Racer Dan Kneen Killed in Isle of Man TT Crash
Second racer, Steve Mercer, was injured after hitting safety car
Manx racer Dan Kneen, 30 has succumbed to injuries following a crash during a qualifying session for the Isle of Man TT. Kneen is survived by his partner Leanne.
Kneen was the first rider in Wednesday’s Superbike qualifying session, and crashed during the approach to Churchtown. The Tyco BMW racer died at the scene.
A native of Douglas, the capital city of the Isle of Man, Kneen was a veteran of the Isle of Man’s Mountain Course. Kneen was the first rider to win the Manx Grand Prix three times, winning the Junior, Newcomers C and Ultra Lightweight classes in 2008. The following year, Kneen debuted at the Isle of Man TT.
After competing for several years, Kneen made a breakthrough at last year’s TT after joining the Penz13.com BMW team. Kneen finished third in the 2017 Superstock TT for his first podium and added a fifth in the Superbike TT, eighth in the Supersport TT and 12th in the Senior TT. Earlier this week, Kneen set a personal record lap of 132.258 mph (17:06.994), breaking his previous best of 130.347 mph set in last year’s Superstock TT.
A second racer, Steve Mercer, 36, from Maidstone, England, was injured in a separate incident moments after Kneen’s crash. Mercer reportedly hit a safety car at Ballyacre that was responding to Kneen’s crash. Mercer was transported to a hospital in Liverpool. Race organizers report Mercer is in critical but stable condition.
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