Chris Palmer and Peter Symes took victory in the 350cc and 250cc Classic Grand Prix races respectively in comfortable fashion at the Manx GP Festival. Symes cruised to victory but Palmer had a little luck on his side to take his third win at the event.
Roy Richardson got off to a lightning start in the 350cc race and opened up a 30 second lead over Palmer by the Bungalow. Ryan Farquhar had been running third close behind the Castletown rider but was reported to have stopped at Brandywell, promoting Chris Swallow.
Richardson had been circulating at near-record speed but his race was cruelly ended at Black Dub where he was forced to retire. With a one-minute lead over Swallow in second, Palmer wouldn’t surrender the advantage although he was given a fright by a clutch problem on the final lap. Swallow could only close the gap to 34 seconds but won’t have let that dampen his enthusiasm having claimed his first ever podium at the Manx Grand Prix Festival. Nigel Moore completed the top three a further minute adrift.
In the 250cc class, Symes dominated from the start, taking a 14 second lead over Ewan Hamilton on the first lap, a margin that would only increase. His task was made rather easier by the retirement of his nearest challenger at the Ramsey Bus Stop on lap two with Dave Edwards moving into second, a full four minutes back by the time the chequered flag flew. Geoff Bates claimed the final podium place but Bob Millinship will feel that should’ve been his having ran out of fuel on the last lap.