For the majority of this 2017 Sidecar Race, brothers Ben and Tom Birchall fought off strong competition from solid pairing John Holden and Lee Cain. Manx duo Dave Molyneux and Dan Sayle however were right on their tail throughout – Molyneux keen to make an impression in what was his 50th TT race.

The Birchalls made their intentions clear from the outset and opened a strong lead over Holden/Cain, with Molyneux/Sayle a further second behind in third.

As the race developed, the Birchalls really piled on the pressure as their lead increased at every timing point – flashing across the line at the end of the second lap to claim a new lap record of 117.119pmh, the first ever 117mph+ lap by a sidecar in the history of the TT.

The fight for the winner’s podium persisted until the bitter end – with Mansfield brothers Ben and Tom keen to take their fifth TT victory home and overcome the almighty Holden and Molyneux who hurtled through the final lap of the Mountain Course – one passenger even overcoming a serious injury to take the third podium place.