Sidecar world champion Tim Reeves and passenger Patrick Farrace finished their debut TT in third place this afternoon. Reeves, who is a three-times world title holder, has never been to the island before and spent last weekend flying between Donington Park and the Isle of Man.
Reeves said: "I always believed in myself. We’ve had so much help from Nick [Crowe] and Dave. So many people knocked us, but I think we just p*ssed on their cornflakes. I shall definitely be back."
Nick Crowe roared to victory in the first Sure Mobile Sidecar TT race at the 2008 Isle of Man TT.
The Suzuki-powered outfit of Dave Molyneux and Dan Sayle led the field away, but after running just the length of the pit straight the machine pulled off with mechanical problems.
Many thought that would leave the race Crowe’s for the taking, but the outfit to snatch the lead was the TAS-backed machine of John Holden and Andrew Winkle.
However, Crowe and passenger Mark Cox were soon on it and took the lead on lap. They built their advantage to secure victory by more than 19 seconds. It was Manxman Crowe's fourth TT victory.
Holden and Winkle took a comfortable second place, to add to the two runners-up spots of last year.
Result:
1 2 Nick Crowe/Mark Cox 59 2008 LCR Honda 600cc / A J GROUNDWORKS 22.80 114.372 Silver
2 3 John Holden/Andrew
Winkle
2008 LCR Suzuki 600cc 59 42.24 113.751 Silver
3 10 Tim Reeves/Patrick
Farrance*
2008 LCR Suzuki 600cc / Gunther Reuschling-Eastern Airways 01 01 07.84 111.096 Silver
Motorsport
4 11 Phil Dongworth/Stuart
Castles
2007 Ireson Honda 600cc 01 01 10.68 111.011 Silver
5 7 Nigel Connole/Dipash
Chauhan
2008 LCR Honda 600cc 01 01 46.90 109.926 Silver
6 14 Douglas Wright/Stuart Bond 2006 Shellbourne Honda 600cc / Eddy Wright Motorcycles Ltd 01 01 50.57 109.817 Silver
7 12 Gary Bryan/Robert Bell 2006 Baker Yamaha 600cc 01 02 36.68 108.469 Bronze
8 15 Tony Elmer/Darren
Marshall
2006 Ireson Yamaha 600cc / D. L. ELMER 01 02 40.93 108.347 Bronze
9 8 Roy Hanks/Dave Wells 2008 DMR Suzuki 600cc / Rose Hanks 01 02 48.08 108.141 Bronze
10 18 Greg Lambert/Sally Wilson 2008 DMR Honda 600cc 01 02 54.60 107.954 Bronze
11 16 Kenny Howles/Doug Jewell 2007 MR Equipe Suzuki 600cc / Bosiol R Racing 01 03 15.71 107.354 Bronze
12 29 Neil Kelly/Jason O'Connor 1998 Ireson Honda 600cc 01 03 25.72 107.071 Bronze
13 22 Bill Currie/Philip Bridge 2007 LCR Yamaha 600cc 01 03 34.01 106.839 Bronze
14 38 Peter Farrelly/Jason Miller 2008 MR Equipe Suzuki 600cc 01 04 19.01 105.593 Bronze
15 21 Roger Stockton/Pete Alton 2007 Baker Yamaha 600cc 01 04 40.29 105.014 Bronze
16 28 Tony Thirkell/Nigel Barlow 2005 MR Equipe Honda 600cc / MERLIN SIDECARS 01 04 41.50 104.981 Bronze
17 27 Mike Cookson/Kris Hibberd 2005 Shelbourne Honda 600cc 01 04 52.27 104.691 Bronze
18 26 Brian Kelly/Dicky Gale 2005 DMR Honda 600cc 01 05 16.72 104.037 Bronze
19 33 Francois Leblond/Sylvie
Leblond
2000 Shelbourne Suzuki 600cc 01 05 33.25 103.600
20 54 Keith Walters/Alun Thomas 2008 Ireson Honda 600cc 01 05 37.02 103.501
21 24 Mick Harvey/Steve Taylor 2007 Harvey Suzuki 600cc 01 06 04.98 102.771
22 48 Wayne Lockey/Mark
Howard
2000 Ireson Yamaha 600cc 01 06 06.72 102.726
23 35 Mike Roscher/Michael
Hildebrand
1998 DMR Honda 600cc 01 06 41.67 101.828
24 36 Mark Brown/David Brown* 2003 Ireson Honda 600cc 01 06 46.27 101.711
25 30 Nev Jones/Steve Gaunt 2007 LCR Kawasaki 600cc 01 07 03.71 101.271
26 52 Brian Alflatt/Herve Chenu 2004 Baker Suzuki 600cc 01 07 24.41 100.752
27 44 Wal Saunders/Eddy Kiff 2006 Ireson Yamaha 600cc 01 07 34.94 100.491
28 37 Dylan Lynch/Aaron Galligan 2007 LCR Yamaha 600cc 01 07 55.95 99.973
29 55 Robert Handcock/Mathew
Buckley
1997 Baker Yamaha 600cc 01 08 04.31 99.768
30 49 Geoff Smale/Lee Barrett 2005 DMR Honda 600cc / Jan Ringnalda/Ringnald-Nanotech 01 08 22.13 99.335
31 53 Andy King/Steven Pooley 2007 Ireson Honda 600cc 01 09 32.87 97.651
32 51 Claude Montagnier/Laurent
Seyeux
2007 LCR Kawasaki 600cc 01 09 44.04 97.390
33 42 Alan Warner/Bert Vloemans 2007 Ireson Suzuki 600cc / BRIAN ROSTRON DIALLED IN 01 09 52.89 97.184
RACING
34 56 Ruth Laidlow/Julie Hanks-
Elliott
2007 LCR Suzuki 600cc / ACTION MOTORCYCLES 01 09 55.19 97.131
35 32 Howard Baker/Mike
Killingsworth
2005 Shelbourne Honda 600cc / D & J Bikespares, Lincoln 01 14 23.71 91.288
