2024 Manx Grand Prix: Shaun Anderson beats John McGuinness in short Classic Senior race
Anderson gets first Manx GP win as racing finally under way
Shaun Anderson beat John McGuinness in a tight one-lap Classic Senior race at the 2024 Manx Grand Prix, marking his first victory at the event.
Monday was due to see all six scheduled races run following numerous delays across the last week on the Isle of Man.
However, due to further weather delays on Monday, the red-flagged Junior Manx GP from Saturday was declared - with Andrea Majola the winner - while the Classic Senior and Classic Junior classes were combined.
The Clerk of the Course reduced this race to one lap, while those who had an entry for both classes (with a few exceptions) had to contest their Classic Senior bikes.
McGuinness led the Classic Senior field away on his Team Winfield Paton BIC 500 and held a 4.4-second advantage over Anderson - also on a Paton - on the run to Glen Helen.
At the Ballaugh sector split, 23-time Isle of Man TT winner McGuinness had opened that gap out to 4.7s over Anderson.
That lead stabilised to Ramsey, but Anderson reeled McGuinness in on corrected time on the run up to the Bungalow, with the gap coming down to 2.3s.
McGuinness held a slender lead of 1.1s going through Cronk-ny-Mona, but he lost time through the damp patches in this sector.
This allowed Anderson to take his first win at the event by just 0.163s when he took the chequered flag at the Grandstand.
McGuinness won’t take part in any other races at the 2024 Manx GP, as he had been entered into the Classic Junior class.
The battle for third was a tense affair, with Mike Browne holding that position through Glen Helen on his Manx Norton.
Adam McLean nipped ahead on his Royal Enfield 500 at Ballaugh, but Browne took third again at the Ramsey split.
The pair remained close on corrected time across the mountain section, with McLean snatching third by just 0.920s at the chequered flag.
Jamie Coward completed the top five on his Norton, with Paul Jordan sixth aboard his Yamaha TX500. Dominic Herbertson, James Hillier, Will Loder and Lancelot Unissart rounded out the top 10.
Conor Cummins and James Hind were non-starters in the Classic Senior class.
In the Classic Junior class, Harley Rushton scored a newcomer victory in dominant fashion on his Honda CB350K4.
Classic racing ace Glen English was second in the Classic Junior class on his Honda in his first appearance since 2000, with the podium completed by Mark Johnson.
Picture credit: Manx Grand Prix Press