McGuinness 'well pleased' with practice pace
TT great John McGuinness says he is ‘well pleased’ after setting the fastest lap in the first timed practice session of the 2009 Isle of Man TT.
The 14-time TT winner and outright lap record holder topped the timesheets with both his HM Plant Honda superbike and his Padgetts Superstock Honda during the Monday evening session – the second practice run of the festival.
The Morecambe star lapped the legendary TT Mountain course at an average speed of 128.067mph on the Superbike, 11 seconds clear of second fastest rider Adrian Archibald.
Riding the Superstock machine, the same bike he uses in the British championship, McGuinness completed two laps with average speeds above 123mph, despite a problem with his steering damper.
Although the damper was still on its short circuit setting for the first lap, McGuinness still managed the fastest lap of the night for the class, at an average 124.684mph.
McGuinness said:
‘It’s been a good night and I’m well pleased with how the bikes are working.’
‘I had a good run round on the Superbike and it’s working good, there’s not a lot we need to change on it now. I’m still building up my confidence on the big bike and can be a bit sharper on the brakes and the like so there’s plenty more to come.’
‘I went out on the stocker and had forgotten to alter the steering damper after I last rode it at Donington, but I managed to get two laps in. It was my own fault so I just took it steady through the sections where I knew it would be bad so to be fastest was very pleasing.’
‘There’s a long way to go yet but we’re in the ballpark and I just need to get out on the Supersport bike next to see where we are with that.’
Practice continues this evening and you can follow the action as it happens with TT Live!