New circuit used in Isle of Man motorcycle racing series
The Staff of Clutch and Chrome
June 9th 2008
The first Isle
of Man TT races to be held on the Billown circuit brought
the curtain down on a memorable two weeks of motorcycle road
racing.
In brilliant sunshine fans and competitors descended on the
southern track to watch the return of the Lightweight and
Ultra-Lightweight TT races on Saturday afternoon.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet-backed 125cc and 250cc races
were run as part of the traditional Steam Packet meeting
which follows the TT.
After free practice and qualifying for the two 12-lap races,
Chris Palmer secured pole position in the Ultra-Lightweight
TT while Michael Dunlop took pole for the Lightweight TT
race.
As soon as the red light went out at the start of the 125
race, it was Castletown’s Chris Palmer who took control. He
developed an unbeatable advantage, completing the first lap
three seconds ahead of long-time rival and fellow TT winner
Ian Lougher. Manxman Dan Sayle, the renowned sidecar
passenger, was in third.
At half distance, the Mannin Honda rider had pulled 15.8
seconds ahead of Lougher. However, at the end of the 10th
lap there was a dramatic turn as Lougher stopped at
Castletown Bridge with a broken chain. That let Sayle
through to second and Nigel Moore into third.
That was how the race finished, with Palmer 34.4 seconds
ahead of Sayle and claiming his third consecutive 125cc TT
victory, having won the last two held on the Mountain
Course.
For the 250cc race Dunlop was joined on the front row by
Lougher and Palmer.
The 12-lap race was an incredible battle, with Palmer,
Dunlop, Lougher and Ryan Farquhar all taking the lead of the
race during the first six circuits.
Once Lougher was in the lead he managed to open a gap to
take victory by 8.65 seconds from Farquhar and Palmer.
Dunlop, who had been at the centre of the early battle for
the lead, was forced to retire on lap 10 with machine
problems.
On his way to victory - his eighth TT win - Lougher also set
a new lap record at an average speed of 102.321mph.
The final race of the busy Steam Packet meeting schedule was
the combined 600cc and 1000cc race.
At the end of nine laps of racing it was Farquhar who took a
fine victory on the Harker Kawasaki.
He was 18 seconds ahead of second placed Lougher, with Mark
Buckley third. Roy Richardson took the 600cc honors. |
