Conditions were described as perfect for the first race of the 2011 Manx Grand Prix Races, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Newcomers Race, although Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman warned the riders about sunlight at Ballahutchin and the Gooseneck.
Northern Ireland’s Wayne Hamilton was first away in the 3 lap Newcomers A Race and he was the fastest to Glen Helen, opening up an 8 second lead over Jonathan Woodward with David Kennington, the fastest qualifier, back in third, 11 seconds behind the leader. Hamilton extended his lead over Woodward to fourteen seconds by Ramsey with William Davison moving up to third. It was apparent that the pit stop would be crucial in a three lap race and whether it was better to refuel after the first or second laps.
Hamilton’s chose to pit after a first lap 113.335 and, despite a quick pit stop, experienced a problem firing the machine and lost time. However with second placed man Jonathan Woodward reported to be off at Governor’s Dip, Hamilton consolidated his lead.
By Glen Helen on the second lap Hamilton had built up an 18 second lead over Davison with Karl Foster, David Kennington and Nuno Caetano making up the top five although Hamilton and Davison were the only riders in the top five to have pitted after the first lap.
The race became clearer at the end of the second lap after the rest of the field pit stopped and by Glen Helen on the third lap Hamilton had extended his lead to 28 seconds, with fellow Irishman Davison in second and the Isle of Man’s Kennington making up the top three. That remained the top three with Hamilton winning in a race time of 1:00.37.55 (112.022mph). He received his trophy from Australian TT Race winner Cameron Donald.
In Newcomers B Race, Wayne Axon established an early lead of almost twenty seconds by the end of the first lap from Gavin Lupton with American Travis McNerney back in third but by the second lap, despite a pit stop, Lupton had cut Axon’s lead to thirteen seconds with Scott Smyth moving up into third.
Axon went into the pits to refuel at the end of the second lap and by Glen Helen Lupton had established an 18 second lead with Scott Smyth taking second place and Wayne Axon a further 22 seconds back, following the pit stop in third, and this trio held their positions to the chequered flag. Anthony Porter finished in fourth but with a final lap of 101.197 had the consolation of the fastest lap of the Newcomers B race.
Jonathan Woodward was discharged from Nobles after coming off at Governors and being taken by Ambulance to Nobles while Paul Wardell had a possible Collar Bone injury following an incident at Cruickshanks.
After the Newcomers races, riders took advantage of an opportunity for a lap of practice and qualifying ahead of next week’s racing, which kicks off with Monday’s Junior and 350/250cc Classic Manx Grand Prix Races.
First away at around 7.30pm were the Senior, Supertwins and Junior machines and Andrew Brady signalled his intentions in the Junior class with a lap of 115.502, his fastest of the week. Shaun Anderson in the Senior class also posted a lap of 116.606, just outside his fastest time of the week the previous evening.
In the Supertwins, one of the favourites for Wednesday’s race, Phil McGurk, has withdrawn with a broken crank sustained at Cronk-Y-Voddy on Friday night. With many of the leading riders opting to take their Junior machines out for the one lap session, Joe Phillips posted the fastest lap of the evening with 107.965.
Ryan Farquhar went out on his Paton in the 500cc class and posted another lap in excess of 100mph while Chris McGahan also lapped at 100mph in the Classic Superbike class. Barry Davidson and Brian Mateer, both riding Yamahas, clocked 103.597 and 102.681 respectively.
Monday’s Race schedule sees the Motorsport Merchandise 350/25cc Classic GP Race scheduled for 10.15 and the Manngo.im Junior MGP Race at 1.15pm
