After heavy rain on Monday, Isle Of Man TT action finally commenced on a blustery but sunny Tuesday evening, with Silicone Engineering Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison laying down the early marker on the Mountain course.
After some earlier delays, the session commenced at 6:31 pm with Michael Rutter (Bathams Racing Honda) and James Hiller (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) the first pair down Glencrutchery Road onboard their Superbike machines whilst the Honda Superstock machines of Ian Hutchinson and David Johnson followed the Superbikes down Bray Hill.
Harrison, who will be looking to win this year after missing out on the Senior race win last year, set the benchmark with a speed of 129.53mph. Harrison also topped the Superstock session whilst many famous names hit trouble around the 37.73-mile course.
Last years Senior TT winner Peter Hickman hit trouble on his Smiths Racing BMW, stopping twice whilst Honda’s Ian Hutchinson had a crash at the 11th Milestone, escaping from his off unscathed. Hickman returned to the pits after his mechanical issue at Quarter Bridge, jumping straight onto his Supersport machine.
Dean Harrison went straight to the top of the timesheets with a 17:28.610 onboard his Superbike machine. Connor Cummins slotted into second place +11.815s behind the pacesetter after the first day.
James Hillier rounded out the first three in the Superbike class whilst TT legend Michael Dunlop finished fourth 03.784s ahead of the Bathams Honda of Michael Rutter.
After his earlier crash, Ian Hutchinson completed the Superbike session in ninth overall whilst on his return to the TT course, John McGuiness completed day one in fifteenth place on the Norton with Buildbase Suzuki newcomer Jay Lawrence a further two places behind McPint in Seventeenth.
Dean Harrison also set the pace in the Superstock class, finishing the session 22.446s ahead of Honda’s David Johnson with Sam West impressing in third. Lee Johnston came back to the Grandstand in fourth place just ahead of Michael Dunlop and Daley Mathison. Despite his troubles with the Smiths BMW, Peter Hickman finished the Superstock session in seventh place with Michael Rutter and James Hillier taking it steady in ninth and eleventh positions respectively.
Finally, in the Supersport class, Peter Hickman put his Trooper Triumph on top of the timesheets 16.886s ahead of Derek McGee and 22.924s ahead of Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston.
The Checkered Flag will keep you up to date with all the action from this years TT races.