AFTER HODSON PIT PROBLEM
Scotland's Andy Lawson won a dramatic Mylchreests Motors Junior Manx Grand Prix Race after Rob Hodson experienced a problem in the pits when holding a commanding lead. Lawson took advantage of the Wigan man's misfortune to win by twelve seconds from Manx newcomer Billy Redmayne with Ireland's Andrew Farrell taking the final podium place.
Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman describe conditions as excellent on the Isle of Man with dry roads around the Mountain Course ahead of today's IMGold Manx Grand Prix Race day, although he warned riders to be careful of the winds on the Mountain section.
Anthony Redmond was first away on Glencrutchery Road at the scheduled 10.15am start. Rob Hodson, from the Wigan racing dynasty, starting from 9th on the grid, led from James Neesom at Glen Helen with Michael Moulai third. Dean Roberts and Scotland's Andy Lawson completed the top five.
Hodson extended his lead over Neesom to 3.6 seconds by Ballaugh Bridge although there was only a second between Neesom and the chasing pair Lawson and Moulai. With Hodson powering away at the front, Andy Lawson moved into second place at Ramsey with Andrew Farrell on the Martin Bullock Manxsport backed Kawasaki Bungalow in third.
Hodson continued to dominate at the front of the field from Neesom but behind him there was a real battle for third place with Moulai moving back into the top three ahead of Farrell at the Bungalow.
Lawson (117.919) was the first to cross the line ahead of Michael Moulai (117.680) but Rob Hodson's opening lap of 118.665 saw him take a 7 second lead from Lawson with Andrew Farrell (117.703) moving back into the top three ahead of Moulai and James Neesom (117.297) completing the top five.
Last night's IMGold Newcomer A Race winner Billy Redmayne was also having a great race with an opening lap of 117.135, his fastest Mountain Course lap beating the time he set in last night's race, which put him into sixth place.
Hodson extended his lead at the end of his second lap (119.029) to 12.16 seconds but there was drama in the pit lane when Hodson pit crew had their hands on the wrong fuel pump costing him the lead. Hodson's pit time of 1 minute and 53 seconds saw him drop to 8th at Glen Helen on the third lap while a lengthy pit from Andy Farrell also saw the Irish racer drop out of the top three.
New race leader Andy Lawson's third lap 112.954 gave him a commanding lead of eighteen seconds over Billy Redmayne, who moved ahead of Moulai on the third lap, with the Manx newcomer having a sensational run.
With Moulai reported as retiring at the Crosby Hotel on the last lap, Andy Farrell again moved back into the top three and that remained the race order at the chequered flag with Lawson (116.907/ 1:17.27.384) taking victory by twelve seconds from Redmayne (116.605/ 1:17.39.412) with Farrell (116.018/1:18.03011) in third.
Redmayne's last lap of 119.062 was both his fastest and the fastest lap of the race. Hodson finished fourth, nine seconds off a podium place, with Andrew Soar completing the top five.
