CLASSIC TT 2017
Legends of the golden era, Jim Redman and Stuart Graham mixed with top names from the 1970s, such as Alex George, Bill Simpson, Mick Grant and Steve Parrish, at this year’s edition, right through to present day stars Michael Rutter, Bruce Anstey, James Hillier and John McGuinness.
With the latter man still convalescing from his NorthWest 200 smash, Australian Brookes was drafted in to pilot Roger and PatWinfield’s 500cc Paton in the opening race of the four-day festival.
He wasted no time getting to grips with the 1972 Italian twin replica, topping qualifying with a lap of 109.5mph.
By Glen Helen in the race he had pulled out almost one second per mile on the Davies Motorsport Honda of William Dunlop and the Beugger Racing Paton of Maria Costello.
Already two of the MVs had gone out. Dean Harrison pulled up the Black Eagle Racing machine at Glen Vine and Ian Lougher was forced to stop when John Chapman’s triple dropped a valve approaching Greeba.
Michael Rutter was the next top-10 ranked rider to go when he lost the front-end of the Ripley Land Matchless at Ballacraine. Hewas not injured in the fall, caused by a puncture.
At Ramsey, Brookes was 21 seconds clear of TedWoof’s Manx Norton in the capable hands of Jamie Coward. The latter had leap-frogged Dunlop and Costello who were still separated by a fraction of a second on corrected timing.
Fancied runner Alan Oversby had slipped down the order after being black-flagged at Sulby Bridge with a smoking Honda. He was allowed to continue and creditedwith the time estimated to have been lost.
An opening lap of 111.30mph gave Brookes a quarter-distance advantage of 33.2 seconds over Coward, while Costello was up to third ahead of Dunlop after a good run over themountain.
Bill Swallowwas fifth on the Gleve Racing Paton, only to receive a 30-second penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit in a scheduled fuel stop. Dominic Herbertson and Oversby also pitted on the two Davies Motorsport Hondas.
Michael Dunlop, on the last surviving MV of the three that started, pulled into the pits to retire. Possible fuel issues were suspected to be the issue with the Kay Engineering machines.
Brookes appeared to lose time mid-lap on
