2008 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 24 May and Saturday 7 June on the 37.733-mile Snaefell Mountain Course and was the 89th Isle of Man TT Race. After the 2007 Centenary TT Races, the 2008 event included a second 600cc Supersport Junior TT race and the re-introduction of two-stroke motor-cycle racing with a Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT race on the (4.25 mile) Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man.Manx Independent pp44 dated 22 November 2007
For the 2008 Isle of Man TT Races, following the deaths of a race competitor and two spectators at the 26th Milestone during the 2007 Senior TT a number of changes occurred in spectator safety and road widening occurred at Braddan Bridge and a new link road and mini-roundabout at Governor's Bridge. The race organisation changed with the Manx Motor Cycle Club (MMCC) replaced by ACU Events Ltd a subsidiary of the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU).Isle of Man Examiner pp1 dated 20 November 2007 – Isle of Man Newspapers Ltd A contract for the official course vehicles was awarded to Audi in a 3-year deal to celebrate the win by the pre-war Audi satellite company DKW by Ewald Kluge in the 1938 Isle of Man TT Races.Isle of Man Examiner pp1 dated 8 April 2008 A further contract was awarded to Yamaha UK to provide motor-cycles and support for the TT Travelling Marshalls.Isle of Man Examiner pp10 dated 13 May 2008 The Isle of Man TT competitor Martin Finnegan was killed while racing at the Tandragee 100 Races on 3 May 2008Isle of Man Examiner pp2 dated 6 May 2008 and this was followed by the former Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix winner Robert Dunlop who died in an accident on 16 May 2008Isle of Man Examiner pp1&2 dated 20 May 2008 at Mather's Cross during practice for the 2008 North West 200 Races.
TT Practice Week 2008 The first practice session for 2008 Isle of Man TT Races featured an evening untimed session and Newcomers control lap on Saturday 24 May 2008. It was Guy Martin, despite a crash at the 2008 Pre-TT Classic earlier in the day, that dominated the first timed practice session on Monday 26 May 2008 with a lap of 17 minutes and 57.83 seconds an average speed of 126.020 mph on a 1000cc Honda for the Superbike TT race.Isle of Man Examiner p. 18 dated 27 May 2008 Isle of Man Newspapers The 2008 TT Newcomer, James McBride had a high speed crash at Gorse Lea on Monday evening practice suffering leg fractures. The Italian competitor Angelo Conti crashed at the 33rd Milestone and suffered minor injuries. There was a 2-day interlude to practice during Tuesday and Wednesday of practice caused by weather conditions on the Mountain Section of the course. It is announced that the replacement to the injured James McBride would be Michael Dunlop after the recent death of his father Robert Dunlop and his recent win in the 250cc class at the 2008 North West 200 Races had decided to compete at the 2008 Isle of Man TT races after all.Manx Independent p47 dated 30 May 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper
TT Race Week 2008
Superbike TT Race With problems with cancellations due to poor weather on the Snaefell Mountain Course the pole time for the Superbike TT race was set by John McGuinness in 17 minutes, 32.24 seconds an average speed of 129.085 mph. The 6 lap (226.38 miles) Superbike TT Race was scheduled for mid-day start on Saturday 31 May 2008 and the first competitor away from the TT Grandstand was Guy Martin who was delayed by 10 seconds from his designated start-time due to confusion in the pre-stage area.Motor-Cycle News p59 dated 4 June 2008 EMAP Publications The next competitor, Conor Cummins riding a 1000cc Yamaha with a start interval of 10.00 seconds was delayed by about 4 seconds and John McGuinness at number 3 was delayed by 7 seconds and McGuinness said;- "....still pulling one of my gloves on when I heard Martin's bike going down towards Bray Hill. I screamed at the boys to get the warmers off. I think everyone thought there was a delay. No one had called us forward." The delays were accounted for in the lap-timing, although John McGuinness and 1000cc Honda was sidelined with an electrical mis-fire and pulled-in at Glen Helen on lap 2 and Guy Martin retired on lap 4 at Sulby with an oil-leak to his Honda motor-cycle.TT News 2008 Issue 2 p. 1 dated 1 June 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper
The early lead was held by Ian Hutchinson at Glen Helen on lap 1 riding a 1000cc Yamaha and only 8 seconds covered the top 12 competitors. Despite the delayed start, Guy Martin stormed to the lead by Parliament Square in Ramsey on lap1 by 0.43 seconds from John McGuinness with the Australian Cameron Donald riding a 1000cc Suzuki in 3rd place.TT News 2008 Issue 2 p. 4 dated 1 June 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper Despite the delay and the standing-start, Guy Martin set a new lap record for the Superbike TT in 17 minutes and 32.09 seconds an average speed of 129.103 and led John McGuinness by 3.98 seconds and Cameron Donald by 6.75 seconds in 3rd place on corrected time on lap 1. The old lap record was broken by McGuinness on lap 1 at an average speed of 128.617 mph, although was reported touring at Laurel Bank on lap 2 retiring at Glen Helen and McGuinness explained that;- "....The Bike suffered a slight misfire at the top of the Mountain. It got progressively worse after that and I could't continue after Ballacraine." After the retirement of John McGuinness, the lead was extended by Guy Martin to 8.9 seconds over Cameron Donald in 2nd place and his New Zealand teammate Bruce Anstey in 3rd place. Another new lap record was established by Guy Martin for the Superbike TT on lap 2 at an average speed of 129.540 mph and after the pit-stop at the TT Grandstand led Cameron Donald by 14 seconds.
The lead was reduced to 10.21 seconds by Ramsey Hairpin by Cameron Donald on lap 3 and fellow Suzuki rider Adrian Archibald replaced Ryan Farquhar in 4th place. The Yamaha motor-cycle of Ian Hutchinson suffered an oil-leak at Union Mills forcing him to retire from the race. With the retirement of Guy Martin at Sulby Village on lap 4, also with an oil leak, the 2008 Superbike TT Race became the " Down under Dice " with Suzuki teammates Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey increased their pace to produce laps at an average speed of 128.558 mph and 128.601 mph respectively. On the last lap, Bruce Anstey tried to increase his pace to wrestle the lead from his Suzuki teammate, "I tried to pull away in the last-lap, but could't manage it so I let Cameron back in front again and just followed him home."TT News 2008 Issue 2 p3 dated 1 June 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper The 2008 Superbike TT was won by Cameron Donald in 1hour, 47 minutes and 5.89 seconds to set a new race record at an average race speed 126.82 mph and become the first Australian winner of an Isle of Man TT race since Graeme McGreggor won the 1984 Junior TT and Formula 2 TT races. In second place was Bruce Anstey at an average race speed of 126.826 mph. In 3rd place, Adrian Archibald also riding a 1000cc Suzuki motor-cycle at an average race speed of 126.826 mph to produce a Suzuki 1-2-3 win at the 2008 Superbike TT Race. Run in warm weather and the winner Cameron Donald mentioned;- "It was hot out there. The tar was melting in place."Motor-Cycle News p58 dated 4 June 2008 EMAP Publications
Sidecar TT Race 'A' The 3 lap (113.00 miles) Sidecar TT Race 'A' was run in the same warm weather conditions as the Superbike TT Race. It was the 600c LCR Honda outfit of Nick Crowe/ Mark Cox that had dominated practice with a fastest time of 19 minutes, 35.66 seconds an average speed of 115.534 set on Friday evening practice. The first competitor away from the TT Grandstand was the 600cc DMR Suzuki sidecar outfit of Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle that immediately retired at the end of the pit-lane with clutch problems.TT News 2008 Issue 2 p18 dated 1 June 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper The 600cc LCR Suzuki of John Holden/Andrew Winkle led the Sidecar TT Race 'A' at Glen Helen by 1.86 seconds on lap 1 from the LCR outfit of Nick Crowe/ Mark Cox with the 600cc LCR Honda of Klaus Klaffenbock/Christian Parzer in third place a further 3.36 seconds behind the leaders. At Ballaugh Bridge on the first lap, John Holden/Andrew Winkle had extended their lead to 3.5 seconds and to 6 seconds by Ramsey Hairpin over Nick Crowe/Mark Cox. The 600cc LCR Honda sidecar of Klaus Klaffenbock/Christian Parzer retired just before Parliament Square in Ramsey and the 600cc Yamaha of Steve Norbury/Rick Long now moved into 3rd place and the 600cc Suzuki of Simon Neary/Jamie Winn into 4th place. As Nick Crowe/Mark Cox increased their race pace, the lead of John Holden/Andrew Winkle fell from 5.3 seconds at the Bungalow to 3.1 seconds at the end of lap 1 at the TT Grandstand.
At Glen Helen on lap 2, the lead for John Holden/Andrew Winkle was now reduced to 0.19 seconds. Due to the increasing race speed of Nick Crowe/Mark Crowe and problems experienced by John Holden/Andrew Winkle with a failing rear shock absorber they slipped 4.19 seconds behind the new leaders of Crowe/Cox at Ramsey Hairpin on lap 2. The Yamaha sidecar of Steve Norbury/Rick Long retired at Handley's Corner on lap 2 allowing Simon Neary/Jamie Winn to claim 3rd place and to lead the 600cc LCR Suzuki of Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance by just 0.23 seconds in 4th place. A lap of 19 minutes, 40.43 seconds an average race speed of 115.066 mph on lap 2 by Nick Crowe/Mark Cox was the fastest of the race and now led John Holden/Andrew Winkle by 9.8 seconds. This lead increased to 12 seconds by Glen Helen on lap 3 for Crowe/Cox and the Yamaha sidecar of Simon Neary/Jamie Winn retired at Union Mills allowing TT newcomer Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance into 3rd place. On the final climb of the Mountain Section, Nick Crowe/Mark Cox extended their lead to 16.49 seconds to win Sidecar TT Race 'A' in 59 minutes and 22.80 seconds at an average race speed of 114.372 mph from John Holden/Andrew Winkle in 2nd place at an average race speed of 113.751 mph and the former World Sidecar Champion Tim Reeves/Patrick Farrance in 3rd place at an average race speed of 111.096 mph. Despite the fast race pace, Nick Crowe commented that;- "The bike did not feel very fast today....It wouldn't pull top gear properly. I may have overgeared it, but perhaps it was the heat.".TT News 2008 Issue 2 p19 dated 1 June 2008 Isle of Man Newspaper The 3rd place for Tim Reeves was the first podium place for a sidecar driver as a TT newcomer since Rolf Biland and Ken Williams finished 2nd in the 1977 Sidecar Race 'B.' In respect to his decision to enter the Isle of Man TT Races, Tim Reeves had some harsh comments;- "I had some many doubters. So many said I wouldn't cut it here so this has just pi**ed in their Corn Flakes."
Superstock TT Race