MIKE HAMMONDS TT BLOG PAGES
The Final
Curtain comes down on TT 2018
As soon as the Senior TT was over the paddock was a hive of activity
with the teams dismantling their bases and packing them away into the
back of their trucks.
The Norton Team packing up Connor Cummins Leathers in a wheel barrow !!
The oil slick at the bottom of Barragarroo was due to James Hillier's
Kawasaki bottoming out and cracking the sump, thus releasing the oil.
Waved yellow flags were used to warn the riders, I am not sure if the
next man through(Michael Rutter) would have got much of a warning being
only 10 seconds behind.
Ryan Kneen deservedly won the Spirit of the TT award after is lap to
commemorate his late brother Dan.
The final action for TT 2018 was the Post TT Races held at Billown. Once
again the conditions were perfect for the afternoon practicing session
and evening's
aces. The only possible complaint from the riders would have been that
it was too hot, which could said to be the story of the TT.
The Radcliffe Butchers sponsored Post TT consists of three events, the
600cc, 650cc Lightweight and finally the 1000cc race. Each class had two
afternoon practice sessions with an 8 lap race for the 600cc and 1000cc
bikes and a six lap race for the 250 / 650cc lightweights. James Cowton
was fastest in five out of the six practice sessions, Jamie Coward being
fastest in the second 600cc practice. Ryan Kneen qualified third fastest
in the 1000cc race, his first outing since his commemoration lap for
brother Dan. .Cowton, however, claimed pole position in all three
classes, the question was: had he shown his hand to early?
Three great races ensued and true to this years TT lap records were
broken in all three races and race records in two.
The McAdoo Racing team mates James Cowton and Adam Mclean battled it out
with Joey Thompson for the honours in the 600 race. The lead swapped
throughout the race but Adam Mclean pipped his team mate by only 0.209
seconds with Joey Thompson third, 1.511 seconds back; all three being
Kawasaki mounted. Compensation for James Cowton was that he set a new
lap record for a 600 of 109.311 mph.
Adam McClean ahead of Cowton in the 600race, Joey Thompson behind. James Cowton
Cowton again set a new lap record in the 250/650 Lightweight Race with a
lap of 102.758 mph however the new race record was set by Joey Thompson.
Thompson's Paton beat Cowton's Kawasaki by 9.239 seconds setting a new
race average of 101.484. TT debutant, Jonathan Perry was third, also
Kawasaki mounted.
Joey Thompson
The curtain for TT 2018 was brought down by the final race of the
evening, the 1000cc Race. This was particularly emotional for all when
Ryan Kneen claimed the final rostrum position on his 1000cc BMW, he was
given a standing ovation all of the way around the course on his last
lap. James Cowton finally got the win his riding deserved by setting new
lap and race records in beating Rob Hodson by 4.477 seconds. The McAdoo
rider setting a new lap record of 112.345 and race record of 110.204 mph
on his 1000cc Kawasaki, BMW mounted Hodson fastest lap was 111.608mph.
Ryan Kneen at Cross Four Ways, Billown
A fantastic evening's racing brought to a close a fantastic TT.
My thanks go to TT Press Officer Simon Crellin and his Team, the ladies
in the Race Office, S100 Press Officer Phil Edge and to the TT and S100
marshals for allowing me to take photographs from their locations
Mike Hammonds
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