JEFFERIES WINS SENIOR TT
| David Jefferies won Saturday's Senior TT on
the Isle of Man with a record-breaking start to finish victory in the six-lap race. The Yorkshire rider completed his second successive hat-trick of TT wins in the sun-kissed race around the 37.73-mile mountain course, setting a new outright lap record with a lap in 18m 00.60s, an average speed of 125.69mph. He and this year's Formula One TT race winner Joey Dunlop shared the lead on the opening lap before Jefferies eased away. He led by 12 seconds at the end of the first lap, extending that to 28 seconds as the riders stopped for fuel at the end of lap two. Jefferies crossed the finish line 41 seconds ahead of Michael Rutter for the sixth TT win of his career. Third place went to Joey Dunlop after the Honda rider fought off the challenge of John McGuinness in the battle for the final rostrum place. Dunlop, after recording his fastest ever lap, at 123.87mph, on the final circuit, said: 'I gave it everything but it's been a long hard week. The race ran smoothly enough for me but I was just too tired to attack. I came here thinking I may get an odd win and I'm going home with three wins so I'm happy enough. But I don't know if I'll be back.' McGuinness opted for a one-stop refuelling strategy and the move almost paid off for the Morecambe, Lancs rider as he challenged 26 times TT winner Dunlop on the final lap. McGuinness commented: 'We took the gamble and it almost worked. Towards the end of the last lap the machine started spluttering as I was running out of fuel. I coasted from the 33rd milestone to Brandish then opened it up again from there to the finish.' Senior TT result - six lap (226.38
miles): |