Spectacular sunshine for first timed practice of the 2009 TT
Everything is in place for the first timed practice session of the 2009 Isle of Man TT.
The Island is bathed in glorious sunshine, as it has been throughout the first three days of the 2009 TT.
The Mountain section of the legendary TT course was the first part to close, with all roads due to be closed by 6pm. The first bikes are scheduled to leave the Grandstand in Douglas at 6.20pm.
Although this is the second practice session of the 2009 TT, this is the first timed run the riders will have experienced this year – and it might give some early indications of who should be among the favourites for race wins.
Among those expected to star this evening are 14-times TT winner John McGuinness, holder of the outright lap record, and his HM Plant Honda teammate Steve Plater. Other riders to watch include the TAS Suzuki pairing of Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey, Hydrex Honda’s Guy Martin and Robinson Concrete’s Gary Johnson, who is starting at Number One in Saturday’s opening race, the Dainese Superbike TT.
The solo riders will be followed out by the sidecar outfits, due to leave the Grandstand at 8pm, with multiple TT winners Dave Molyneux and Nick Crowe tipped to top the times, although three-times World Champion and TT podium finisher Tim Reeves will also be looking to challenge for fastest lap in this first timed session.
The sidecar session is due to finish at 8.50pm.
You can follow the session as it happens, enjoying live timings, speeds, news from the TT Grandstand and Radio TT commentary with the TT Live! subscription service.
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