DOUBLE TOP FOR BEN AND TOM BIRCHALL

Mansfield sidecar racers Ben and Tom Birchall have done the double by winning the second Sure sidecar race at the 2015 Isle of Man TT festival on Wednesday. With the ink hardly dry from rewriting the history books with a new race record in race one it had to be done again as they broke the record once again today with a time of 58m 24.971s shaving a further 14.8s from their time. The brothers also set a new personal best lap time on the final of three laps with a lap time of 19m 23.081s - 116.783.

Dave Molyneux and Ben Binns were second and John Holden claimed his second podium of the week with third place.

Although Ben and Tom have set a new race record and a new personal best lap time they just missed out on the lap record by 0.002s to Dave Molyneux and Ben Binns.

Starting at 10 second intervals Ben and Tom were the third crew to set off around the 37.73 mile mountain road course and on corrected time they were in the lead at the first checkpoint. They maintained their lead to the end of the first lap and upped their pace on lap two to extend the lead to over seven seconds and set a personal best average lap of 116.451mph and on the final lap they were flying and upped their personal best lap time to 116.783mph as they took the chequered flag for their second win of the week and the third of their career.

Ben said: "I am speechless; to come back from our accident last year and to keep going at the pace that we set means so much to us. I just used my head a little bit more in that race and just brought it home. I kept getting a glimpse of Dave (Molyneux) in front and thought if I could just keep behind him it would be good enough. But it wasn't good enough as he was on a fast one so I had to go as hard as I could but at the same time make everything perfect. I really didn't think I could do that speed and get the race record in such a short time at the TT; I have to say thanks to the team and everyone who has supported us. We have had a hard year up to now with one thing and another and the boys in the team have worked so hard, it's down to them that we are here as winners so thanks very much."

The Birchall brothers will return to the Isle of Man for the Diamond Jubilee Southern 100 which takes place July 6-9 on the Billowen circuit at the south of the island.

Pic credit Action Peter Bull

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