Ex-British Rally Champion Mark Higgins has set an even faster lap time around the Isle of Man TT circuit today (Friday), eclipsing the time he set earlier in the week.
Prior to today's Senior TT Higgins – driving a modified Subaru WRX STI – lapped the 37.7-mile course in 19min 15.88sec, which equates to an average speed of 117.51mph.
That is a new lap record for a car around the road course, and betters the time he set on Wednesday. The Manxman first set a lap record on the island back in 2011, when he achieved an average speed of 115.36mph. He exceeded 160mph in places around the Mountain circuit.
"I am still learning where I can go flat in this car," said Higgins.
Higgins' new record is faster than the TT’s existing ‘ultra lightweight’ 125cc motorcycle lap record and the existing 600cc sidecar lap record set in 2007. The TT’s outright lap record, set by Bruce Anstey in the Superbike race on Sunday, stands at 17min 06.70sec and 132.298mph.
Higgins’ Subaru is running in close to production specification. The engine has been modified to remove the car’s speed limiter and to provide better high-speed cooling.
The standard suspension has been upgraded with competition-spec springs and dampers, and lightweight alloy wheels and road-legal Dunlop Direzza tyres are used. A full roll cage has also been fitted, along with full bucket seats.
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Roll cage I understand.
Well to be honest......!
Scary quick. "Higgins’
"Higgins’ Subaru is running in close to production specification"
... with an engine modified to remove the car’s speed limiter and to provide better high-speed cooling, and upgraded competition-spec springs and dampers, and lightweight alloy wheels and road-legal Dunlop Direzza tyres and a full roll cage and full bucket seats.."
So, not really close to production spec, after all, but still a mighty performance from Mr Higgins. Went through a Kielder special stage with him once, in a Nissan rally car. Mad. Totally mad.