Lightweight TT

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Isle of Man   2012 Isle of Man TT Races
After a delay of 24 hours due to weather the winner of the Lightweight TT Ryan Farquhar (2) Kawasaki 650cc at the startline TT Grandstand 9 June 2012
Race details

Date Lightweight TT – 9 June 2012
Location Douglas, Isle of Man
Course Road Course
37.733 mi (60.725 km)
Lightweight TT
Pole Position Fastest Lap
Northern Ireland Ryan Farquhar England Michael Rutter
115.398 mph 115.554 mph
Podium
1. Northern Ireland Ryan Farquhar
2. England James Hillier 3. England Michael Rutter

The Lightweight TT is a motorcycle road race that is a part of the Isle of Man TT festival. an annual motor-cycle event at the end of May and beginning of June.

History

The 1922 Isle of Man TT was the first time the Lighweight TT race took place. It was won by Geoff S. Davison, riding a Levis, at an average speed of 49.89 mph (80.29 km/h) for 7 laps of the Snaefell Mountain Course. Between 1949 and 1976, the Lightweight TT Race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event was dropped from the 2005 Isle of Man TT Race calendar due to lack of entries. The Lightweight TT and the Ultra-Lightweight TT were later reinstated to the 2008 & 2009 race schedule and held on the 4.25 mile Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man.[1] For the 2010 Isle of Man TT the Lightweight TT was again dropped from the race schedule on cost grounds. The event was reintroduced for the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races for water-cooled four-stroke twin cylinder not exceeding a capacity of 650cc and complying with the ACU Standing Regulations.[2]

The Lightweight category

There have been several different categories of motorcycle that can compete in this event. In the 1950s and 1960s, the principal TT solo events were the Senior (500 cc), Junior (350 cc), and Lightweight (250 cc, or sometimes 125 cc). The 125 cc class was occasionally called "Ultra-Lightweight".

Currently the Lightweight class comprises road-based "Super-Twin" solo machines with liquid-cooled four-stroke engines of up to 650 cc engine capacity.

Eligibility

Entrants

  • Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing.

Machines

The 2012 specification for entries into the Lightweight TT race are defined as;-

  • Any solo machine complying with the following specifications:
    • Machines must comply with general technical rules as per ACU Standing Regulations and 2012 IOM TT regulations.
      • Any four-stroke twin cylinder motor-cycle originally sold for road use with a water cooled engine of up to 650cc.
      • Eligible machines must be from models homologated for road use 2005 or later.[3]

Official Qualification Time

  • 115% of the time set by the third fastest qualifier in the class.[4]

Speed and lap records

The lap record for the Lightweight TT is held by James Hillier in a time of 19 minutes 00.16 seconds[5] at an average speed of 119.130 mph (191.72 km/h) set during the 2013 Lightweight TT Race. The race record for the 4 lap Lightweight TT is a time of 1 hour 17 minutes 31.7 seconds an average race speed of 116.79 mph (187.96 km/h) for 4 laps (150.73 miles/242.58 km) held by John McGuinness during the 1999 Lightweight 250 cc TT Race.[6]

Lightweight TT Race winners

Rider Wins
Joey Dunlop 6
Charlie Williams 5
Mike Hailwood, Jim Redman 3
Fergus Anderson, Manliff Barrington, Kel Carruthers, Ian Lougher, Phil Read, Tarquinio Provini, Eric Twemlow 2
Dario Ambrosini, Bruce Anstey, Maurice Cann, Syd Crabtree, Ryan Farquhar, Gary Hocking, Jimmie Guthrie, Wal Handley, Werner Haas, Tom Herron, James Hillier, Bill Ivy, Ewald Kluge, John McGuinness, Ted Mellors, Derek Minter, Jack A. Porter, Richard Quayle, Jimmie Simpson, Omobono Tenni, Carlo Ubbiali, Graham Walker, Stanley Woods 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ Manx Independent pp44 dated 22 November 2007
  2. ↑ International Isle of Man TT Regulations 2012 page 41-42 Appendix-E ACU Events (Isle of Man) Ltd (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  3. ↑ International Tourist Trophy Regulations 2012 page 3/Appendix E page 43 ACU Events (Isle of Man) Limited (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  4. ↑ International Tourist Trophy Regulations 2012 page 19 ACU Events (Isle of Man) Limited (2012) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development
  5. ↑ ITV4 Race 2013 coverage
  6. ↑ TT News 1999 Issue 2 – Isle of Man Newspapers
St John's Short Course
Mountain Course
FIM Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship
Isle of Man TT Festival
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