TT 2022: Harrison takes charge in session three

DAO Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison closed in on the 132mph mark on Tuesday night practice at TT 2022, putting in a 131.767 to top the evening session and the overall leaderboard.

Harrison set his time on a flying lap but was pushed hard by Davey Todd on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda, who set a 131.655 from a standinjg start for second place with Peter Hickman in third.

With good conditions all around the course, the session kicked off at 6.31pm with Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales) again the first rider to set off towards Bray Hill and he was swiftly followed by Harrison, Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad), James Hillier (RICH Energy OMG Racing), and the FHO Racing pairing of Brian McCormack and Hickman, the latter again in the Gas Monkey Garage colours. All were Superbike-mounted but Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing) had again opted for his Supersport machine.

Harrison quickly caught Rutter on the road and it was soon apparent that the Kawasaki man, Hickman and Davey Todd were the ones to watch and the ones setting the pace. Harrison was the first to complete the lap at 130.369mph, whilst Hickman’s pace slowed slightly to 128.972mph as the lap progressed, although it was Todd who was tearing up the Mountain Course and a lap of 131.655mph sent him quickest. Michael Dunlop (129.119mph) slotted into third and that pushed Hickman down to fourth with Conor Cummins on the second Milenco by Padgett’s Honda placing fifth at 128.721mph and ahead of sixth placed Hutchinson (127.716mph). Nathan Harrison (125.367mph) was the quickest rider in the Superstock class whilst Johnston was comfortably fastest in the Supersport category at 124.168mph. Meanwhile, all the newcomers were going well on their first lap including Glenn Irwin