Historic treble for Kneen; Sayle completes local double at MGP
Daniel Kneen became the first man to win 3 MGP races in one week with a start to finish win in the Ultra Lightweight. Daniel Sayle won the Lightweight after a close duel with Nigel Moore.
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 It was ironic that the final races of a problematic week should be run in the best conditions of the week; dry roads, no wind and good visibility. The main question was; could Daniel Kneen become the first rider ever to win three races in one week at the MGP. His performances in the Newcomers’ and Junior Races suggested that he could win the Ultra Lightweight Race; but a fairly low start number meant that he would have some traffic to go through, at least in he early stages. Having started practice as the favourite for the Ultra Lightweight, Daniel Sayle now started as the favourite for the Lightweight. His little Crossan Honda blew its motor to pieces in practice; but he was offered the 250cc Owen Honda for the Lightweight and duly switched classes. Brian Mateer and Sam Dunlop started proceedings and thankfully there was no drama at the start of these races. As the leaders in the Lightweight approached Glen Helen Maurice Mawdsley reported impaired visibility; caused by the sun shining into the commentary box! Sam Dunlop led on the roads from Brian Mateer; but on the stop watch it was Daniel Sayle who led by 2.8s. It was not Sam Dunlop’s day; he retired at Sulby Crossroads. At least he was guaranteed a warm welcome in his home from home at the Sulby Glen; where Daniel Sayle’s mother Rosie is mine host. Back to the Ultra Lightweights; Joe Phillips led on the road and on corrected from staring partner Rab Davie; the difference just 0.47s. At Ramsey Mateer continued to lead on the road. Next through was Sayle; with Brian Spooner just a metre behind him. Our watch gave Sayle a lead of 2.5s from Mateer, with Nigel Moore third and Spooner fourth. The race ended at Parliament Square for Tony Russell who slid off without injury on the right hander outside the Swan. Leading the Ultra Lightweights on the road was Phillips, who was 7.5s ahead of starting partner Davie. The action was then fast and furious and the field came through. Our watch had a lead on corrected time for Daniel Kneen of 4.8s from Phillips, with Davie third just 0.4s ahead of Carolyn Sells; Davie was destined to complete just one lap. At the end of the lap the Sayle led the Lightweight Race by 1.35s from Nigel Moore, with Mateer 3.94s further back. Sayle pulled into the pits for his refuelling stop whilst the Mateer and Moore continued. In the Ultra lightweight Race, Kneen led by 1.58s from Phillips at the end of the lap, Kirk Farrow was up to third 12.29s down of Phillips. At Ramsey on lap two Mateer continued to lead on the road; next through were Moore and Sayle, who were just 15 metres apart. On corrected time Moore led by 13.3s from Spooner; with Sayle 40.5s down on the leader. The question to be answered was whether or not this was enough to allow Moore to take his pit stop and return to the fray in the lead. Phillips continued to lead on the road in the Ultra Lightweight race; next was Farrow who ran wide on the right hand entrance to the square; then it was Johnson. On our corrected timing Kneen led by 10.3s from Phillips; who had 12.2s in hand on Farrow. The soon to retire Carolyn Sells held fourth, with Johnson fifth and Tim Sayers sixth. At the end of the lap Moore and Mateer led on time but both had to stop for fuel. The unfortunate Moore failed to stop within the stop box at the top of the pit road and was given the mandatory 10s penalty for doing so. Sayle meanwhile charged straight past the pits to begin his final circuit. Kneed led the Ultra Lightweight class by 13.05s as he too began his final lap; Phillips was second, Farrow third, Johnson fourth, Sayers fifth and Dan Hobson sixth. At Glen Helen the watches gave Sayle an advantage of 5.6s over Moore, with Neil Kent up to third. At Ramsey, Sayle led on the road and by 7.1s on our corrected time. In the Ultra Lightweights, Kneen continued to lead comfortably; but it was from Kirk Farrow, Phillips having been forced out of the race. There were no further dramas for the leaders in either race and so it was that Daniel Sayle took victory in the Lightweight by 8.22s from a philosophical Moore. Perhaps now people will stop referring to Daniel as someone’s sidecar passenger; he is a class racer in his own right. Daniel Kneen brought his Honda home to complete a local double; but more importantly to become the first and almost certainly the last rider to win a Newcomers’ Race and two ‘proper’ MGP races in one week; a truly wonderful achievement. Our appreciation must be recorded for the efforts of everyone involved in the organization of the races; they stuck to their tasks stoically in the face of the worst weather that anyone can remember; they all deserve a medal. IOM Steam Packet Lightweight Race 1. Daniel Sayle Honda 111.072mph 2. Nigel Moore Honda 110.823mph 3. Neil Kent Yamaha 110.207mph 4. Brian Mateer Yamaha 110.152mph 5. Brian Spooner Yamaha 110.058mph 6. Ivan Lintin Yamaha 108.512mph IOM Steam Packet Ultra Lightweight Race 1. Daniel Kneen Honda 106.619mph 2. Kirk Farrow Honda 105.905mph 3. Ross Johnson Kawasaki 105.161mph 4. Tim Sayers Kawasaki 105.009mph 5. Dan Hobson Honda 104.574mph 6. Maria Costello Honda 103.668mph
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