Manx Grand Prix: Mike Browne seals maiden Classic Superbike success and becomes first Mountain Course winner on iconic Ducati 916
Mike Browne won the reduced one-lap Classic Superbike race at the Manx Grand Prix for the first time on Monday evening on the Isle of Man.
Browne also became the first winner of a race around the TT Mountain Course on a Ducati 916, with his victory coming almost 30 years after Rob Holden clinched the Italian manufacturer’s last success on a Supermono machine at the TT in 1995.
The race was flagged after one lap because of deteriorating conditions with low cloud on the Mountain.
Browne’s win made up for the disappointment of his retirement in the earlier Lightweight race, thwarting his bid for a third straight win in the 250cc class.
The Cork man, celebrating his birthday, lapped at 123.919mph to wrap up the win from former winner Rob Hodson, with southern Irishman Derek Sheils on the podium in third.
Michael Dunlop was entered for the race on a Ducati 916 but never rode the machine again after encountering issues on the first night of qualifying.
With an initial distance of two laps scheduled, Browne led by 3.6s at Glen Helen from Hodson, who had 2.7s in hand over Dominic Herbertson Herbertson.
Sheils was holding fourth on the Greenall Racing Kawasaki, only 0.2s back on Herbertson (BHR Racing Kawasaki).
At Ramsey, Browne’s lead on the Bike Specialists by Key Racing Ducati had increased to 9.3s over Hodson (Greenall Racing Kawasaki), with Sheils making ground into third, 4.4s down. Herbertson was fourth, 4.5s behind Sheils.
Browne continued to extend his advantage and was 14.5s ahead of Hodson on corrected time at Cronk-ny-Mona as news came through that the race would be flagged at the end of the lap due to worsening weather.
The Irish rider closed out victory by 13.97s from Hodson, with Sheils taking third position, 4.2s further adrift.
Craig Neve clinched fourth on the Bathams Ales Kawasaki ahead of Herbertson and Ian Hutchinson on the Steadplan Kawasaki.
Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales Suzuki) and Michael Evans (Suzuki) were the top eight.
Classic Senior race winner Shaun Anderson retired at Quarterbridge on the Wiz Racing Norton, while Lee Johnston was also forced out on the Reed Racing Honda RC45.