Mar-Train Racing can confirm that they supplied Michael Dunlop and MD Racing with a Yamaha R6 engine for today’s Monster Energy Supersport TT. Unfortunately this engine has been found to be illegal and Michael has subsequently been disqualified from the result.
 
The illegal element within this engine was a set of coated cam buckets which had been legal two years ago when the engine was originally built. This has been a spare engine and as such was fully refreshed to again be our spare engine for the 2016 TT.
 
An oversight due in part to personnel changes in the team as well as a change in engine builder has meant that this obvious irregularity was missed. Our crew-chief, mistakenly assumed that this engine had seen use in 2015 and that it would be in compliance with the rules. Our engine builder, subsequently, and in good faith, refreshed and prepared the engine as he received it.
 
Shane Wogan – Wogan Performance
“We replaced all known components associated with wear and tear, known as an engine refresh, however regretfully overlooked the specifications of the Cam buckets as they were not a component that would have suffered from this wear and tear. We are devastated that Michael Dunlop and the MD Racing team have been disqualified over an issue that we as a business completely overlooked. We would like to apologies to Mar-Train Racing, Michael, MD Racing and the technical inspectors for the inconvenience we have caused.”
 
We trust that anyone who knows the team, including the TT technical inspectors, will understand that this embarrassing oversight does not reflect the specification of machine we usually put on the grid. It goes without saying that the rider being excluded from the results could very well have been our own in this instance.
 
We are gutted for Michael, his team and sponsors and can only apologise for this oversight on our behalf.  We fully understand the effort that goes into achieving a TT podium and can therefore appreciate just how they must feel right now.

ACU Events Ltd regrets to announce that Paul Shoesmith, 50, from Poynton, Lancashire was killed following an accident on Sulby Straight during this evening’s solo practice at the Isle of Man TT Races. The session was abandoned.

Paul made his TT Races debut in 2005 and had a highest placed finish of 15th on the TT Mountain Course in both the Superbike and Senior Races in 2011.  He also achieved finishes of 8th and 11th in the 2008 and 2009 Lightweight TT Races at the Billown circuit.

He achieved his fastest ever lap around the TT Mountain Course in today’s Superbike Race, lapping at 125.896mph and finishing 29th.  He won forty bronze replicas including the one he received for today’s race.

Paul also operated his own Ice Valley Four Anjels Racing team and gave numerous riders the opportunity to compete at a high level in the TT races including many of the current race paddock.

ACU Events Ltd wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to Paul’s family and friends.

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ACU Events Ltd regrets to announce that Australian sidecar driver Dwight Beare, 27, originally from Melbourne, Australia who was a resident of Onchan in the Isle of Man was killed following an accident near Rhencullen during today’s Sidecar Race 1 at the Isle of Man TT Races.    The race was immediately red flagged.

Beare made his TT Races debut in 2014, achieving a 12th place in his second race on the Isle of Man when he competed with father Noel as his passenger. The pair returned to the Isle of Man TT last year, achieving a 17th place in the first sidecar race.

Dwight’s passenger Ben Binns from the Isle of Man was airlifted to Nobles Hospital where he was described as being stable with a fractured ankle.

ACU Events Ltd wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to Dwight’s family and friends. As does everyone here at Vauxhall Radio TT.

Ian Hutchinson took his Tyco BMW Superstock bike round the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course in a new unofficial absolute record speed of 132.803mph

For the sixth successive evening, conditions were perfect for the final night’s full qualifying session at the 2016 Isle of Man TT races, fuelled by Monster Energy, and it proved to be the fastest session ever witnessed around the Mountain Course as Ian Hutchinson lapped inside John McGuinness’ outright lap record – on his Superstock machine!!

Hutchinson was at record breaking speeds from the off and, using his Tyco BMW Superstock, he lapped at 131.632mph from a standing start, which was comfortably inside the class lap record and quicker than Michael Dunlop’s lap the night before. However, his second lap was simply sensational as he lapped at 132.803mph, 0.786s quicker than McGuinness’ time set in last year’s PokerStars Senior TT race.

And despite it being the night before the first race, it was also a record-breaking evening for Michael Dunlop as he too was inside the outright lap record lapping at 132.754mph on his Hawk Racing BMW Superbike. He then jumped on his Superstock bike to post a speed of 131.632mph.

The session started promptly once more at 6.20pm with James Hillier and Hutchinson the first two riders to get away, soon followed by Steve Mercer and Gary Johnson, Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp, and Bruce Anstey – none the worse for his spill on Thursday – and Peter Hickman.

Dean Harrison was one of the few front-runners who elected to go out on his 600 with John McGuinness in the 11th pairing away, intriguingly just behind Dunlop. However, Hickman was soon back at the paddock, clearly having pulled off the course early on.

Hutchinson was blazing a trail on the road, leaving starting partner Hillier some 30 seconds behind and the Bingley rider was first back to the Grandstand with a stunning speed of 131.632mph, comfortably inside Dunlop’s Superstock lap record of 131.220mph set in 2013.

Dunlop had a relatively slow lap at 124.806mph but Harrison was flying on his 600, lapping at 126.249mph to go to the top of that particular leaderboard. David Johnson also set a new fastest lap on the Norton with his opening lap of 128.533mph while he was also fastest through the speed trap at 194.5mph.

Second time around, it was clear both Hutchinson and Dunlop were on record-breaking pace and their lap times were only 0.375s apart although Hutchinson’s lap on his Superstock bike was the one that truly stunned the watching crowds and send shockwaves through the paddock.

Harrison went back out on his Superbike to post a lap of 129.996mph with Rutter putting two more laps in excess of 129mph, the quickest being 129.613mph, the duo going third and fourth on the Superbike leaderboard for the night.

Jochem van den Hoek was again the fastest newcomer, improving his speed to an impressive 121.06mph, but Seamus Elliott and Alessandro Polita were also going well at 118.75 and 117.95 respectively. Michael Booth also improved considerably, with his best lap being 116.65mph.

The scene is set for a thrilling RST Superbike Race, the first race of the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy which is scheduled to get underway at 11am (GMT).

As the sun continued to shine well into the Manx evening, the Sure Formula Two Sidecar competitors at the 2016 Isle of Man TT times, fuelled by Monster Energy, had their final shakedown before Saturday’s opening three-lap race and John Holden and Andy Winkle reasserted themselves at the top of the leaderboard as they recorded the fastest lap of the week at 115.349mph.

Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle were first away again with the Birchall brothers next to go ahead of Holden/Winkle, Ian and Carl Bell, Alan Founds/Aki Aalto and Gary Bryan/Jamie Winn.

Holden/Winkle were clearly on a flyer and soon grabbed the lead on time although the Birchalls led on the road and it was they who crossed the line first with a speed of 114.657mph, the third fastest of the week.

However, Holden’s 115mph+ lap was not only the quickest of the night it was also quicker than the lap of 114.827mph set by Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance the previous evening. The Kent driver did just one lap on the night at a leisurely 100.046mph as he used the session to bed everything in prior to the race.

The Bells were again going well and their lap of 113.206mph shows it won’t be a three-horse race come Saturday whilst other drivers again going well were Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley at 112.024 and Alan Founds/Aki Aalto on 110.209mph.

They were the only outfits to lap at more than 110mph but Matt Dix/Shaun Parker posted their best lap of the week with a speed of 109.506mph.

The Birchalls pitted only to get to Union Mills on their second lap whilst Founds/Walmsley proved to be the quickest crew on the second lap, improving their speed to 112.184mph.

Douglas Chandler/Julie Canipa were reported to have had an accident at Sarah’s but were confirmed to be uninjured while Stephane Hubert, passenger to Dan Knight, sustained lower leg fractures in an accident at Barregarrow and was taken by airmed to Nobles hospital for treatment.

Tim Reeves and Patrick Farrance upped the ante in qualifying for the two Sure Mobile Formula Two sidecar races with a best lap of 114.83mph to send them to the top of the leaderboard.

17-times TT winner Dave Molyneux, with Dan Sayle in the chair, wasn’t too far behind with another 114mph plus lap as Ben and Tom Birchall also put themselves in contention.

Keen to make up for lost time, with only one lap under their belt in earlier outings, Molyneux/Sayle headed off towards Bray Hill first followed by Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance, Ben and Tom Birchall, Ian and Carl Bell and Alan Founds/Aki Aalto. John Holden/Andy Winkle, meanwhile, set off further down the field.

Molyneux reached the Grandstand first with a speed of 114.10mph but Reeves had halved the starting deficit of ten seconds and his lap of 114.73mph was the fastest lap of the week as well as being a new personal best, albeit unofficially.

The Bells were again showing well with a lap of 112.46mph whilst Holden eventually got away at the rear of the field, using the session to run in a new engine and scrub in some new tyres.

On the second lap, Reeves had overhauled Molyneux on the road and the Kent driver’s pace could be seen at the end of the lap as he went quicker still with a lap of 114.83mph. Molyneux was also in the 114mph bracket again.

The Birchalls meanwhile had had a slow first lap but they were clearly bedding something in as second time around, they lapped in excess of 113mph to prove they will be in contention in Saturday’s first race day.

Gary Bryan/Jamie Winn posted their best lap of the week at 111.14 while Peter Founds/Jevan Walmsley put in two laps of 110mph with Steve and Matty Ramsden, Dwight Beare/Ben Binns and Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan all above 109mph.

Manfred Wechserberger, passenger to Michael Grabmuller, fell out of the sidecar at Ballaugh but was assessed at the scene and reported to be uninjured.

With perfect conditions yet again all the way round the Mountain Course, Thursday evening’s qualifying session at the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy saw Michael Dunlop set the island alight with the first 132mph+ lap of the week.

The Ulsterman lapped at 132.36mph on his Hawk Racing BMW and also made the headlines in the Superstock class with his lap of 131.34mph an unofficial lap record.

Early in the evening, the idyllic conditions only hinted at the explosive action that was to follow. Ivan Lintin and Steve Mercer were first to leave the line at exactly 6.20pm with Michael Rutter and James Hillier and Martin Jessopp and Bruce Anstey next to go, the latter on his more familiar Honda Fireblade after focussing his efforts in recent nights on the Honda RC213V-S.

Ian Hutchinson and Gary Johnson were also early away with John McGuinness setting off, as normal, slightly further back in the seventh pairing and Michael Dunlop starting ten seconds ahead of him.

Mercer and Lintin were first back past the Grandstand at 127.97 and 127.76 respectively but Hutchinson was flying and despite it being a standing start, he lapped at a superb 131.66mph - the only rider above 130mph although Dean Harrison was close at 129.97mph.

David Johnson was going great guns on the Norton setting a new best ever lap for the British machine with a speed of 127.20mph but Peter Hickman was out of luck having stopped at Westwood on the approach to Kirk Michael.

Hutchinson was flying on his second lap but jut when it looked like he’d post a 132mph+ lap, his pace dropped on the second half of the lap eventually stopping the clocks at 131.11mph but Dunlop,’s fine form continued with the fastest ever Superstock lap on the BMW.

John McGuinness was also above the 131mph barrier with his fastest lap of the week - 131.12mph - whilst Johnson’s second lap on the Norton was quicker still at 127.74mph. Anstey wasn’t having the best of fortunes on his first lap of the night on the RCV with a speed of 120.43mph.

Dunlop, meanwhile, had switched to his Superbike BMW and his first lap was 130.88mph with Johnson and the Norton improving yet again to an impressive 128.32mph on his third lap. However, Dunlop saved the best to last with that lap of 132.34mph.  Anstey’s evening ended with a spill at Keppel Gate and although he was reported to be unhurt he was taken by airmed for a precautionary check over.  He is expected to line up in tomorrow’s final qualifying session.

As the RST Superbike and RL360 Quantum Superstock session came to an end, the Bennetts Lightweights joined the Monster Energy Supersport class at 7.25pm with Anthony Redmond and John Barton first away followed by Rob Livesey and Bjorn Gunnarsson.

Lee Johnston went to the top of the week’s Supersport leaderboard after a lap of 124.84mph while Rutter moved to the top of the Lightweight’s leaderboard for the week with 118.054mph while Italian Stefano Bonetti and Danny Webb also went well with 116.220 and 116.140 respectively. One of the main contenders for Wednesday’s Race, James Hillier, experienced a frustrating session, failing to get a lap in having stopped at Appledene in the earlier session.