It was an eventful evening of two podium placings and an excursion into a field for Blackhorse Kawasaki team manager/rider Ian Lougher when he contested the traditional Post TT races at Billown on Saturday.

Race One - 125cc/400cc Race.

At the end of the first lap it was Chris Palmer from William Dunlop and Lougher third on the Repli-Cast UK machine with a gap to Sam Dunlop and then Dan Sayle and Darren Gilpin. As they went through Cross Fourways on the second circuit Dunlop led with Ian now second and Palmer third and at the end of the lap it was still Dunlop from Palmer and Lougher.

Half race distance it was Palmer again in front with Dunlop and Lougher giving chase with a long gap to Dan Sayle and then Sam Dunlop. On the next lap Palmer increased his lead from Dunlop with a gap to Lougher. At Cross Fourways on the sixth lap Dunlop led from Palmer and Ian with the trio now in amongst the 400cc backmarkers and at the end of the lap Dunlop had stretched his lead over Palmer with Ian still third and that's how it was at the flag two laps later.

Race Two - 250cc/650cc Twins.

Ian Lougher was on pole for the 650cc event but the race had barely got underway when Ian suddenly found himself in a field!

Riding Stewart Smith's 650 ER-6 and going into the section of the track known as 'Joey's Gate', Ian came back just one gear too many going into the corner and went through the open gate on the right of the bend at approximately 100mph. Once in the field and drawing on all his experience, Ian decided to jump off the Kawasaki as he was unsure if there were any big holes or ruts and didn't want the bike to possibly start cartwheeling! Thankfully he walked away relatively unscathed, with a sore neck and a swollen hand as souvenirs.

'Joey's Gate' is a fast right hander and in 1979 a steering damper broke and jammed leaving Joey Dunlop with no alternative but to head for an open gateway into the field where, like Ian Lougher in 2011, he too jumped off the bike, escaping serious injury. The gate is now left open during racing.

Race Three. - 600cc Supersport

Undaunted, Ian took his place on the grid on the Ninja ZX-6R for the Supersport race for which he had qualified second in practice.

At Cross Fourways on the first lap Michael Dunlop led with Ian second and at the end of the lap Dunlop had a good lead with Wayne Hamilton now second and Ian third.

The leading positions remained unchanged for the next few laps and at the end of the fourth lap ian had moved into second with Hamilton now third from Richardson, Buckley, Fulton, Barber, Lintin and Fenton.
With Dunlop now clear in the lead, Lougher spent the remainder of the race fending off the challenge of Roy Richardson and this he did successfully to claim second place at the flag.

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