Newcomer Joe Yeardsley won the shortened three-lap Senior in record-breaking style on Monday afternoon, setting a new lap record of 122.051mph on the final lap on the Spin Arena Yamaha.

Yeardsley defeated fellow Manxman and fellow newcomer Marcus Simpson (JPS Racing powered by Atherstone Yamaha) by 9.5s with Yeardsley becoming the first newcomer to win the race since 2012, also emulating his father Buddy’s success in the 1985 race. Daniel Ingham (Russell Brook/Brook Built Yamaha) completed the podium in third.

“I’m lost for words,” said Yeardsley afterwards. “It’s been a tough week as I hadn’t had much bike time prior to the meeting and then retired from the lead in the Junior race so it took me a while to get going.”

“I was stuck in a lot of traffic on the first couple of laps, but you can’t bully your way past anyone here and I’m still learning the racing line and where you can and can’t pass so I had to be patient. I got into a good rhythm on the last lap and am over the moon to have lapped at 122mph.”

Delayed by more than five hours to allow the roads to dry after several showers around the course, and cut from four laps to three, it was Yeardsley who led through Glen Helen on the opening lap.

He led Simpson by 0.7s with Jamie Williams (NCE Racing Honda) a further 1.5s back but by Ramsey, Simpson was in front and with an opening lap of 120.053mph, he led Yeardsley by a healthy 7.2s but Williams was still very much in contention in third, only a further 1.9s adrift as the riders made their compulsory fuel stop.

Ingham was in fourth with David Rigby, another newcomer, now up to fifth followed by Chris Cook (Alasdair Cowan Racing Kawasaki) and by Glen Helen on lap two, Simpson’s lead over Yeardsley had crept out to 8.7s.

His advantage was cut to 4.3s at Ramsey second time around and as they started the third and final lap there was only 2.5s between the two local riders. Williams was still holding on to third from Ingham albeit by just 2.8s, as Cook and Victor Lopez rounded out the top six.

Yeardsley regained the lead at Glen Helen on the final lap and it was clear he was on lap record pace as he rapidly pulled away. Ingham had now claimed third too, at the expense of Williams.

The lead continued to increase at every timing point and as Yeardsley flashed across the line to take the chequered flag, he got the verdict over Simpson by 9.5s after his superb 122mph+ lap.

Ingham wrapped up third, by more than six seconds, from Williams as Cook and Lopez held station in fifth and sixth respectively. The top ten was completed by Marc Colvin, Jack Fowler, Andrew Fisher and Eddy Ferre, the French newcomer lapping at almost 117mph on his final lap.