JUNIOR 600

Today’s delayed Junior TT was won by 31-year-old Morecambe bricklayer John McGuinness (Yamaha) at record lap and race speed.

There was early disappointment for a number of top men, with Ian Lougher crashing at Union Mills and lap record holder Ryan Farquhar and ace newcomer Guy Martin with engine problems.

Bidding for his third win of the week, John McGuinness took the early advantage and had nearly caught Adrian Archibald on the road, thus having taken out the best of 20 seconds on him at a new lap record 18 minutes 29.6 seconds, 122.41mph, better by a second from a standing start and leading Richard Britton by 12.8 seconds, with Bruce Anstey third and Jason Griffiths fourth. Shaun Harris lay fifth with Archibald making up the top six.

On the second lap, McGuinness kept the pressure on to overhaul Archibald and take the lead on the road as well as on corrected time. The Morecambe rider lapped in 18 minutes 25.4 seconds, 122.87mph, another lap record in spite of slowing down for his refuelling stop. He led Anstey by 21.2 seconds coming in to the pits. That was increased when the Kiwi spent much longer filling up and team mate Archibald left first. But there was no luck for Harris, who retired with mechanical trouble at Greeba Bridge.

Behind McGuinness and Anstey lay Jason Griffiths, who had edged out Britton, with Archibald and Mark Parrett fifth and sixth respectively. MCGuinness’s two-lap race average was 122.64mph, faster than the old lap record. Indeed, the top four were all over 120.

Lap three saw the averages dip a little, with the pit stops taken into account. But McGuinness still did 116.88mph to record a race average of 120.66mph at three-quarter distance. Unless mechanical gremlins struck, it was in the bag even with a lap to go, enjoying 27 seconds over Anstey. The next four stayed on station – Griffiths, Britton, Archibald and Parrett.

Last time round McGuinness knocked off the power a bit, allowing Anstey to nibble a bit back, but the Yamaha man always had the situation under control. Archibald was pressing fellow Ulsterman Britton for for fourth, but just as he was about to strike he had to retire with bike trouble at Rhencullen.

McGuinness duly knocked off the final few miles to take his third victory of the week, having already triumphed in the Formula One and Lightweight 400, and maintaining the possibility of becoming the first rider to ever win five races in one TT (the 600 Production and Senior still to come).

His last lap was at 120.31mph for an overall new race record average of 120.57mph and a win by 17 seconds. Last year’s winner Anstey pushed hard but had to settle for second, the reverse of the previous day’s outcome in the 1000cc Production race. Griffiths took another fine rostrum place with third spot to keep out Britton and make it a Yamaha one-three. Fifth was Parrett and sixth Finnegan.