Lougher grabs late Lightweight Manx Grand Prix win
Ian Lougher took victory from Lee Johnston and Stuart Hall
- Published
Veteran Welsh racer Ian Lougher claimed victory in the Manx Grand Prix Lightweight after a battle with Michael Dunlop, who led for most of the one-lap race.
While there was disappointment for record 29-time TT winner Dunlop, who dropped off the pace in the latter part of the much shortened race, his fellow Northern Ireland rider Lee Johnston stormed through to take second place, 22 seconds back on Lougher.
Stuart Halll rounded off the top three a further 2.4 seconds in arrears, with Rhys Hardisty fourth.
The Lightweight MGP was another race that saw its distance slashed due to the inclement weather that has disrupted the 2024 meeting.
Ian Lougher took victory in the 2024 Lightweight Manx Grand Prix
Ballymoney man Dunlop took an early lead ahead of Lougher, with the Northern Ireland rider extending his lead over Welsh rival Lougher to almost four seconds by Ballaugh, the 61-year-old having pulled out an eight-second advantage over third-placed Hall.
Wakefield’s Hall found himself in a tight battle with Johnston, who was making his return to racing on the Mountain Course after missing both the 2023 and 2024 Isle of Man TT race meetings because of injuries.
After trailing Dunlop by an increased margin of 6.3 seconds at Ramsey Hairpin, Lougher, who was on Yamaha machinery, closed the gap to three seconds by the Bungalow, with Dunlop dropping off the pace and falling back to 15th place.
Ultimately, Lougher's lap speed of 114.10mph proved sufficient to secure the victory.
The Honda-mounted Johnston overhauled Hall and his Yamaha machine in the final stages, taking the second step on the podium 22 seconds back, with Hall 2.4 seconds further adrift in third.
But there was disappointment for the winner of the race for the last two years, Cork competitor Mike Browne, who was forced to retire his Laycock Racing Yamaha at Quarterbrige on the opening lap.
Manxman Michael Evans completed the top five, with Stefano Bonetti, Gareth Arnold, Joe Yeardsley, Paul Cassidy and Owen Monaghan taking the remaining top 10 places.