so it was the Birchalls who ended the lap in the lead with a speed of 115.285mph. Holden/Sayle were up to second, five seconds behind, with Harrison/Aylott third ahead of the Bells, Alan Founds/Tom Peters and Gary Bryan/Jamie Winn.

Molyneux was soon reported as having retired at Brandish with fellow Manxmen Karl Bennett/Lee Cain also out at Douglas Road Corner. But the Birchalls were pressing on ahead and by Glen Helen, they'd extended their lead to eight seconds over Holden/Sayle with Harrison/Aylott continuing to drop further back in third, now some 19 seconds adrift.

Holden briefly got the deficit to the Birchalls down to six seconds half way round the second lap but the Nottinghamshire brothers responded and, with a superb lap of 116.060 - the second fastest of all time - their lead had increased to 13.5s as they went on to their final lap. Holden had also set his personal best with 115.240 and was now 25s clear of Harrison/Aylott with the top six rounded out by the Bells, Bryan/Winn and Founds/Peters, the last named lapping in excess of 111mph in just their second year at the TT.

The gap between the Birchalls and Holden remained constant all the way round the first half of the last lap but they eventually crossed the line a comfortable 24.1s ahead for their second TT win in three years with Holden taking his 12th TT podium. For Sayle, it was his ninth rostrum, the most ever recorded by a passenger at the TT.

Harrison/Aylott were secure in third, the Bradford driver taking his ninth podium in the last ten races, with the Bells taking fourth ahead of Founds/Peters and Bryan/Winn, the gap between the last two just 0.007s.

Gary Knight/Jason Crowe, Rob Handcock/Aki Alto, Matt Dix/Shaun Parker and Wayne Lockey/Mark Sayers rounded out the top ten.

In a race full of personal best laps, French woman Estelle Leblond, partnered by Sebastian Lavorel, cemented her status as the fastest ever female driver around the Mountain Course with a lap of 107.297mph on her way to finishing an excellent 18th.

Fiona Baker-Milligan, passenger to her father Tony, recorded a lap of 109.321, the fastest ever lap by a female passenger.



Sidecar Race 1 finishers celebrate


The Birchal brothers on their second lap 116.06 mph (2nd Fastest ever)


The Birchals exit Quarterbridge and head on to Braddan


John Holden and Dan Sayle get their race underway


Race Results