Lincolnshire’s Ivan Lintin made a more than favourable impression at the 2012 Isle of Man TT road races after some stunning performances during race week. Indeed, with two top twelve finishes, three silver replicas and a first ever 120mph+ lap, it was difficult to identify what the main highlight of the week was for the Bardney rider. Seventh in the Lightweight TT gave him his best finish but 10th in the highly competitive Supersport 600cc was, arguably, a more satisfying result whilst he also finished 7th overall in the TT Privateers Championship despite only his two Supersport finishes counting.
"I decided to concentrate on the smaller capacity races again at this year’s TT and its really paid dividends," said Lintin. "I wanted to make a bit of an impression this year so to get two top ten finishes, three silver replicas and a first ever 120mph+ lap is absolutely brilliant – I’m over the moon with how it all went. Switching to Kawasaki machinery has given me a boost as the bikes had better speed and handled better than what I'd previously ridden at the TT and that, together with my increased circuit knowledge, enabled me to push on for some decent positions.”
After posting the 7th and 13th fastest times in practice for the Lightweight and Supersport races respectively, hopes were high going into the three races on the R&D Sheet Metal ER6 and ZX-6R Kawasaki’s respectively and his superb form continued in the first 4-lap Supersport event. With an opening lap of 120.468mph, his first ever 120mph+ lap of the Mountain Course, he lay in 14th place whilst the next two laps saw him move up a place each time. On the fourth and final lap, he climbed up to a brilliant 10th place, to finish only a few seconds behind multiple race winner Ian Hutchinson and also be the third Kawasaki rider to finish.
It gave him his first ever top ten result and his first silver replica and two days later, he was back out on the Supersport machine. With more 120mph+ laps, Ivan again featured heavily and, posting his best ever lap of the demanding 37.73-mile circuit at 120.643mph, he took 14th place at the end of the four laps for his second successive silver replica.
However, the 27-year old saved the best until last with a stunning performance in the re-introduced 3-lap Lightweight TT. Riding the ER6 Kawasaki that has served him so well at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, Ivan slotted into 7th place after the opening lap but with riders opting for different pit stop strategies, he moved up to 4th at the end of lap two after lapping at 113.234mph, He then pitted and with everyone now having refuelled, he was lying in seventh once more, where he duly finished for his second top ten finish of the week and third silver replica from as many races.
"In the first Supersport race, I had no idea what position I was in, I just got my head down for 4 laps! I caught a few people on the road and the new qualifying procedure certainly helped me as I didn't have too many people to pass. I caught Dan Cooper and knew from his lap times in practice I must have been going fairly well so 10th, against all the top class opposition was a phenomenal result for me. The second Supersport race also went well but I had a slow pit stop, which slowed me down a bit and I then got caught up in a battle on the road with Olie Linsdell. It probably slowed us both down but I did my fastest lap of the fortnight on the last lap and was pleased to get another silver replica."
"Riding the Supertwin bike is a bit like riding a moped to me as they do what you want them to do but I was a bit too cautious on the opening lap, like a few other riders were, and lost a bit of time. When Russ Mountford came flying by, it gave me a wake up call and I ended up sticking with him for the rest of the race. At the pit stop, I had a look at the scoreboard and could see he was in 4th so knew I couldn't have been too further back as there was only the ten seconds starting difference between us. We had a bit of a battle but I didn't want to slow him up and mess his race up so I followed him round for the last lap and to end the week with 7th was just brilliant. I ran over the drainage cover at Graham Memorial on the final lap so told myself to just keep it going for the last few miles but, aside from that, I had no moments at all during the fortnight. I only had one mechanical problem too, which came in the very first session, and as I do all the work on my bikes, that's something I'm very proud of. I'd like to think I've shown what I'm capable of at the TT this year so it will be nice to return next year even stronger than ever."
Ivan’s next meeting will see him return to Oliver's Mount Scarborough for the Barry Sheene Festival (June 24) before returning to the Isle of Man for his debut at the Southern 100 road races. Held on the 4.25-mile Billown circuit, near Castletown, the meeting takes place from July 9-12.
Picture by Paul Woodlock
