CLASSICRACERIRISHCLASSICROADRACING
84 ClassicRacer
Above:The startofthe Skerries
100SeniorClassicrace.Left: PhillipShawkeepsaheadof
the chasingpack.Ed Manlymanages to keep aheadof Barry Davidson. Trevor Rufusand PatrickWalker.Skerries
TheSkerries 100followedonJuly1and
sawthe return of Ed Manly, resulting in one
of thetightest Classic races seenherein
many yearswhen Eddiemanagedto snatch
pole position fromreigningchampionBarry
Davidson and thus setting the stage forsix
laps of white-knuckle duelling betweenthem.
Manlyheld atinyleadfromthe start
buttherewasnomore than abikelength
between the twountil lap four when acouple
of back-markers got in the way,allowing
Davidson to slipinto thelead and pullabit of
distance on Manlyfor all of one lap untilmore
back-markers cameinto play at Gillie’s Leap
and on down to the hairpin, allowingManlyto
narrowthe gap.
Davidson wasfirst outofthe hairpin and
araging charge ensued up Sam’sTunnel,
throughthe chicane andpastthe start/finish
down to Finnegan’sCorner,where Davidson
kept it tight but Manlyforcedhisway past,
roundthe outsidewiththe twomachinesside
by side forpretty muchthe remainderofthefinallap until, at the flag, it wasManlyfirst by
0.050of asecond, setting anew laprecordat
88.879mph,with Davidson second and local
rider SeanLeonard adistant third.Richard
Ford wasfirstinthe 250cc class fromBrian
Mateer and Philip Shaw.
Thesenior ClassicRace offered Davidson
the opportunitytorestoreorder and his
Gimbert500cc Hondaprovedideal as it took
an impressive 11secwin overG50-mounted
Manlywith thirdgoing to Cork riderTony
Willis.TheUnlimited Classwin went to
Robert McCrum, who set afastestlap of
91.576mphonhis NortonWeslakeaheadof
BobJacksonNorton-mountedRichard Ford
withTrevorRufus takingthird.080 081 082 084 085 086_SEP.indd 84 27/07/201709:10:08