On only the second night of TT 2014 practice, Bruce Anstey has set a near 131mph lap on the Honda Racing Fireblade to top the timesheets.
Anstey had a transponder problem so wasn’t registering laps on the electronic timing but was clocked at 130.86mph the old fashioned way and beat John McGuinness’ 129.395,. The Morecambw Missile said that Anstey must have been faster as he overtook McGuinness on the road.
Michael Dunlop didn’t cross the finish line on his second lap, pulling off at Governor’s Dip after running out of petrol but he was some four seconds up on McGuinness at Cronk-ny-Mona on lap two before rolling to a halt.Hi team will have to make some fueling adjustments before Saturday. His first lap from a standing start was 129.032mph and enough for fourth.
Third on the timesheets was Guy Martin, who didn’t get out on his Superbike last night so it is the Lincolnshire rider’s first session on the big Tyco Suzuki and he put in a 129.164mph lap while wily veteran Michael Rutter was fifth with a 128.728mph lap.
McGuinness’ team-mate Conor Cummins was sixth quickest on a 128.719 with William Dunlop, on the sister Tyco bike seventh on a 127.910. Gary Johnson’s Honda was next up on a 127.707mph lap, Dan Kneen on a 125.853mph while Ian Hutchinson’s Milwaukee Yamaha rounded out the top ten on a 125.026mph lap.
MCE British Superbike challenger Josh Brookes was only fractionally slower than his Milwaukee team-mate after experiencing gearbox problems last night, lapping in 124.842mph.
Last night’s fastest newcomer Peter Hickman upped his pace to 119mph while Martin Jessopp put in a 117.385mph lap. Danny Webb increased his speed to 112.766mph.
James Hiller topped the Superstock table with a 126.243, followed by Michael Dunlop on a 125.840. Michael Rutter put his Bathams BMW in third with Bruce Anstey and John McGuinness fifth on a 124.259.
Irishman Lee Johnston was fastest in the Supersport class with a 123.803 with Gary Johnson and Michael Rutter in close attendance. William Dunlop was fourth on a 123.063 with Dean Harrison fifth, lapping at 122.803mph.
Ivan Lintin ruled the Lightweight class with the first and second fastest laps, the former being 117.297. Veteran Keith Amor was second on a 116.814, James Cowton third, Oli Linsdell fourth and last year’s winner James Hillier in fifth on a 114.743.
