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Disappointing TT 2015 for Farquhar

Tuesday 16 June 2015
TT
Ryan Farquhar at Ballacraine, TT 2015

Ryan Farquhar's 2015 Isle of Man TT race campaign ended up being a disappointing one for the Dungannon ace as, for the first time in his illustrious career, he failed to finish a race. The SGS International/KMR Kawasaki rider was forced to retire from the Superbike, Superstock, Lightweight and Senior races whilst the latter also saw former KMR rider Jamie Hamilton seriously injured.
 
The week got off to disappointing start when he retired from the Superbike race at the end of the fourth lap after experiencing a few handling problems and it was a similar story in Tuesday's four-lap Superstock encounter. That just left Friday to salvage a result but it was the race Ryan had been waiting for, the Lightweight.
 
An opening lap of 118.856mph put him just two seconds behind the pace-setting Ivan Lintin and right in contention but as he left the pits after refuelling, he was hit with a thirty second penalty for speeding. That dropped him down the order to ninth although he soon had to stop at Cronk-y-Voddy, his race coming to an abrupt end. Lee Johnston, on another SGS International/KMR Kawasaki, was promoted to third but he retired at Ballacraine on the final lap. However, Michael Russell and Danny Webb took seventh and tenth place finishes on KMR machines to salvage something for the team.
 
The Senior followed and an opening lap of 128.096mph placed him in 14th but the race was stopped half way round the second lap due to Hamilton's accident. On the re-start, held over four laps, Ryan was again holding onto 14th after his best lap of the fortnight, 128.569mph, but a loose clip-on meant he called it a day at the pit stop.
 
Ryan Farquhar: "In all the years I've been going to the TT, it was probably the worst meeting I've ever had. The team's based around the Supertwin racing and I took the Kawasaki ZX-10R Superbike and Superstock machines for the extra time but I wasn't able to finish a race. The 650 felt strong and I felt like I was riding well but on the day of the race, it wasn't meant to be. I haven't had chance to look at the bike yet but it could be that a crank shaft failed. I'm sorry for Lee (Johnston) too as he was going well too but sometimes motorbike racing does these things to you. Michael and Danny had two good rides though so I was pleased for them."
 
"The big bike was going well with a full tank of fuel but when it lightened, I was getting kicked around by the bumps too much. It was the best it was all week in the Senior but before it was stopped, I was having a few issues with the clip on coming back to the tank so I was able to tighten it up before the re-run. I was running with Dan Kneen on the road and when Peter Hickman and David Johnson came past, we were all running round together and I felt comfortable with them and confident of getting into the 129s. Unfortunately, the problem returned and I pulled in at the pits and quit whilst I was ahead."
 
"It wasn't a good TT for many of the Irish riders but putting things into perspective, I was able to drive home and get home safe, which is what we all want. Unfortunately, Jamie wasn't so fortunate and everyone at KMR Kawasaki is hoping and praying that he pulls through. He was a big part of the team for a couple of years and he's a good lad so we're all keeping our fingers crossed."
 
Ryan now heads to Oliver's Mount, Scarborough for the Barry Sheene Classic Festival on June 20-21 where he'll be riding Roger Winfield's Paton and Yamaha machines.

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