Wednesday September 19, 2012 at 2:11pm
Conditions were somewhat cooler for the start of the second day’s activities at the 62nd Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races when practice and qualifying got under way at 9.30am on Sunday 16th September.
Prior to racing Ryan Farquhar said an emotional farewell to his fans and supporters as he completed three laps of the Oliver’s Mount Circuit. He was accompanied by John McGuinness, Ian Hutchinson, Michael Dunlop, Guy Martin, Jamie Hamilton and Robbie Sylvester.
The first race of the day was the second leg of the Darran Lindsay 1000cc Trophy over eight laps. Jamie Hamilton got the hole-shot, but it was Dean Harrison who led at the end of first lap by one second, with John McGuinness third, Guy Martin fourth and Bruce Anstey fifth. Second lap and Guy Martin moved into second as Harrison maintained his one second advantage. Lap three and positions remained the same although the gap was down to 0.080 of a second. Half distance and Martin had taken the lead by a similar distance, with Hamilton retaining third some six seconds down. Lap five the lead had been cut by one-tenth of a second and McGuinness moved into third. Lap six, and the gap had opened to 1.3 seconds, with McGuinness a further eight seconds down and Hamilton in fourth another three seconds down. Lap seven, and the gap had shrunk to 1.1 seconds, with McGuinness still third, now nine seconds adrift of second placeman Harrison. At the chequered flag it was Guy Martin from Dean Martin and John McGuinness.
The second race of the day was for the Phil Mellor SuperTwins Trophy, again over eight laps for the second leg. Dean Harrison led from the off although he was chased hard by Ivan Lintin with the difference after one lap less that one second. Davy Morgan held third. A lap later the leader’s advantage had doubled to 1.995 seconds, as Craig Shirlaw moved into third ahead of Morgan. The third lap and the gap was up to 2.792 seconds, but all to no avail as the red flags came out. The restarted race over four laps and Lintin got the hold-shot, but once again it was Dean Harrison who had the lead at the end of the lap, with Craig Shirlaw third. Lap two and the gap was down to 0.474 of a second. Lap three and the gap had been reduced to 0.305 of a second as placing remained the same. At the chequered flag Dean Harrison took the win by 0.873 of second from Ivan Lintin and Craig Shirlaw.
The feature race of meeting, the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup race was next, over eight laps and it was John McGuinness who got the hole-shot and led by three-tenths of a second at the end of the first lap from Guy Martin and Dean Harrison third. Michael Dunlop, Jamie Hamilton and Mick Goodings made up the top six. McGuinness was still in the lead at the end of the second lap, but this time from Dean Harrison, with Guy Martin third and Michael Dunlop still fourth. Lap three and Dean Harrison led from Guy Martin and John McGuinness, the difference still three-tenths of a second, with Michael still in fourth. At half distance, Guy Martin had taken the lead and extended it to 0.478 of a second from Dean Harrison and John McGuinness. Lap five and Martin had extended the lead to 1.314 seconds as the battle between McGuinness and Dunlop continued for third, separated by 1.5 seconds. Lap six and the lead had grown to 2.138 seconds, with McGuinness having pulled away from Dunlop by almost four seconds. Lap seven, and the lead had extended to 2.462 seconds with McGuinness closing on Harrison, the gap down to 1.3 seconds. At the chequered flag it was Guy Martin, taking his eighth Steve Henshaw Gold Cup victory from Dean Harrison with John McGuinness third. Fourth was Michael Dunlop, Fifth Jamie Hamilton and sixth Mick Goodings.
Next up was the second leg of the F2 Sidecars over six laps. Ian and Carl Bell got the hole-shot followed by Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance. At the end of the opening lap it was the Bells, from Molyneux/Farrant by 1.5 seconds, then Carl Fenwick and Mark Sayers in third. Michael Dunlop and Dan Sayle were fourth. Lap two and positions were the same with the advantage now at 1.8 seconds. Lap three and the gap was the same. Lap four and the gap had shortened to 1.5 seconds. Lap five and another three-tenths of a second had been shaved off the lead by Molyneux and Farrance, as Dunlop and Sayle dropped to fifth. The Red flag came out on the final lap, the result being declared at the end of the fifth lap.
The next race was the second leg of the David Jefferies 600 Cup. Bruce Anstey was first away but it was Guy Martin who led the pack at the end of first lap of eight, followed by Dean Harrison with Bruce Anstey third. Lap two and Michael Pearson moved to third, as Harrison reduced the gap to half a second behind Martin. Lap three and Dean Harrison led the pack, with Guy Martin retiring. Pearson was now second and Ian Lougher third. Half distance and Harrison had a ten second lead over Pearson with Lougher still third. Lap five, and the lead was up to 12 seconds and a lap later it was still 12 seconds, but it was Lougher who was now second, with Pearson third. Lap seven, and Lougher had pulled back two seconds on leader Harrison, but it was Dean Harrison who took the victory from |Ian Lougher by 9.768 seconds, with William Dunlop taking the final podium place.
Next race was the second leg of the Lee Pullan 250cc Trophy race. Phil Harvey led at the end of the first lap from Paul Owen and Justin Waring. William Dunlop moved into third place on lap two, two-tenths of a second behind Owen, who in turn was five seconds adrift of race leader Harvey.
Lap three and William was just 1.4 seconds down on Phil. Lap four and William Dunlop was in the lead, opening up a gap of 1.2 seconds. Lap five, and the lead had doubled. Lap six, and William had put 3.5 seconds between him and second place man Phil Harvey. At the chequered flag it was William Dunlop 4.7 seconds ahead of Phil Harvey with Justin Waring third.
The penultimate race of the day and the meeting the six lap Stu Reed Trophy race second leg saw Chris Palmer in the lead at the end of lap one and again on lap two, although he was starting to be closed down by Ian Lougher with the gap down .0888 of a second. Lap three and the gap had closed to 0.270 of a second, with Seamus Elliott third, some four seconds back. Lap four, and the gap had increased to three-tenths of a second. Lap five and Lougher had taken the lead by three-tenths of a second, as Elliott maintained third. At the chequered flag it was Chris Palmer who pipped Ian Lougher by 0.288 of a second with Seamus Elliott third.
The final race of the day and meeting the third leg of the F2 Sidecars saw Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance leading at the end of the first lap from Ian and Carl Bell with Michael Dunlop and Dan Sayle third. Only two tenths of a second separated first and second. Lap two Moly leads by over five seconds, as the Bells return to the Paddock to retire, promoting Dunlop and Sayle to second. Carl Fenwick and Mark Sayers inherit third. Lap three and Moly has an eight second lead, but Dunlop/Sayle and Fenwick/Sayers are only separated by two-tenths of a second! Lap four, and the positions remain the same, but Moly had gained a further two seconds. Lap five, and the leaders add another two seconds to their lead, whilst second and third remain two-tenths of a second apart. At the chequered flag Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance win by 10 seconds from Michael Dunlop and Dan Sayle, one tenth of a second ahead of Car Fenwick and Mark Sayers third.
That’s it for the 62nd running of the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup.