After completing the Superstock TT race in eighth place on his own Nitro-sponsored Yamaha R1 on Monday morning, Steve Plater hopped aboard the AIM Yamaha R6 Supersport machine and rode a further four-lap race to secure a fine second place in the first of two Supersport races at the Isle of Man TT races. But after a post race scrutineering examination the winner, New Zealand’s Bruce Anstey was disqualified after officials ruled that the Relentless Tas Suzuki machine did not comply with the Camshaft lift regulations. Therefore Lincolnshire’s Steve Plater was declared the winner of the Junior TT in just his second year of competing at the Isle of Man TT races. In the Superstock race, which got underway at 10.45am, Plater set off in 10th place but dropped down to 14th on the first 37.73mph-mile lap of the mountain course. But he soon got into his stride and was up to 11th as they came in to refuel at the end of lap two. After a good pit stop Plater was quick to get back on track and completed the third lap in ninth position going on to finish the race in eighth position. “That will do me,” said Plater. “I was 15th last year on my debut here so to move into the top 10 is a good result.” The riders hardly had time to catch their breath before they returned to the collecting area for the start of the Relentless Supersport Junior TT again run over four laps of the gruelling mountain course. In glorious sunshine and perfect conditions the race got underway at 1.15pm. Plater was quick to get away and was clocked through Glen Helen in seventh place to complete the first lap in the same position. The AIM Yamaha pit crew did a slick job at the refuelling stop after the second lap and got Plater back out on the course in a very quick time, so much so that he immediately made up a further two places to slot into fifth place. Lap three saw Plater make up ground to pass Ryan Farquhar on time to take up fourth place on lap three and then chase after Keith Amor who was holding the final podium position of third. By the time the pair reached Glen Helen on the final lap, Plater was ahead and in third place. With half a lap remaining he was catching John McGuinness on time and a fast run from Ramsey to the Bungalow checkpoint saw him overhaul the multi TT winner to claim second place, which he held to the chequered flag. Speaking at the post-race press conference Plater said: “I can’t believe that. We had one or two issues in practice and I gave my teammate Ian Hutchinson the best engine as he stood a good chance of actually winning the race. But I got my head down at the start and tried to be as smooth as possible. “I had no idea I had finished second. I didn’t have any boards around the circuit but one of the Phase One guys waved their board at me to say I was P5 a couple of times and I thought that would be a good result. “But then when I went through on my last lap it said P3 and I thought, flipping heck that’s good, and thought I had better try to be as smooth as possible to hang onto third. But then coming out of Ramsey and up May Hill I made a mistake on the approach to the hairpin so I was a bit cross with myself. “All I wanted to do was keep it smooth over the mountain and bring it home in third so I couldn’t believe it when they ushered me into the second place spot. “Its just awesome, my head is in a big snowball right now and I can’t believe what I have just done.” But after the post race scrutineering test Anstey was disqualified and Steve pronounced the winner and is now even more amazed. “It was a surprise to find out I was second but now I have to take in the fact that I have actually won the race. It’s all too much for me to take on board right now. Today has been such an emotional rollercoaster I just need a bit of peace and quiet to realise exactly what has happened here today.” But the peace and quiet wont happen yet a while as Plater now has to attend the awards ceremony tonight to receive his trophy and to face the gathered media for another round of interviews. The second of the Supersport Junior TT races is set for Wednesday at 10.45am and the final race of the week for Plater will be the Dainese Senior TT event run over six laps starting at noon on Friday. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: Morecambe’s John McGuinness got his 2008 Isle of Man TT Races camapign back on track on Monday with excellent second places in both the Superstock and Supersport races. This now gives John a total of 27 TT podium finishes, second only to the legendary Joey Dunlop. Despite misty conditions, the 4-lap Superstock race got underway on time and John grabbed an early lead on the Honda Fireblade to edge ahead of Cameron Donald by 1.6 seconds as they swept through Ramsey on the opening lap. However, with poor visibility on parts of the Mountain, John erred on the side of caution and that showed at the end of the lap as Donald was now 1.75seconds clear. This proved to be the trend for the race and, as Donald pulled away, John concentrated on securing second, a feat he duly did as he fought off a charging Guy Martin to defeat his fellow Honda rival by 2.9 seconds. An hour later, John was back out on the grid, this time on the Padgett’s Honda for the first of the two Supersport 600cc races and a strong first lap saw him in third place, just one second adrift of Keith Amor in second. With a 124mph+ lap, John moved up to second at half race distance but not long after his pit stop, the steering damper broke and with the handling naturally affected, John had to ease off slightly, particularly through the Ginger Hall to Ramsey section. Consequently, Steve Plater relegated him to third at the chequered flag but, almost three hours after the race had finished, race winner Bruce Anstey was disqualified and John promoted back up to second. Speaking after successfully completing 8 laps around the 37 3/4 mile course, John said: “It was a bit iffy on the first lap of the Superstock race and with quite a lot of mist, as well as some damp, slippery patches, I was a bit too steady over the Mountain. It’s always difficult in those conditions as you never know how hard to push but I concentrated hard and tried all the way to the end. We struggled a bit for time on the bike during practice as I only got 3 laps on it but it never missed a beat in the race and it’s a fantastic bike – it was good enough to win today but the rider wasn’t!” “The Supersport race was going really well until the steering damper broke and with oil all over my visor and screen for almost two laps, it was tricky out there. It was a bit of a handful through the bumpy parts of the course and, after it broke, I just concentrated on bringing the bike home safely. After 8 laps of racing today, I was out of puff by the end of it but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself. It’s been a good day and with two second place finishes, I’ve got to be happy.” John’s next chance of glory comes in Wednesday’s second 4-lap Supersport 600cc race where he will again be out on the Padgett’s Manx Gas Racing Honda. The race gets underway at 10.45am. More, from a press release issued by Guy Martin’s publicist: Mixed fortunes for Martin on day 2 at the TT Kirmington’s Guy Martin endured a mixed day at the Isle of Man TT on Monday when the satisfaction of finishing third in the Superstock race was offset by another retirement, this time in the afternoon’s Supersport race. With misty conditions on the Island in the morning, it was somewhat of a surprise to see the 4-lap Superstock race get away on time but at 10.45am the flag dropped and Guy was first away on the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda Fireblade. However, a sluggish start saw him down in an unusual 6th place at the end of the first lap but he slowly began to find his rhythm and had moved up to third at half race distance. With the sun slowly breaking through, another great pit stop saw Guy make up more time and although he was closing in on second placed John McGuinness all the time, he ultimately ran out of time and finished just 2.9seconds adrift after 150 miles of racing. Conditions were perfect in the afternoon for the 4-lap Supersport race and the Isle of Man was once again bathed in sunshine. Unfortunately, it wasn’t shining on Guy and his 600cc Honda expired at the Highlander on the first lap, less than four miles into the race, huge disappointment for Guy and the whole team after setting some good times towards the end of practice week. Speaking afterwards, a disappointed Guy commented: “I can’t complain with this morning’s result – I just didn’t get my act together early enough. When I went over the Mountain on the first lap I was thinking ‘this ain’t going to last 4 laps’ as you couldn’t see your hand in front of you up on the Verandah – the fog was really bad and I had a major slide at Brandish but it gradually cleared and we got the race done and dusted.” “I don’t know why but I was struggling to keep the bike in gear in the first couple of laps and that, coupled with a slow start, meant I was playing catch up all the time. 6th at the end of the first lap was woeful and although I’m never going to be happy with 3rd, we got a decent finish in the end and a big thank you to the whole team for all their hard work.” “I was hoping to make amends in the Supersport race and we’d even taped a lucky penny to the airbox but my race was over before I’d even got going and it was hugely disappointing and frustrating to be parked at the side of the road again. There’s nothing we can do about it now though and we’ll be giving it all in the final two races of the week.” Guy’s next race comes in the second Supersport 600cc race, which gets underway at 10.45am on Wednesday. More, from a press release issued by AIM Yamaha: STEVE PLATER WINS JUNIOR TT FOR AIM YAMAHA Steve Plater rode a scintillating race on Monday to take his maiden victory in the Relentless Supersport Junior TT run over four laps of the 37.73-mile Isle of Man mountain course. But Ian Hutchinson suffered more bad luck as he retired at Sulby Bridge with a blown engine on lap two. Plater opened his account with a strong 10th place in Saturday’s Dainese Superbike race, the same position as in last year’s event, although this time his lap speeds had increased considerably. In glorious sunshine and perfect conditions on Monday, the Junior TT got underway at 1.15pm. Plater made good progress and was clocked through Glen Helen in seventh place to complete the first lap in the same position. The AIM Yamaha pit crew did a slick job at the refuelling stop after the second lap and quickly got Plater back out on the course, so much so that he made up a further two places to slot into fifth place. Lap three saw Plater make up ground to pass Ryan Farquhar on time to take up fourth place and then reel in Keith Amor who was holding the final podium position of third. By the time the pair reached Glen Helen on the final lap, Plater was ahead and in third place. With half a lap remaining he was catching John McGuinness on time and a fast run from Ramsey to the Bungalow checkpoint saw him overhaul the multi TT winner to claim second place, which he held to the chequered flag. But less than three hours later Plater found himself proclaimed the race winner as Bruce Anstey’s Relentless Tas Suzuki was checked and the exhaust cam measurement found to be illegal, giving race officials no alternative but to exclude the New Zealand rider from the results. STEVE PLATER I was stunned to find I had been awarded the race win. At the end of the race I had no idea I had even finished second. I didn’t have any boards around the circuit but one of the Phase One guys waved their board at me to say I was P5 a couple of times and I thought that would be a good result. But then when I went through on my last lap it said P3 and I thought, flipping heck that’s good. But then coming out of Ramsey and up May Hill I made a mistake on the approach to the hairpin so I was a bit cross with myself. All I wanted to do was keep it smooth over the mountain and bring it home in third so I couldn’t believe it when they ushered me into the second place spot. Now I am actually the race winner it’s just awesome, my head is in a big snowball right now and I can’t believe what I have just done. I am not too bothered that I didn’t get on the top step at the podium ceremony. In years to come people will forget all that. But it’s my name that will go onto the trophy, as the winner of the 2008 Junior TT race one and that’s what counts. I have to thank the AIM Yamaha pit crew who have worked their socks off these last few weeks, first at the North West 200 and now all through the TT fortnight. They have done a sterling job for the team and this win is their reward. Ian Hutchinson was left bitterly disappointed he could not share Plater’s success. He was unfortunate to retire from the Superbike race on lap three on Saturday and again on lap two in the Junior TT on Monday with a mechanical failure. Things just have not gone his way this year with problems during practice week and now two retirements during race week. But Hutchy will bounce back and be determined to complete the second Junior TT on Wednesday and the Senior on Friday in a strong position for AIM Yamaha. Wednesday’s Junior TT is scheduled for a start at 10.45am followed after the sidecar race by practice for the Senior which is due to take place on Friday at noon.