McGurk and Kent close 2010 Manx GP with race wins

The final day’s racing at the 2010 Manx Grand Prix, sponsored by visitisleofman.com, was subject to an hour’s delay with mist reported on the mountain section of the course.

Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman reported that the roads were dry and that conditions were good although riders were advised to watch out for mist patches on the mountain and a lack of adhesion flag would also be shown at Ballagarey for the first lap.

The Lightweight and Ultra Lightweight race was first on the track and eventually got underway at 11.15. It was started by five-time 2010 TT winner Ian Hutchinson, who began his racing career on the Isle of Man by winning the Manx Grand Prix Newcomers Race in 2003.

Neil Kent, the winner of the John Goodall ‘Spirit of the Manx’ and Dan Sayle, fastest qualifier in the Lightweight class were first away with Davy Morgan, Nigel Moore, Stuart Garton and double Classic MGP winner Roy Richardson next away.

However, Dan Sayle, who clocked an unofficial lap record for the class in qualifying, broke down at Quarterbridge on the first lap with a seized engine, leaving Davie Morgan in top spot by Glen Helen with Neil Kent in second place on the Yamaha DTR 250cc, less than a second behind and Tom Snow in third, a further five seconds behind.

Kent had passed McGurk by Ballaugh to lead by two seconds and completed the first lap in 112.032 to lead by less than two seconds from Morgan (111.979.627mph) with Snow (108.267) a further 37s back in third.

Shortly after Morgan was reported stopped at Ballaugh Bridge on the second lap leaving Kent with a commanding lead of almost a minute from Tom Snow by Ramsey with Stuart Garton moving up into the final podium spot.

Kent came into the pits after his second lap (112.078), with Snow holding second after clocking 108.909 and Stuart Garton still in third and maintained a commanding lead after the pit stop.

He held his lead with a third lap time of 104.743 from Snow (102.878) and Garton (103.135mph) and duly came home to take his first victory at the Manx Grand Prix with a final lap of 108.976 and overall average of 1:22.47.49 (109.374).

Tom Snow finished second in (1:24.23.08) (107.309) and Stuart Garton claimed the final podium place in 1:25.01.63 (106.498mph).

Kent’s victory was the first win on the Isle of Man for the Dennis Trollope team since Bruce Anstey’s 250cc win in 2002.

After the race Kent commented: “The bike is unbelievable and I’ve had a fantastic fortnight with winning the John Goodall Award of the beginning of the fortnight and now this. All I was doing during the race was trying to concentrate, with the shadows under the trees. It’s only taken me 21 years to win.”

The Ultra Lightweight Class set off two minutes after the last Lightweight bike, at 11.17am, and Wayne Kirwan and Joe Phillips were first away but Phil McGurk quickly made his mark and was first to Glen Helen, with Rab Davie in second, almost eight seconds behind the leader and Trevor Ferguson third a further 11s back completing the top three.

However, Ferguson dropped back and was reported as making adjustments at Sulby Bridge.

McGurk increased his lead to almost 20s by Ramsey and although Rab Davie posted a new lap record for the Ultra Lightweight Class of 110.207, beating Keith Taylor’s 2003 mark, it was quickly broken by McGurk who clocked 112.261 to lead by over 20 seconds with Davie Bell (109.611) on the Kawasaki ER6 650cc moving up to third after the first lap.

That remained the top three after the second lap with McGurk (112.229), Davie (110.378) and Bell 110.880 with Bell and David Moffitt (109.879) in fourth also inside the old lap record.

However, with McGurk, Davie and Bell all coming into the pits, Ivan Lintin went straight through the grandstand and moved up into second place on the Suzuki SV 650cc. McGurk extended his lead over Lintin by Ramsey to lead by 19 seconds with Davie holding third.

McGurk’s third lap of (106.050) gave him a lead of almost 40 seconds from Lintin (108.346mph) and with Lintin coming into the pits at the end of the third lap, McGurk’s lead was extended to a commanding 54 seconds by Glen Helen on the final lap from Davie who moved back into second and Joe Phillips on the Kawasaki ERF 650cc in third, who both moved up following Lintin’s pit.

McGurk took the victory with a final lap of 112.572, beating the record he set on the opening lap, and an overall race record of 1:21.47.48. Davie finished in second (1:22.57.92) with Joe Phillips claiming his first podium at the Manx Grand Prix in third with a race time of (1:23.06.45).

There was also a notable performance from local rider and winner of the Newcomer B race, Jonny Heginbotham, who finished sixth overall at an average speed of 107.129mph.