Classic TT: Anstey smashes lap and race records

Bruce Anstey smashed the lap record at the Classic TT in the Lightweight class with the first ever 120mph lap around the Mountain Course on a 250cc machine.

The Flying Kiwi was in a class of his own on the Padgetts Honda RS250 as he won by 1m 24.857s over Michael Rutter (Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati). Ian Lougher completed the top three on the LayLaw Racing Yamaha TZ250.

Anstey set a new lap record of 119.988mph from a standing start before upping the tempo to record a new benchmark of 120.475mph on lap two.

The 48-year-old also established a new race record of 1hr 16m 15.072s, beating the previous record by 1m 14.365s.

“Clive’s [Padgett] done brilliantly getting the bike up to spec over the winter,” Anstey said.

“We have been targeting the 120mph lap so it’s great to get it in the bag. I used Ian as a bit of a target and went flat-out for the first two laps.”

Lougher was only 2.3 seconds behind Rutter as he closed in on the Ducati rider on the fourth and final lap.

Ivan Lintin (John Chapman Honda), Phil Harvey (CSC Honda) and Dan Cooper (Turner Racing Yamaha) were the top six.

Michael Dunlop was among the retirements on his Turner Racing Yamaha at the end of the first lap, while Manxman Dan Sayle pulled out on lap three after holding second place on the Steelcote Solutions Yamaha.