From a press release issued by Honda Racing:

Archibald takes Senior TT – Farquhar takes Production 600 TT

The luck of the Irish changed for the better on the final day of the Isle of Man TT Racing Festival as first Ryan Farquhar and then Adrian Archibald took the victories on a day of despair for John McGuinness (Yamaha) who had started out with high hopes of becoming the first rider in the history of the event to win five races in a week.

But, in first the 600cc Production race, and then Senior, McGuinnes the Yamaha rider was sidelined by mechanical problems after setting the early pace.

Shrugging aside his earlier frustrations, McGuinness had set a furious pace on the opening lap of the Senior race, grabbing an 11 seconds advantage with an opening lap of 127.19 mph and then doubling that as he headed for the half distance pit-stops for both fuel and tyres.

Archibald (Suzuki) was hanging in, having taken second place, just from the determined Honda rider Ian Lougher, but by Glen Helen on the third lap, it was all change. McGuinness was touring, and he pulled off at Kirk Michael with clutch problems. Archibald, last year’s winner was ahead on the TAS Suzuki and battling to end a lean week on high note.

Ian Lougher was strong in second place, but, as he took Ramsey Hairpin for the third time, the Honda rider stopped, with electrical problems. That moved Kiwi Bruce Anstey (Suzuki) into second place with local fireman Paul Hunt third, though shortly afterwards he stopped with clutch problems.

“That was a good end to what has been a tricky week for me,” smiled Archibald, who also earned a bonus of £10,000 and the Joey Dunlop Trophy as the best placed rider over the TTF1 and Senior races. He finished half a second clear of Anstey, and enjoyed his ride: “The bike never missed a beat – it was good, enjoyable, though it was unfortunate for John, but that is the sort of thing that happens here.

Anstey was second, Gary Carswell (Suzuki) took third with Mark Parrett (Yamaha), Martin Finnegan (Yamaha) heading off sixth placed Honda rider Chris Heath. Guy Martin (Suzuki) held off Gordon Blackley (Honda) with David Bell (Suzuki) ninth from Ian Armstrong (Yamaha).

Earlier, Farquhar (Kawasaki) had enjoyed his maiden triumph on the Island to end a problematic week of machine and fuel problems on the Island, but the young Ulsterman had to work frantically throughout to taste the winner’s champagne in the three lap 600cc Production race.

McGuinness had set the early pace, nosing his Yamaha into a slender one second lead as they reached Ramsey on the first lap, but, Farquhar had overhauled that to grab the lead on the descent of the mountain.

The Kawasaki rider, who had one or two scary moments on the opening lap, run on a course left treacherous in places with damp patches after morning rain, took charge of the action with a second lap at 118.94mph, which, as he pitted for fuel gave him the advantage by five seconds.

However, his hard charging riding was not matched by the pit-stop, and as he re-joined, McGuinness, having a slick service halt was back in front, but four second. Farquhar was having none of it, and as they reached Glen Helen for the final time, he was on level terms, and then pulling away.

McGuinness was experiencing problems, riding with a broken steering damper, and hanging on as best he could, but having to concede second place to Anstey, who put in fast charge over the mountain to close in, finishing just two seconds down on Farquhar.

“Perfect,” smiled Farquhar. “It takes a bit of sinking in that I’ve won – I had a few slides on the opening lap, then lost time in the pits, but after running out of fuel in the Junior race it was case of better safe that sorry. After the disasters of the three races, this is superb.”

Anstey, second, admitted: “it was tight, I couldn’t do anything about it -it was a hard race, while McGuinness, disappointed with third commented: “after the problem with the damper I just wanted to bring the bike home in one piece.”

Jason Griffiths,(Yamaha) took fourth ahead of Honda’s Ian Lougher. Raymond Porter (Suzuki) took sixth from Chris Heath (Yamaha) with Gordon Blackley taking eight for Honda. Adrian Archibald (Suzuki) and Mark Parrett (Honda) completed the top ten finishers.


Production 600 Results Friday Race
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED

1 /6-RYAN FARQUHAR /600 /MCADOO Kawasaki ZX6 /DUNGANNON NI /57 46.6 /117.54

2 /5-BRUCE ANSTEY /600 /TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 /NEW ZEALAND /57 48.9 /117.46

3 /3-JOHN McGUINNESS /600 /Yamaha R6 /MORECAMBE /57 57.9 /117.16

4 /4-JASON GRIFFITHS /600 /Yamaha R6 /RAMSEY IOM /58 07.9 /116.82

5 /2-IAN LOUGHER /600 /Honda CBR RR /DROMORA NI /58 21.1 /116.38

6 /7-RAYMOND PORTER /600 /SUZUKI /LIFFORD EIRE /58 44.0 /115.63

7 /9-CHRIS HEATH /600 /PRO CET YAMAHA /BALDRINE IOM /58 45.8 /115.57

8 /16-GORDON BLACKLEY /600 /BRANSON HONDA /RAF BRIZE NORTO /58 48.0 /115.50

9 /1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD /600 /TAS Suzuki GSXR /BALLYMONEY NI /58 51.7 /115.37

10 /10-MARK PARRETT /600 /Honda CBR RR /MIDHURST /58 55.3 /115.26

11 /41-TOMMY CLUCAS /600 /BULLOCK HONDA /PEEL IOM /58 59.1 /115.13

12 /13-SHAUN HARRIS /600 /BALCKS BIKE SHOP HONDA /NEW ZEALAND /59 01.8 /115.05

13 /8-RICHARD BRITTON /600 /DPH Racing Honda CBR /ENNISKILLEN NI /59 08.7 /114.82

14 /12-MARTIN FINNEGAN /600 /ROUNDTOWER YAMAHA /LUSK EIRE /59 11.3 /114.74

15 /38-DAVY MORGAN /600 /John Bell Yamaha R6 /SAINTFIELD NI /59 33.1 /114.04
TOTAL LAP COUNT 217; TOTAL MILEAGE 8187.41; FASTEST LAP TIME 19 01.9;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 118.94; FASTEST RIDER RYAN FARQUHAR; LAP NUMBER 2


Senior TT Results Friday Race
PSN / NO-DRIVER / CC / MACHINE / HOME TOWN / TIME / SPEED

1 /1-ADRIAN ARCHIBALD /1000 /TAS Suzuki GSXR/BALLYMONEY NI /113 08.1 /123.81

2 /5-BRUCE ANSTEY /1000 /TAS Suzuki GSXR K4 /NEW ZEALAND /1 13 38.3 /122.96

3 /14-GARY CARSWELL /1000 /HM Suzuki GSXR /MAUGHOLD IOM /1 15 03.3 /120.64

4 /10-MARK PARRETT /1000 /Kingscourt Yamaha R1 /MIDHURST /1 15 09.9 /120.47

5 /12-MARTIN FINNEGAN /1000 /ROUNDTOWER YAMAHA /LUSK EIRE /1 15 10.7 /120.44

6 /9-CHRIS HEATH /1000 /HONDA /BALDRINE IOM /1 15 22.1 /120.14

7 /29-GUY MARTIN /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /DERRY NI /1 15 24.9 /120.07

8 /17-GORDON BLACKLEY /1000 /Honda CBR RR /RAF BRIZE NORTO /1 16 00.0 /119.14

9 /44-DAVID BELL /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /CHESTER LE STRE /1 16 20.4 /118.61

10 /24-IAN ARMSTRONG /1000 /CABLE DIRECT YAMAHA /SOWERBY BRIDGE /1 16 32.3 /118.30

11 /41-JUN MAEDA /998 /Honda CBR RR /JAPAN /1 16 36.1 /118.21

12 /27-CHRIS PALMER /1000 /SUZUKI /CASTLETOWN IOM /1 16 37.8 /118.16

13 /20-NIGEL BEATTIE /1000 /Rockett Yamaha /LAXEY IOM /1 16 49.8 /117.86

14 /36-ANDY WALLACE /750 /SUZUKI /CULLODEN /1 17 01.4 /117.56

15 /30-ALEX DONALDSON /1000 /Suzuki GSXR /LIMAVADY NI /1 17 05.7 /117.45
TOTAL LAP COUNT 287; TOTAL MILEAGE 10828.51; FASTEST LAP TIME 17 47.9;
FASTEST LAP SPEED 127.19; FASTEST RIDER JOHN McGUINNESS; LAP NUMBER 1