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The Clerk of the Course has announced that racing has been suspended for today.

The second day of racing at the 2010 Manx Grand Prix has been abandoned, the Clerk of the Course has announced.

The first race of the day, the Junior, was halted on lap two following a serious incident at Alpine. Details of that incident are expected to be released later.

Shortly after 1pm it was confirmed the rest of today's racing schedule had been abandoned and it is hoped the racing can be rescheduled for tomorrow (Thursday). Information on the re-organised schedule will appear on mgpfestival.com as soon as they are available.

Roads around the Mountain course are expected to be re-opened soon.

Dan Sayle, who came off at Signpost Corner during the Junior race, has now been discharged from hospital, it has been announced.

Phil Taubman, Clerk of the Course, described conditions as perfect for the second race day at the 2010 Manx Grand Prix, sponsored by visitisleofman.com, although a diesel spill meant that riders were warned about lack of adhesion from the Gooseneck to the 26th Milestone on the mountain.

Wayne Kirwan and David Lumsden were scheduled away first but misfortune hit David Lumsden when he failed to leave the start line. However he was later able to start his machine.

Kirwan was first on the roads to Glen Helen but Jules Croft and Dan Sayle both went quicker to the first checkpoint and by Ballaugh Dan Sayle hit the front, opening up a four second lead from Simon Fulton with Kirwan third.

Sayle was involved in an accident at Signpost Corner and was reported as conscious and taken by ambulance to Nobles Hospital and was later discharged. This left Simon Fulton to take the lead with an opening lap of 119.516 from Michael Sweeney (118.812). Newcomer A race winner Tim Venables was reported to be off at Greeba Castle and taken by airmed to Nobles hospital.

Fulton became the first rider since Seamus Greene in 2005 to break 120plus mph ‘Tommy Club’ on the second lap with 120.329mph, breaking Tommy Clucas’ 2004 mark, to extend his lead to 16 seconds from Wayne Kirwan with Michael Sweeney third.

However, a red flag incident at Alpine Cottage meant that the race was stopped with eight riders having completed the second lap. The regulations advise that a race is valid if more than half has been completed so Fulton was awarded a win by virtue of being fastest on the opening lap with Sweeney second and Kirwan third.

Fulton’s second lap meant that he briefly joined Allan Jackson, Ian Pattinson, Davy Morgan and Seamus Greene in the ‘Tommy Club’ for riders to achieve 120mph laps at the Manx Grand Prix, in memory of Tommy Clucas who first achieved the feat in the Junior Manx Grand Prix in 2004. They were the first riders since Tommy in 2004 to achieve it on a 600 machine. However as the race was determined on the first completed lap, his record lap does not stand.

Additional Statement issued on behalf of the Manx Motorcycle Club

The Manx Motorcycle Club, organisers of the Manx Grand Prix, regret to announce the death of a second rider at today’s Manx Grand Prix. Both riders were involved in a racing accident at Alpine Cottage on the second lap of the Junior race shortly before 11am. The race was later abandoned.

Chris Bradshaw, 39, a Traffic Police Officer from Tamworth in Birmingham was taken to Noble's Hospital by airmed, but was declared dead at the hospital. Chris first competed on the Isle of Man in 2004 and finished 37th in last year’s Senior MGP race.

James Adam, 28, a serving officer in the Royal Navy, from Prestwick in Scotland who was also involved in the incident was attended to by the air med team, but was declared dead at the scene. James first competed on the Isle of Man in 2009, finishing 9th in the Newcomers race and 27th in the Senior MGP.

The next of kin of both families have been informed. The Manx Motorcycle club extends their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of both men.

The incident is now being investigated by the Isle of Man Constabulary who are preparing a report for the Coroner of Inquests.

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