IMGOLD MANX GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING GETS UNDERWAY ON THE ISLE OF MAN

After the remaining seven newcomers from Saturday completed the obligatory speed controlled lap, qualifying finally got underway for the IMGold Manx Grand Prix shortly after 6.40pm when Scotland’s Andy Lawson on his GSXR Suzuki powered away from pit lane in the Senior, Junior and SuperTwin session.

Lawson was first back to the grandstand with an opening lap of 115.174, which he followed with a lap of 114.969 but Rob Hodson, from the Wigan racing dynasty, later toped the board with 115.342 on his Junior machine.

Blenheim based Michael Moulai’s 113.704 saw him third overall and second in the Junior class with Loughborough’s Andy Soar who finished runner up in the 2012 Senior MGP as a newcomer, clocking 113.334 to finish third Junior from Paul Smyth who posted an opening lap of 113.420.

Gav Lupton (100.561), Adrian Kershaw (100.045) and Adam Jones (100.016) all posted 100mph plus laps in the Lightweight class while Andrew Farrell (107.179) topped the SuperTwin session from Gary Gittins (107.171) and Joe Phillips (105.314). 1993 F1 TT race winner Nick Jefferies (104.812) was the fourth fastest in the opening qualifying session for the class.

In the Newcomers A session a credible 16 riders passed the magic 100mph lap on their opening attempt with Manxman Billy Redmayne (108.260) topping the board from Ireland’s Shane Egan (107.419) and Wales based Matthew Rees while Eddie Vann (102.758) topped the Newcomers B board and Gavin Brown was the fastest on the opening night of the newcomers C session.

Neil Chadwick was reported to have a broken collar bone in an incident at the start line while Marc Livesey was taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital with shoulder and rib injuries following an accident at Kerrowmoar. Newcomer Frederic Besnard was also taken by airmed with a reported head injury following an incident at Sarah’s Cottage.