TT winner Farquhar takes 8 from 8 at season opener
Isle of Man TT winner Ryan Farquhar got his 2010 campaign under way in the best possible style – take eight wins from eight starts!
The reigning Duke Road Race Rankings title holder dominated the roads last year, and headed into this season determined to maintain his stunning form.
And as the roads season started at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, on Sunday, the Dungannon star showed he is still the man to beat.
The KMR Kawasaki racer won both legs of the Ian Watson Trophy, to retain the trophy he won last year, both legs of the Supersport 600cc, both legs of the Mini Twins and both legs of the Singles. The victories saw Farquhar build his Oliver’s Mount win tally to 52, making him the third most successful rider ever around the 2.43-mile woodland circuit.
The four-times Duke Road Race Rankings winner enjoyed a 4.5s margin of victory on his Kawasaki KXF450 in the singles race, then had a fierce battle with Michael Pearson for the win in the first leg of the 600cc class. There were more comfortable victories for Farquhar in the first Mini Twins race and the first leg of the Ian Watson Trophy, where he led Pearson home by four seconds.
The KXF450 carried Farquhar to his fifth win of the day and the sixth soon followed in the second 600cc race. That proved the toughest race of the day as he only got the better of Pearson by 0.287s.
The second Mini Twins race saw Farquhar take the chequered flag 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the field, and he ensured a 100% success story in his final race of the day, the second leg of the Ian Watson Trophy, taking victory by more than four seconds again.
Farquhar said:
“Eight wins from eight starts - it doesn’t get much better than that! It’s been the perfect start to my road racing season and I couldn’t have asked for any more, the day went exactly to plan.”
“I had a slight problem with the 600 as I’d fitted a new seat cover and the foam padding was really slippy so I kept sliding forwards when I was on the brakes, but apart from that everything was really good.”
“I knew at the beginning of the year that the little 450 would work best at Scarborough as the 125s don’t get the opportunity to use their top speed advantage and I’m already loving riding it. I’m a little bit race rusty and got a wee bit tired towards the end of the day so I’ll be training hard again this week in readiness for the Cookstown 100.”
“I’m just looking for a safe, steady day there and then look to get a couple of outings on the Superbike in preparation for the North West 200.”
The 2009 TT was the undoubted low point of an otherwise amazing season for Farquhar, but he is determined to have a strong showing in 2010. He will be riding his own KMR Kawasaki team machinery, as well as bikes supplied by MSS Colchester Kawasaki.