Motorcycling: Death mars TT practice

THE death of a competitor marred the qualifying for the Isle of Man Junior TT yesterday. Race officials confirmed that 34-year-old Mike Casey was killed in a crash while riding his 250cc Honda during practice at Ballagarey.

Casey, a marine engineer from Patrick on the island, was an experienced competitor on the 37.73-mile Mountain Course, having won the 1995 Senior Manx Grand Prix.

Practice for the Formula One race was dominated by Simon Beck, who rode his Kawasaki to the top of the leaderboard for tomorrow's six-lap TT race, the first of the annual festival.