JORDAN TAKES FIRST MOUNTAIN COURSE WIN IN HISTORIC JUNIOR CLASSIC TT

Paul Jordan claimed victory in Friday afternoon’s single lap Historic Junior Classic TT race, the Davies Motorsport Honda rider getting the better of Dean Harrison (Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof Honda) by nine seconds. Harrison’s team-mate Jamie Coward completed the podium in third.

Cut to one lap due rain showers around the course after the preceding Historic Senior Classic TT race. Joe Yeardsley (Ken Rutter Racing Honda) was the first to reach Glen Helen having already overhauled John McGuinness MBE, who started at number one on the Steadplan Racing Honda, on the road.

However, Harrison had caught both although he was only third quickest to the first timing point. It was qualifying pace setter Michael Evans on the second Ken Rutter Racing machine who led, his advantage over Jordan 7.5s with Harrison a further 1.5s back.

Coward, Yeardsley and Dan Sayle (John Chapman Racing Honda)completed the early top six and they were followed by Maurizio Bottalico (Atherstone Accident Repair/Team Venditti Honda), Adam McLean (Flitwick Motorcycles by Melbray London Honda), Davey Todd on the second Steadplan Racing machine and Harley Rushton (Chris Hughes Racing Honda).

At Ballaugh Bridge, Jordan hit the front and turned his deficit into a 0.8s advantage lapping some eight seconds quicker than Evans on the run from Glen Helen. Evans’ four-minute sector suggested he was in trouble and, indeed, he was given as a retirement soon afterwards.

That promoted everyone up the order and at Ramsey, Jordan now led Harrison by 3.2s with Coward 9.8s back in third. Fourth to sixth was now Yeardsley, Todd and Sayle, just 2.4s separating Yeardsley and Todd but Shaun Anderson was another retirement, coming to a halt on the DKW at Handley’s.

Jordan extended his lead by more than five seconds between Ramsey and the Bungalow and with just over six miles to go, he led Harrison by 8.494s. Coward looked secure in third, but it remained close between Yeardsley, Sayle, McLean and Todd.

Harrison was first to take the chequered flag with a speed of 103.179mph, but it was Jordan who took the win, his first around the Mountain Course, a lap of 103.890mph giving him victory by 9.012s.

Coward claimed the final podium position in third and it was Sayle who grabbed fourth from Yeardsley and McLean, just 4.4s covering the three riders after 37 and ¾ miles. The top six all lapped at more than 100mph with the top ten completed by Todd, Rushton, Bottalico and Alan Oversby (Ruthless Racing Honda).

Michael Sweeney (CSC Racing/IMSLTD Honda) finished just outside in 11th, a second ahead of Will Loder (Greeves) as McGuinness took 13th.

BROWNE WINS HISTORIC SENIOR CLASSIC TT THRILLER BY 0.268S

Mike Browne won Friday afternoon’s thrilling two-lap Historic Senior Classic TT race when, riding the Peter Lodge Racing Norton, he edged out Adam McLean (Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Royal Enfield) by the slender margin of just 0.268s.

Dean Harrison (Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof Matchless) completed the podium in third after early leader John McGuinness (Winfield Paton) retired with a puncture.

McGuinness, number one on the road, was first to reach Glen Helen and he was already 14.8s up on Joe Yeardsley on the second Royal Enfield, whilst last year’s Manx Grand Prix winner Shaun Anderson (Beugger Racing Paton) was an early retirement, stopping at the Railway Pub in Union Mills.

It was Browne who was second quickest at the first timing point though, 4.8s down on McGuinness and it was close with Paul Jordan (Davies Motorsport Yamaha) only four tenths of a second back in third. McLean, Harrison and Ian Lougher (Winfield Paton) were the early top six.

At Ballaugh, McGuinness still led, and his advantage was now 6.9s but it was Jordan now in second albeit by just half a second from Browne. McLean was 2.7s behind Browne with Harrison 2.9s further adrift in fifth whilst Hefyn Owen (Owen Racing Matchless) retired at Ballacraine.

Rounding Ramey Hairpin for the first time, McGuinness had extended his lead to 8.7s but Browne was back up to second as Jordan retired at Parliament Square. That promoted McLean up to third, only 2.9s behind Browne, with Harrison, Lougher and Yeardsley now running fourth to sixth.

At the Bungalow, McGuinness’s lead was down to 5.9s as McLean had the quickest run up the Mountain and Browne was still well in touch, only 0.7s adrift as a three-way battle for the lead ensued.

McGuinness was first to complete the lap at 108.601mph but he immediately pulled in to retire, a rear wheel puncture the cause. That put McLean, who lapped at 109.806mph, into the lead with a 2.8s advantage over Browne (109.555mph), McGuinness’s lap placed him third ahead of Harrison (108.134mph) and Lougher (106.988mph) as Barry Furber (Martin Ireland Honda) moved up to sixth.

Michael Sweeney, Dan Sayle, Conor Cummins and Michael Evans filled seventh to tenth with Yeardsley another retirement, this time at Brandish.

Through Glen Helen on the second and final lap, McLean led by 4.7s but Browne responded on the high-speed run to Ballaugh and as they jumped the bridge, the gap between the two riders was down to 2.4s. And rounding Ramsey Hairpin, Browne hit the front for the first time, turning his deficit into a 1.3s advantage with just the Mountain section to go.

At the Bungalow, the two riders were separated by just 0.8s and sweeping round Cronk ny Mona it was down further to 0.316s. McLean was first to complete the lap at 110.457mph but Browne was quicker at 110.727mph and he took the victory by just 0.268s!

Harrison claimed the final podium position in third as Lougher, Furber and Sweeney (CSC Racing/IMSLTD Honda) completed the top six. Cummins (Steadplan Racing Honda), Evans (Melbray Norton), Davey Todd (Steadplan Racing Honda) and Alan Oversby (Ruthless Racing Honda) rounded out the top ten with Dutch newcomer Jeffrey Vermeulen (Van Giersbergen Motoren Ducati) claiming 11th after posting his first 100mph+ lap of the Mountain Course.