JEFFERIES TAKES JUNIOR TT
| David Jefferies won the Junior 600cc TT on
the Isle of Man on Wednesday after a record-breaking four-lap race. Yorkshireman Jefferies came under pressure in the closing stages of the race from Ulsterman Adrian Archibald after the pair both smashed the lap record on lap two - becoming the first riders to lap at an average speed of more than 120mph around the 37.73-mile circuit on a 600cc machine. Archibald was slow to get going but by the end of the second lap he was increasing his pace and had reduced the deficit to Jefferies to 12 seconds. At the Glen Helen section on the fourth and final lap the gap was down to nine seconds. As the pair swept through Ramsey for the final time the lead was down to seven seconds, as they tackled the 10-mile run across the Snaefell mountain to Douglas and the chequered flag. Jefferies snatched the win by just nine seconds after a thrilling encounter and while Honda rider Archibald's last lap effort led to the 31-year-old smashing the lap record by 12 seconds and becoming the only rider to record a 121mph lap on a 600cc machine. Archibald lapped in 18 minutes and 41 seconds. Runner-up Archibald said: "I'm really happy just to be on the podium. I'm pleased to get the lap record - that's a bonus. I really gave it everything I had on that last lap. I saw the signal boards around the course so I knew I was catching Jefferies but it wasn't to be. "I had a couple of slides when the rear let go a bit but other than that the machine was perfect and I'm happy to be closer to a first TT win." Third place went to Jefferies' team-mate Ian Lougher who
pipped Joey Dunlop on the final lap. |