McGuinness tops Practice Week times
After a sunny day in the Isle of Man competitors preparing for their final full practice session at the 2008 TT were greeted by overcast conditions and a slight breeze.
At about 6.30pm, after a short delay, the solos left the TT Grandstand in Douglas for their first lap of the day.
Once again Guy Martin, on the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda Superbike, was among the first to go out and roared through the Unisys speed trap in Sulby at 187.5mph. However, that was eclipsed by Kiwi Bruce Anstey on the Relentless by TAS Suzuki Superbike, who touched 190mph on Sulby straight.
Adrian Archibald suffered some early problems, pulling off at Glen Helen to make adjustments.
He would later manage a best average speed of 126.018mph on his Suzuki Superbike.
Martin completed his first lap in 17m 47.87s, an average speed of 127.195mph. However, just moments later 13-times TT winner John McGuinness - whose lap hadn’t looked sensational – blasted past with an average speed of 127.383mph on the Padgett’s Honda Superbike.
After what appeared to have been a troubled practice week for the fastest man around the TT course, it looks like McGuinness has got the machine sorted ahead of Saturday Dainese Superbike TT Race.
With the fastest lap of the week so far under his belt, McGuinness carried on for a second circuit – and was obviously very happy with the bike.
He completed the sector between the Grandstand and Glen Helen seven seconds quicker than he on the first lap, and managed 190.6mph at the Unisys speed trap in Sulby.
Martin had also carried on for another go and raised the bar to 127.77mph on his second lap.
But McGuinness stamped his authority on the session with an average speed of 128.611mph, the speed which will stand as the fatest of the 2008 Practice Week.
Relentless by TAS Suzuki rider Cameron Donald showed he is a man to watch at the 2008 TT with a 128.488mph average speed lap, his fastest ever on the Mountain circuit.
Michael Dunlop on the Supersport R6 Yamaha lapped at 116.938mph, while McGuinness managed a 126.566mph lap on the Padgett’s Honda Superstock machine.
With sidecar crews gathering in the pitlane, the chequered flag was shown to the solos at 7.55pm.
Once again, it was the outfit of outright lap record holder Nick Crowe who got the sidecar practice under way, followed by John Holden, Steve Norbury and Klaus Klaffenbock.
Crowe and passenger Mark Cox completed their first lap at an average speed of 113.207mph. Holden and Andrew Winkle went through with a 112.067mph lap and the outfit of Norbury and Rick Long averaged 109.829mph.
They all continued for a second lap, while Klaffi and Christian Parser pulled in at the end of their 107.907mph lap.
World Champions Tim Reeves and Patrick Farrance, at the end of their first Isle of Man TT practice week, completed their opening lap at 107.255mph.
Crowe and Cox set the fastest lap of the week on their second circuit, with an average speed of 115.534mph, and pulled in.
Holden and Winkle followed them in after lapping at 113.117mph. Norbury and Long were next to finish their second lap, at an average speed of 110.785mph.
Reeves and Farrance improved again, with a lap at 110.263mph, and continued for a third lap.
Dave Molyneux and Dan Sayle did go out in the Suzuki-powered outfit, but concentrated on race preparations.
At 8.50pm the chequered flag was shown, bringing to a close Practice Week of TT 2008.
Now all eyes are on the first race, the Dainese Superbike TT, which is due to start at midday on Saturday. That will be followed by the Sure Mobile Sidecar TT race one.