Dan Kneen's 2012 Isle of Man TT races campaign ended on a painful note on Monday when he crashed out of the 4-lap Supersport race. The Marks Bloom Racing rider was putting in a superb ride on the GSXR600 Suzuki and was lying in an excellent fifth place when he crashed out on the third lap, highsiding on the exit of Governor's Bridge with just one lap of the race remaining. It also puts his participation in the remaining races in doubt.

After a delay of two hours and fifteen minutes, the race got underway at 1pm with perfect weather and dry, sunny conditions all around the Mountain Course. With his previous best results at the TT coming in the Supersport class, and having posted the sixth fastest time during practice week, hopes were high of another top class result. Indeed, with an opening lap of 124.607mph, he slotted into sixth place just four seconds adrift of second place rider Cameron Donald. It was incredibly close race and although his second lap was quicker still, at 124.983mph, he remained in sixth place. Only six seconds separated the third to eighth placed riders but, after the pit stop at the end of lap two, Dan moved up to fifth half way round lap three.
 
The retirement of race leader Michael Dunlop helped promote Dan up the order but he was also finding a good rhythm and at Ramsey on the third lap he was only nine seconds behind William Dunlop who was occupying fourth place. However, just as he was negotiating the tricky Governor's Bridge section at the very end of the lap, he got caught out by a damp patch under the trees and highsided out of the action. The bike was severely damaged whilst Dan was left nursing some painful back injuries.
 
Speaking on Tuesday, Dan said; "The race was going really well and apart from Michael Dunlop coming past me, it was just me and the circuit. The little Suzuki was working really well and I was inside the top six but just as I was about to start the final lap, I got caught out by a small damp patch at Governor's. It had rained on Sunday and with Governor's always being slippy due to the overhanging trees, there was just enough of a damp patch to cause me to highside. The bike took a battering whilst I landed on my back and am pretty bruised and it was such a shame as I was on course to equal my best result - if I'd have kept going, I could have got fourth too as race leader Gary Johnson ran out of fuel. Obviously it put me out of the Superstock race later in the day and my back's pretty sore and swollen and there's a couple of squashed vertebrae so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get out again this week. I certainly won't be in the second Supersport race on Wednesday but if I can, I'll try and get out on Friday for the Lightweight and Senior races. I'll just see how I feel and take it day by day."
 
Dan's due to be out on Friday on the Track Electronics Kawasaki in the 3-lap Lightweight race and the Marks Bloom Racing Suzuki in the 6-lap Senior.
 
Picture by Mark Walters.