Having battled the elements on Monday evening riders were glad of much improved condition for yesterday evening’s practice session for the Manx Grand Prix with speeds increasing dramatically.

Fastest man around the 37-mile mountain circuit last evening was local rider Simon Fulton from Onchan whose 117.110mph lap was good enough to top the junior and senior classes.

In the senior class Andrew Brady from Roslea in Co Fermanagh was just three seconds slower than Fulton, registering a 116.836mph lap.

Southern Irish competitors Michael Sweeney and Wayne Kirwan were third and fifth respectively with laps at 116.123 and 115.264mph in the excellent conditions.

In the Post Classic Senior class Michael Dunlop had to settle for third position on his 997cc Trident Engineering Suzuki with a speed of 106.725mph, the class headed by Dundrod 150 classic race winner Ollie Linsdell at 110.035mph with Scotland’s Mark Buckley second at 109.680mph.

The Newcomers A class saw Banbridge rider Shaun Anderson lap at 108.851mph, which put him in third position behind Andy Fenton from Bradden on the Isle of Man who lapped at 113.432mph and James Coward with a speed of 110.834mph.

Practice continues this evening at 6.20pm ahead of next week’s racing which commences on Monday morning with the Newcomers and Post Classic events running concurrently, while the Junior and Lightweight Classic races take place in the afternoon.