Practice and qualifying is well underway at the Manx Grand Prix… some pre event news from Sunday’s newcomers session
Anthony O’Carroll with one of his mechanics, Stephen O’Carroll at the famous Isle of Man TT pit lane on Sunday
Kerry riders suffer mechanical issues on days of Manx Grand Prix
By Sean Moriarty
Two Kerry road racers got their first high-speed taste of the legendary 37-mile closed-road TT circuit on the Isle of Man on Sunday.
Road racers Anthony O’Carroll and Stephen Walsh will become the first Kerry men to race on the famous track later this week
O’Carroll is entered in two races, the Senior and Junior Manx Grand Prix while Walsh has entered the senior classic,
Newcomers were given their first high-speed sighting laps over the famous track on Sunday.
O’Carroll from Ballyduff has been making a name for himself on the Irish and Northern Irish road racing scene.
Despite hitting mechanical trouble on both his bikes he did manage to qualify 16th for the Junior race.
His 600cc machine had head gasket issues and he spent Monday rebuilding the engine ahead of practice and qualifying as the week goes on and Supertwin machine had damper and steering issues.
“I never felt a sensation like I did racing down Bray Hill at speed for the first time,” he said.
“The G-force was trying to suck me off the back – very hairy!”
Walsh also hit mechanical trouble on his Honda. He made it about have way around the course before the bike stopped with ignition trouble.
He now faces an anxious wait.
“I had to sit out the rest of the practice with the marshals because I was stranded until the roads opened. So I missed the first qualifying session as well. I have to meet race officials this week to find out because I can’t go to the next qualifying without completing the newcomer’s lap.
Going to the race office at 10 in the morning to find out cos I can’t go to qualify without the complete newcomers’ lap.
Practice and qualifying continue this week – for O’Carroll at least – before the action concludes with two days of racing on Saturday, August 26 and on the Manx Bank Holiday Monday – August 28.
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