Having had somewhat of a low key start to his 2011 Isle of Man TT campaign, Manxman Dan Kneen has been right back on the pace during race week and with 6th and 7th in the Supersport and Superstock races, the Manxman is continuing the strong form he showed around the Mountain Course 12 months ago.
Still only 23, Kneen has switched to Kawasaki machinery for the 1000cc races but an early season spill at Jurby put a major dent in his hopes for the season although outings at both the North West 200 and Thruxton BSB round, at least gave him some mileage prior to TT Practice week.
However, with practice week severely disrupted, the Braddan rider struggled for track time and, ultimately, set-up time with his Kawasaki Evo Superbike machine, eventually retiring early on in the Superbike race.
"We just didn't get enough laps in during practice and ran out of time with the Evo bike to get it set up as it was weaving quite badly and I was getting into quite a few tank slappers, particularly at the top of Bray Hill," said Kneen, speaking to bikesportnews.com.
"It's a new bike and, obviously I've missed quite a few races but I decided to use the bike for the Superbike race although it still wasn't right so rather than risk anything, I opted to pull out."
However, he get his week back on track on Monday with two great rides, firstly in the Supersport race where he justified his number six starting position with a sixth place finish on the same 2008 Marks Bloom Yamaha he used last year, also lapping well in excess of 125mph.
Later in the day, he rode the 1000cc Kawasaki Superstock bike and enjoyed a terrific on-the-roads battle with William Dunlop, the youngsters circulating together for three entire laps. Lapping quicker than ever before, Kneen posted a new personal best lap of 127.265mph and finished in a strong seventh place just 11 seconds behind fifth placed Dunlop.
"I only got one lap in on the Superstock bike and we blew an engine so we went down to Slick's and put a motor in from a road bike and I have to say it worked really well. It was still weaving a bit but it was better than the Evo bike although I overshot Ballacraine on the first lap and lost ten seconds straightaway.
"That allowed William through and we ended up riding the rest of the race together, which was a lot of fun. My previous best lap was 125.8mph so get up to 127.2mph was really pleasing and I've decided to use this bike in the Senior albeit with the swingarm from the Evo bike fitted to allow us to make wheel changes."
Kneen was also flying in Wednesday's second Supersport race and, sixth at the end of lap one, he'd climbed up to 3rd by the time he'd reached Ballaugh although he received the red flag soon after at Sulby with the conditions around the course worsening.
"It was definitely a bit sketchy out there and the biggest problem was that you were riding into corners blind. I was unsure how hard to push on the first lap and got a few slides whilst I also had a slide at Union Mills and that was when I'd slowed right down for the yellow flags due to Keith Amor's accident.
"I'd caught up to John McGuinness but we're lacking a bit of top end and I couldn't pull out of the slipstream and get by him. It's a shame the red flag came out as I was in a good position on the first lap and things were going well but we'll give it another go tomorrow."
Dan would like to thank his sponsors Marks Bloom Accountants, Wemoto.com, ELAS, Slick Performance Yuning, Maxton, Kawasaki UK, The Steam Packet Co., West End Couriers, all his trade sponsors and mechanics Wayne, Rory and Jon.
