Tim Reeves, four times the champion of the World, romped to a maiden victory in the opening Sure Sidecar TT while for his passenger Dan Sayle it was victory number eight on the Island in a race that marked the 90th anniversary of the first sidecar race on the Island.
The SMT/Haith LCR duo took charge of the race in the closing stages of the first of the three laps and then powered into the distance taking the victory by 20.117secs from Conrad Harrison and Mike Aylott who nosed ahead of 16 times TT winner Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance in the final few mile of the race.
Reeves was able to dictate terms at the front of the race, running for much of the time with Molyneux on the road, and afterwards he reflected on his winning drive.
" You can't imagine how much this means to me ? my hero is Jock Taylor and he won the TT when he was World Champion, and now I have done that. I pushed and pushed on for the first two laps but then on the last lap remembered what John McGuinness had drummed into me that you win race at the slowest speed you can and just held on to that," said Reeves.
Sayle revealed that he and Reeves had anxious moments before the start: "We were a bit concerned before we went out as there was a bit of a crack on the engine which had been repaired so it was a bit on an unknown, but we have the win, and there are not many like Tim who can say they won a TT while they are World Champion."
John Holden/Andy Winkle took fourth ahead of Douglas Wright and Martin Hull.
But there was heartbreak for the Birchall brothers, Ben and Tom, who had surged clear on the opening lap, pulling a lead of a little over six seconds over Reeves only to run into a grass bank at Kate's Cottage, on the descent down the mountain, causing a puncture and their retirement at Creg ny Baa.
Results:
1 3 Tim Reeves / Daniel Sa LCR/SMT / Haith LCR 59:42.957 113.728 Replica
2 5 Conrad Harrison / Mike Shelbourne Honda/Printer Roller Services 01:00:03.0 113.093 Replica
3 1 Dave Molyneux / Patrick DMR/DMR 01:00:03.6 113.077 Replica
4 2 John Holden / Andrew LCR/Barnes Racing / David Johnston Builders / Zircon 01:00:32.1 112.189 Replica
5 7 Douglas Wright / Martin Baker/Eddy's Moto 01:00:56.9 111.426 Replica
6 6 Gary Bryan / Jamie Win Baker Honda/GBM UK / Drury Eng / Bass Tyres 01:01:08.7 111.067 Replica
7 14 Gary Knight / Dan Knigh DMR Kawasaki/RSR Redline 01:02:13.8 109.131 Replica
8 13 Karl Bennett / Lee Cain Kawasaki/ 01:02:22.6 108.876 Replica
9 9 Robert Handcock / Basil Shelbourne Honda/Maddockhire 01:02:31.0 108.633 Replica
10 15 Frank Lelias / Charlie Ri Suzuki/TTW Racing 01:02:51.3 108.047 Replica
11 11 Tony Baker / Fiona Bak Suzuki Baker/ 01:03:32.2 106.887 Replica
12 19 John Saunders / Shaun Shelbourne/ 01:03:50.1 106.387 Replica
13 24 Wayne Lockey / Luke C Ireson Honda/Real Racing 01:03:56.3 106.215 Replica
14 17 Roy Hanks / Kevin Perry Molyneux Rose/Dorwingear Ltd 01:03:56.9 106.201 Replica
15 21 Mick Donovan / Aaron G Honda Ireson/Bruff Garden Machinery 01:04:02.9 106.034 Replica
16 28 Nicholas Dukes / Willia Other/Dukes Racing 01:04:15.7 105.681 Replica
17 22 Francois Leblond / Cyril Shelbourne Suzuki/Racing Side 01:04:25.0 105.428 Replica
18 29 Andy King / Kenny Cole Natures Flame/Hoft Racing 01:04:25.4 105.416 Replica
19 16 Gordon Shand / Phil Hy Shand F2/Kevin Ashworth Machined Timber 01:04:26.8 105.378 Replica
20 25 Mike Roscher / Uwe Ne Suzuki/ 01:04:59.9 104.485 Replica
21 37 Darren Hope / Paul Bum Kawasaki/ 01:05:30.3 103.675 Replica
22 38 Pete Alton / Keith Brothe Yamaha/OTC Dyno Centre 01:05:35.7 103.535 Replica
23 26 David Atkinson / Phil Kn LCR Suzuki/D E O'Reilly Transport 01:06:01.1 102.871
24 31 David Hirst / Benjamin B Honda/Leeds Parcel Company 01:06:06.2 102.737
25 34 Brian Alflatt / Heath Lan Suzuki/ 01:06:09.5 102.651
26 36 Wally Saunders / Eddy Ireson Suzuki/ 01:06:33.9 102.024
27 49 Tom Quaye* / Thomas Suzuki/Meon Valley Racing 01:06:42.4 101.809
28 44 Michael Grabmuller / Ma Yamaha/POLIZEIISPORTVEREIN WELS-DELTA RACI 01:07:17.0 100.935
29 52 Estelle Leblond* / Sebas SGR/ 01:07:29.1 100.635
30 50 Dave Quirk / Robert Lun DMR Yamaha/ 01:07:35.1 100.487
31 42 Nick Houghton / Paul Th Yamaha/Express Tyre Service Lockerbie 01:07:36.5 100.452
32 51 Andrew Williams* / Alun Honda/ 01:07:38.3 100.407
33 35 Claude Montagnier / Fra Kawasaki/ 01:08:54.8 98.548
34 20 Howard Baker / Mike Kill Shelbourne Honda/BK Racing 01:10:21.5 96.524
35 56 Franck Barbier* / Emma Baker Suzuki/ 01:11:27.3 95.043
36 59 Nigel Smith / Peter Burg Honda/ 01:12:06.5 94.181
37 39 Stephen Hicks* / PJ Mc Suzuki/Minion Racing 01:13:35.9 92.276
38 46 Michael Lines / Julie Ha Other/Steam N Gleam LTD 01:13:45.7 92.071
39 54 John Shipley* / Stephen LCR F2 sidecar/Heywood Electrical 01:14:25.1 91.259
40 45 Didier Siro* / Helene Sir Baker Suzuki/ 01:14:28.2 91.196
41 58 John Chandler* / Annett Shelbourne /Anode Electronics Ltd 01:17:21.9 87.783
42 62 Deborah Barron / Karl S Kawasaki/ 01:17:23.8 87.747
43 48 Remy Guignard / Freder MR Equipe suzuki/Roof 01:23:01.1 81.806
44 61 Pa Giltenane* / Aidan Br Suzuki/Hi-level Cleaning Ltd 56:09.296 80.627 Replica