TT 1982
Ron Haslam finally scored his first TT victory in the 1982 Formula One race, riding for Honda Britain.
Teammate Mick Grant was the early leader, with Haslam pushing him hard until Grant's Honda expired on the fifth lap. His demise left Haslam with a comfortable ride to victory ahead of Dunlop and impressive New Zealander Dave Hiscock aboard a Suzuki.
The Classic race was won by another New Zealander, Dennis Ireland, who took full advantage of others' misfortunes. Riding his 500cc two-stroke Suzuki, he was not in the first six (headed by Yamaha mounted Charlie Williams) at the end of the first lap. The leaders then started to drop out like flies.
Ireland moved into fourth place at the end of the second lap. Grant and Haslam then retired and Ireland could not believe his luck when the two men in front of him dropped out on the fifth lap. Williams topped at Ballacrye and Joey Dunlop at the Bungalow, and the New Zealander kept his cool to win from South African Jon Ekerold, the former 350cc World Champion and Tony Rutter.
The six-lap Senior was split into two classes for 500 and 350cc machines. Grant was looking the likely winner on his Suzuki when he collided with a slower rider near Ballig Bridge and was lucky to escape serious injury.
Ulsterman Norman Brown made it a memorable TT debut by taking over to win on his Suzuki from Ekerold and Ireland.
Tony Rutter won the 350cc class on his Yamaha after Graeme McGregor, who had led for the first couple of laps, dropped out. Rutter made it a double with victory in the TT Formula Two race on his Ducati, with Gary Padgett winning the Formula Three event on his Yamaha.
It really was a week of retirements and the 250cc Junior was no exception. Eventually Con Law was the winner, riding a Rotax-powered Waddon, after the likes of Charlie Williams, Phil Mellor, McGregor and Rutter had all hit mechanical problems. Norman Brown continued his impressive debut in second place, with Pete Wild third.
It was a similar story in the first sidecar race when favourites Jock Taylor and Benga Johansson hit big problems on the first lap. They eventually finished 18th and Mick Boddice led for two laps, only to retire on the final lap with engine failure. Trevor Ireson (with passenger Donnie Williams) moved to the head of the leader board and had no such worries, taking the chequered in front of Greasley and Hanks.
Boddice's cruel luck continued in the second race. He led Taylor by a fraction of a second when he was forced out at Sulby Crossroads on the second lap. Taylor took over, increasing the lap record to 108.29mph, to win from husband and wife team Dennis and Julia Bingham and Steve Abbott and Shaun Smith. Overall victory from the two races went to Roy hanks and Vince Biggs, who were fifth in that second race.
Sadly it was Jock Taylor's last TT. He was killed competing at the Finnish Grand Prix at Imatra two months later.