Nathan Harrison ensured a home victory in a fast and furious three-lap Mylchreets Junior Manx Grand Prix on Wednesday afternoon.

The 21-year-old from Onchan did it the hard way though overcoming a 30-second penalty, picked up for speeding in the pit lane at the end of the penultimate lap, to win by 3.886 seconds on corrected time.

Liverpudlian Stephen Smith was runner-up having taken advantage of Harrison’s indiscretion to lead until he was passed at the top of the charts by the Honda-mounted Manxman at the timing point at the Bungalow six miles from the finish.

A further 4.426 seconds behind Smith at the end of the race, which was shortened from four laps because of the day’s earlier weather delays, was Irishman Andrew Farrell - his seventh MGP podium.

Stephen Parsons was fourth, Alex Fisher edging out Steven Proctor and Brad Vicars for fifth - the trio having swapped places throughout the race.

James Hind ensured there was a blistering pace from the off.

The 19-year-old pre-race favourite, who finished third in Saturday’s Lightweight Classic TT, had built up an 11-second lead over Harrison by the end of the opening lap, breaking the class’s existing lap record in the process as he stopped the clock at 18 minutes 35.424 seconds (121.77mph).

Hind’s Yamaha, however, couldn’t keep up the pace and he was forced to retire at Greeba Bridge on the second lap as Harrison took to the lead.

Full report and reaction in tomorrow’s Manx Independent.

* Roads will open around the Mountain Course at 5pm for an hour before closing again at 6pm ahead of the three-lap Lightweight and Ultra-Lightweight race at 6.30pm.

There will be more racing on Thursday with Friday’s schedule moved forward a day with the weather forecast poor for the end of the week.