Everything ready for first session of the 2012 Isle of Man TT
Everything is set for the first session of the 2012 Isle of Man TT races fuelled by Monster Energy, which takes place this evening.
Track conditions are expected to be good, with dry roads all round the course following the recent good weather, however high winds have been reported on the Island.
Solo newcomers will be out first tonight on a speed controlled lap of the 37.73-mile Mountain course behind the travelling marshals, with practice scheduled to commence at 6.20pm.
A qualifying session will then be held for the BikerPetition.co.uk Lightweight Supertwin class and solo newcomers, followed by a controlled lap for Sidecar newcomers and a free qualifying session for Sidecar machines, which will mark the return to the Mountain course of 14-time Sidecar TT winner Dave Molyneux, who last competed at the TT in 2010.
Leading solo riders expected to go out tonight in the Lightweight SuperTwin class will include Northern Ireland’s Ryan Farquhar, who won the Supertwin race at the North West 200 last week, riding an ER6 for his own KMR Kawasaki team. Other top names involved in the first session include James Hillier, Cameron Donald, Ian Lougher, Simon Andrews, William and Michael Dunlop and Adrian Archibald, while newcomers getting their first laps will include Karl Harris, Jimmy Storrar, John Ingram, Lee Johnson and Northern Ireland’s Jamie Hamilton, who will be competing on behalf of Farquhar’s KMR team.
John McGuinness, the 17-times TT winner who has been enjoying recent good form, will start as the big favourite for more success on the Honda TT Legends Fireblade in the Dainese Superbike and PokerStars Senior races following last year’s double wins. McGuinness, who holds the outright lap record of 131.578mph, will begin qualifying on Monday, when the Supersport, Superstock and Superbike qualifying sessions all get underway. This session will also be the first time that leading riders Michael Rutter, Bruce Anstey, Ian Hutchinson, Guy Martin, Gary Johnson, Conor Cummins and Dan Kneen will take to the track.
The first race day of the 2012 meeting, Saturday, June 2, features the Dainese Superbike (11am) and Sure Sidecar race 1 (2pm). Monday, June 4, will see the Monster Energy Supersport 1 (10.45am) and Royal London 360 Superstock race (2pm).
All eyes will be on the SES TT Zero race on Wednesday, June 6, (10.45am), as racers target a history-making first 100mph+ lap, while Wednesday also features the second Monster Energy Supersport race (1pm) and Sure Sidecar race 2 (3.15pm). The meeting culminates on Friday, June 8, with the BikerPetition.co.uk Lightweight race (10.45am) and the blue riband PokerStars Senior TT (1.30pm). All times are subject to change due to weather conditions.
Live timing for all qualifying and races can be accessed through TT Live!