After the rain on Monday, qualifying for the 2019 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy resumed on Tuesday evening with the Sidecars getting their first outing on the TT Mountain Course this year
The Formula Two Sidecars went out just before 8.05pm and there was little to choose between Ben and Tom Birchall and John Holden/Lee Cain in the early sectors on the opening lap but the latter set the best opening lap with a speed of 114.99mph.
The Birchalls slowed towards the end of the lap and finished with 111.55mph which put them fifth quickest with Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley (112.90), Alan Founds/Jake Lowther (111.89) and Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney (111.80mph) all slotting in ahead of them.
Two of the front runners had problems though with Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes stopping to make adjustments with Dave Molyneux/Harry Payne retiring at Laurel Bank but arguably the biggest story came from newcomers Ryan and Callum Crowe, the sons of former five-time TT Race winner Nick Crowe lapping at a stunning 109.76mph on their 675cc Triumph.
Second time around and Founds/Walmsley upped their pace to 114.40mph, which was only 2.2 seconds off their best ever lap of the Mountain Course, whilst brother Alan went slightly quicker with a speed of 112.35mph. Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes also clocked a 112+mph lap (112.291) at the end of the session on their second lap.
Estelle Leblond/Frank Claeys and Gary Bryan/Phil Hyde both lapped in excess of 108mph with the returning Allan Schofield, with Steve Thomas in the chair, also going well at 107.88mph. Maria Costello/Julie Canipa enjoyed a couple of laps with their best (99.369) just shy of the 100mph mark on Maria’s first full laps as a sidecar competitor.
