This should be a cracker of a race with TT regular Chris Palmer out on the Fred Walmsley Manx Norton, out to show he can ride the classics as well as he can the little strokers. Many people fancy Chris to take this race and set a new lap record at least, as he has been going very well in practice.

Non Starters - Chris McGahan, Keith Dixon, Ian Smith, Alexander McVicker.

All the starters are now out on their sighting lap.

And they are off in a mass start with some 30 riders participating. The front row all left the line together and pretty much stayed that way into the distance.

First through at Cross Fourways is Palmer.

End of the first lap it is Chris Palmer, Roy Richardson, Alan Oversby, Steve Elliot, Luke Notton, Phil Sharp

End of lap 2 - Palmer, Richardson, Oversby,

End of lap 3 - Palmer, Richardson, Oversby,

Retirements 25, 26, 6, 36,

Palmer breaks the lap record on lap 3.

End of lap 4 Palmer, Richardson, Oversby,

Palmer breaks the lap record again on lap 4 by a full second.

X 4 Ways - Richardson misses a gear and slips back slightly on Palmer, then Oversby, Elliot, Swallow, Loder, Sharp, Notton, Brew.

Confirmed that Richardson has the lap record even although he is in 2nd place.

Palmer still leads (1.8 secs) and Richardson almost loses it at X 4 Ways on lap 6 with legs akimbo and the bike weaving all over the place. Swallow now closing in.

Palmer yet again breaks the lap record on lap 6.

Palmer breaking away with a 3.5 sec lead over Richardson at end of lap 7.

Then comes Elliot and Oversby with Swallow closing in, then comes Notton, Sharp and Brew.

X 4 Ways on lap 8 - Palmer, Richardson, Elliot, Oversby, Swallow, Notton.

End of lap 8 Palmer is 3.6 secs in the lead.

Can Palmer take the race record ?

At the Finsih Line it is:-

Palmer
Richardson
Elliot
Oversby
Swallow
Notton *

Palmer shatters the race record (25' 5.27") and takes the lap record with 92.64 mph

* denotes newcomer