ULTRALIGHTWEIGHT 125 AND LIGHTWEIGHT 400 RACES

After a delay of two hours for low cloud to clear off Snaefell, the concurrent Ultra Lightweight 125cc and Lightweight 400cc races got under way on dry roads.

At the end of the first lap, Ian Lougher led the 125s and John McGuinness the 400s. Lougher lapped in 20 minutes 46.1 seconds, an average speed of exactly 109mph. He led last year’s winner Chris Palmer by 4.4 seconds at an average speed of 108.61mph. Third, nine-tenths of a second in arrears, came Robert Dunlop at 108.54mph. Fourth was Nigel Beattie, fifth Mark Tyrell and sixth Garry Bennett.

McGuinness (Honda) lapped in 20 minutes 18.8 seconds, an average speed of 111.44mph, nearly 18 seconds clear of Roy Richardson (Honda) at 109.97mph, with Richard Britton (Honda) third, a further three seconds back at 109.69mph. Fourth was Steve Linsdell, fifth Mark Parrett and sixth John Barton.

As the leading riders slowed for refuelling stops, Lougher continued to lead lapping at 109.85mph and wasn’t far behind Dunlop on the road. Palmer filled up and roared out still first on the road, but trailing Lougher by seven seconds on time, lapping at 109.63mph second time round. Dunlop still lay third lapping at 109.24mph and 5.3 seconds down on Palmer. Fourth Beattie, fifth Bennett and sixth Tyrell.

McGuinness lapped at 112.04mph on his second lap, but lapping at 110.57mph Linsdell overhauled Richardson for second, 38 seconds behind McGuinness and 3.1 seconds ahead of Richardson having lapped at 110.57mph. Richardson ‘s average speed on lap two was 109.69mph. Fourth was Parrett, fifth Barton and sixth Jason Griffiths (Yamaha).

Third lap times reflected the time spent at the Pits, but Palmer, Lougher and Dunlop kept focussed. But with a lap at 107.01mph to Lougher’s 105.99mph Palmer took over the lead by 6.7 seconds. Dunlop didn’t seem able to reply, and looked set for another third spot, 22.3 seconds down on Lougher. There was no luck for local rider Norman Kneen, whose machine refused to start up again and was thought to have broken a piston ring. Fourth was Beattie, fifth Bennett and sixth Matt Jackson, who had leapfrogged Tyrell.

In the bigger class, McGuinness steamed further ahead as he looked for his second win of the week and repeating his Lightweight victory of 2003. At the end of lap three he was 45 seconds up on Linsdell, their lap speeds being 107.51 and 106.91mph respectively. Parrett lapped at 107.20mph to grab third from Richardson by 2.8 seconds. Local resident Derran Slous had the fastest third lap at 109.29mph to jump from seventh to fifth place.

Just as must have been thinking he was going to finish second in the last-ever 125cc race, Lougher’s nickname Lucky deserted him and he was reported touring on the road approaching Ramsey. That promoted Dunlop to second and Laxey’s Nigel Beattie to a potential rostrum place.

Castletown’s Palmer streaked past the chequered flag in a lap record 20minutes 28.9, an average speed of 110.52mph and inside his own record by 1.4 seconds at a race record speed of 108.93mph. Dunlop finished 57.9 seconds down, with Beattie third a further one minute 50.9 seconds behind. Bennett, Jackson and Tyrell were the second three.

McGuinness never faltered and notched up his second successive 400 and adding to his Formula One victory two days earlier. Despite an unzipped boot, he maintained concentration to win by 33.2 seconds at a record race average speed of 110.28mph. Linsdell averaged 109.54mph with Parrett third a further 2.8 seconds back. Fourth was Barton, fifth