Classic TT: Michael Dunlop claims his maiden 250 win around Mountain Course in dramatic race
Michael Dunlop won the Classic TT Lightweight race for the first time at the Isle of Man TT on Wednesday.
Dunlop led all the way on his 250cc Honda in a dramatic race, with Mike Browne – one of the favourites – crashing out at Brandywell. The Irishman was reported as ‘rider OK’ following the incident.
Adam McLean (LayLaw Yamaha) had been on course for a runner-up finish but was left frustrated after dropping time on the final lap due to machine trouble.
However, the Tobermore rider managed to hold on for third place behind veteran Ian Lougher (Deadline/Danfay/Laycock Yamaha).
Dunlop won by 47 seconds from Lougher, with McLean just confirmed in third by only 0.6s from Manx rider Dan Sayle (John Chapman Racing Yamaha) after an anxious wait.
On the first lap, Dunlop was 1.98s up on Browne at Glen Helen, with Lougher 2.7s back in third ahead of Sayle.
Dunlop increased his lead to eight seconds by the time they reached Ballaugh, with Lougher into second place as Browne (Deadline/Danfay/Laycock Yamaha) tumbled down the order and dropped outside the top ten.
McLean was fifth behind Sayle and Stuart Hall (Whippet Racing Yamaha).
At Ramsey, Dunlop now held an advantage of 13.7s over Lougher, with McLean on a charge and into third, 0.6s behind Lougher and just a tenth of a second up on Sayle.
Browne was reported to be overdue at Cronk-ny-Mona at the end of the lap, with news later coming through that he had come off at Brandywell. Alan Oversby also crashed at Brandywell and was taken to Noble’s Hospital. Oversby was said to be “conscious and talking”.
Dunlop’s opening lap of 115.105mph gave him a lead of 16.9s over McLean (113.478mph), who was now 7.6s up on Lougher (112.757mph).
No pit-stops were required for the reduced two-lap race, which was held during an evening contingency window following wet weather on Wednesday.
Dunlop – quickest through the speed trap at Sulby at 153.46mph on his first lap – still held a cushion of 19 seconds at Glen Helen on the second and final lap from McLean. Lougher, last year’s 250cc race winner at the Manx Grand Prix, was 6.3s back in third.
Dunlop was in command and maintained his lead of around 19 seconds, reaching Ramsey hairpin with 18.6s in hand over McLean ahead of the final charge over the Mountain.
At the final timing point at Cronk-ny-Mona, McLean had dropped to 44.6s behind Dunlop and clearly had developed an issue with the LayLaw TZ250 Yamaha.
Dunlop sealed his win with the fastest lap of the race at 115.285mph, with Lougher taking second place, 47.191s back after McLean’s misfortune.
Ulsterman McLean was seven seconds behind Lougher but just 0.654s ahead of Sayle on corrected time as he earned a rostrum result despite his troubles, later confirming that he had nursed the Yamaha home on a single cylinder.
Hall finished fifth with Rhys Hardisty (LayLaw Racing Yamaha) completing the top six.
Czech rider Michal Dokoupil (Cookson Travel Yamaha) and Michael Sweeney (CSC Racing Yamaha) rounded out the first eight.