Moodie Wins Junior TT

Yorkshireman Dave Jefferies, bidding for a third winning triple in as manyyears on the Island, was forced out at Sulby on the opening lap as hisSuzuki ground to halt with mechanical problems, and then on the second lap,John McGuinness also had machine problems, having to retire his HondaCBR600...

Moodie, the winner of the corresponding race in 1999, was in dominant form.He had overtaken Jefferies over the first nine miles, and was maintainingthat pace as McGuinness tried to challenge, but the Lancastrian was nineseconds down at the end of the opening lap of the 37.73 mile MountainCourse.

As McGuinness stopped, Ian Lougher, the winner of Monday's 125ccUltra-lightweight race, moved second but the Welshman was never in aposition to challenge for the lead as Moodie, riding smoothly maintainedthe pace aboard his V&M Yamaha, to be 26 seconds clear at the half-distancepit stop for fuel.

Moodie was in no mood to let this one slip, riding smoothly, to maintainhis lead on the third lap, and then extend it to a winning margin of 33seconds with a final fast lap at an average speed of 120.20 mph:"Absolutely brilliant, tremendous." Said Scotsman Moodie.

"The clutch was slipping and wearing, so I had to stop using thequick-shift, so it was a case of keeping it going, and maintaining myconcentration all of the way through to the end. It was not easy outthere, because of a number of damp patches. It was a case of riding as hardas possible on the dry, but going a bit steadier in the damp." ConcludedMoodie.

Lougher was well pleased with his second place: "Brilliant - I took a whileto get my head down on the first lap. There were no problems, the bike wasso easy to ride." Said Lougher.

Jason Griffiths (Yamaha) took third place, ahead of Ryan Farquhar(Kawasaki) and Richard Quayle riding the Campbell Honda. Adrian Archibald'sdisappointing week continued as the Ulsterman brought his Red Bull HondaCBR600 into seventh place.

Kiwi Bruce Anstey romped to maiden TT glory as he won the 250cc race by alittle over three minutes. The Yamaha rider was always running clear outfront, even able to enjoy the luxury of a leisurely pit-stop, with secondplaced Simon Smith, a journalist riding the Manton Honda as a replacementrider for Shaun Brown, unable to make any impact.

Anstey said of his ride. "The bike was flying, going really well - I had nosignals around the course so I was doing my own thing and enjoying theride. I always knew that I could go well. It was just a case of keeping itnice and smooth."

Smith said. "I've hardly ridden two-stroke 250s so it was a gamble butafter my firstlap on the machine in practice I was more than happy to race it."

He added: "I'm really happy with second place. I had a problem-free race andI¹m pleased for the team after the late changes and Shaun¹s injury."