Mark Higgins wowed the crowds on his Subaru USA demonstration lap, blasting to the fastest ever four wheel lap of the Mountain Course, at a breathtaking 115.356mph, the first person ever to lap quicker than Tony Pond’s 102mph lap from 1990.
Higgins, a three time British Rally Champion and record five time winner of Rally Isle of Man, had survived a major scare less than a mile into yesterday’s lap, when the car snaked at the bottom of Bray Hill.
No such drama today though, Running without a passenger he went through the flying start at the Grandstand at 122mph but described himself as being much tamer at Bray Hill, but he was plenty quick too.
On his opening run on Monday, Mark had set a 113.505mph benchmark, but he was already two seconds inside that by Glen Helen, which he reached in 4:57 at 117.296mph.
By Ballaugh he was six seconds faster than that first run, recorded at 162.1mph down the Sulby straight and despite encountering a bird and wet roads on the run into Ramsey he upped the pace still more, nine quicker.
Those damp roads continued on the climb up the mountain, ‘you had to be respectful’ said the driver.
He reached the Bungalow in 15:56 compared to 16:10 on Monday, averaging 122.70mph By Cronk-ny-Mona he was an amazing 17 seconds quicker than his previous time.
Returning to the TTT Grandstand just 19:33.47 seconds after he’d left a delighted Mark was soon climbing onto the roof of the car and spraying the champagne as Ian Hutchinson presented the awards.
‘The biggest buzz of my life’, said Mark. For him and the crowd!
Mark Higgins tells Chris Boyde about his 115mph Lap
