Results from Day 2 at the Pre-TT Classic

Conditions were variable but riders rose to the challenge

A problem with the digital flag led to a short delay to the second and final day of the Pre-TT races on Sunday.

Conditions around the course were windy but dry as the 500cc Senior Classic got underway.

Harley Rushton took an early lead and looked set for victory until he was forced to retire on lap five.

That left Alan Oversby to take the win, his 16th on the Billown Course, meaning he was now level with Bill Swallow as the second most winningest rider.

Second was Jeffrey Vermeulen and Kelly Caruthers was third, his first podium at this event.

The second race of the meeting was the 250 Classic and 125 Post Classic over six laps - a total distance of 25.5 miles which got off to a chaotic start.

Nearly all riders set off before the official instruction was given; it’s thought this was caused by an issue with the lighting system.

They were then brought to a technical stop, with riders brought back under marshal escort to get things going again, with the race reduced to four laps.

The winner of the 125 was the only rider to finish on these machines, Owen Monaghan, despite some concerns about his bike because the exhaust fell off.

He broke his own lap record set in 2023; it’s now 86.624mph.

Richard Ford was first in the 250 class with Billy Cummins second and Joris Fastenaekels third in his newcomer year.

The third race was the 350cc Junior Classic over six laps instead of seven.

Laxey’s Joe Yeardsley took the win having led from start to finish making it his fourth win on the Billown Course.

Second was Harley Rushton, making up for the disappointment of having to retire in the previous race.

It was a photo finish for third place with Will Loder just taking the advantage over Alan Oversby.

The next race was the 400cc which started in bone dry conditions but was then red flagged because of the rain on lap five.

The result was called at the end of lap three.

That meant Alan Oversby took the win - his 17th on the Billown Course.

He’s now the second most successful rider behind Mike Hose.

Second was Owen Monaghan, who had been struggling with machine issues and had fallen back down the order by the time the race was stopped.

In third was Ashley Robson, she is from Montrose in Scotland.

The penultimate race of the day was the big one - the Post Classic Senior Superbike with the most competitors of the meeting.

This became a wet race and was run over five laps, although conditions had improved considerably by the time it got going.

Joe Yeardsley, who had been on poll position, sat this one out with TT looming.

But there was another Manx rider with his sight set on victory - taking the lead on the first lap and then keeping hold of it until the end.

Port St Mary man Grant Thomson took another win at the this year’s Pre-TT event, raising his arms in celebration as he crossed the line. 

Andrew Farrell took second place and Andy Hornby was third.

And then rounding off the weekend’s action, it was the turn of the three wheels.

The Sidecar Classic Race 2 was kept to four laps and conditions were pretty good for the start which was only just over ten minutes behind schedule.

And the continental pairing of Marvin Vermeulen and Troy Klinker did the double - winning both sidecar races at the meeting - Klinker a newcomer to the event.

Greg Lambert and Andrew Haynes put the disappointment of retiring in Saturday’s race to one side as they took second place.

They also did the fastest lap of the race at 87.514 mph.

And in third was Tony Thirkell and William Moralee, clinching the final podium place over the line by a fraction of a second from Seppe Noel and Kobe Dehouck.

The next action on the Billown Course will be the Southern 100 starting on Monday 7 July.