IOM TT: Sensational victory for Michael Dunlop as McGuinness sets new lap record in Superbike Race

Sunday 2nd June 2013-Honda TT Legends’ Michael Dunlop stormed to victory in today’s Isle of Man TT Superbike race to bring home his first TT win for Honda, 30 years after his uncle Joey Dunlop achieved the same feat. Team-mate John McGuinness – who ran a tribute Joey livery in the race to celebrate the anniversary – took third place and in doing so set a new outright lap record of 131.67mph. Third Honda TT Legends rider Michael Rutter placed sixth. RESULTS

Michael Dunlop taking the lead at Ballaugh on the opening lap and going on to build a commanding 40 second victory from fellow Honda riders Cameron Donald and John McGuinness, the latter overcoming a one-minute pit-lane penalty to set a new outright lap record on the final lap.

After a 45-minute delay due to a road traffic accident, the 6-lap race finally got underway at 3.00pm and it was Gary Johnson who set the early pace, the Lincs Lifting Ltd Honda rider holding a 1.5s lead over Dunlop at Glen Helen on lap one with McGuinness a further second back. By Ballaugh Dunlop had taken over at the front, turning the deficit to Johnson into a one second advantage and with an opening lap of 130.842mph, the Honda TT Legends rider held a 3.2s lead over new second placed rider Guy Martin, Johnson now in third ahead of McGuinness, Donald and Bruce Anstey.

By Glen Helen on lap two, Johnson was back up to second, two seconds up on Martin but now 4.4s adrift of the flying Dunlop whilst McGuinness, riding in complete Joey Dunlop livery to celebrate 30 years since the 26-times winner’s first victory for Honda, was still, surprisingly, back in fourth. By the end of the lap though, he was up to second but some 15 seconds down on Dunlop who was continuing to pull away after his first ever 131mph+ lap.

McGuinness’ pit stop was six seconds quicker than third placed Martin but Johnson never got that far having retired at the Nook out of fuel so the leaderboard now read Dunlop, McGuinness, Martin, Donald, Conor Cummins and William Dunlop. However, the latter incurred a 30s penalty for speeding in the pitlane dropping him down the order.

Coming into the second pit stop at the end of lap four, Dunlop was the only rider above 130mph and it stretched his advantage over McGuinness to 30.8s although that soon increased with his Honda TT Legends team-mate being hit with a one-minute pit lane penalty dropping him behind Martin and back to fourth.

Dunlop had now caught McGuinness and Donald on the road with the trio circulating in close formation and all he had to do was continue that for the final laps to claim his fourth TT win. 19 times winner McGuinness was piling on the coals as he desperately tried to get back on the podium but lap five spelt disappointment for sixth placed Dan Stewart who retired at Sulby Village with a holed radiator.

As McGuinness closed in on Martin, Dunlop was able to ease back in the final lap and bring the bike home for a famous win, his eventual winning margin over Donald in excess of 40 seconds. The Australian, like Dunlop, posted a new personal best lap of the Mountain Course but McGuinness was still able to grab some headlines as he set a new outright lap record on the final circuit, 131.671mph, to claim third from Martin and make it a Honda 1-2-3.

Cummins took a good fifth on the Milwaukee Yamaha, the first time he’d completed a six-lap race since 2009 with the third of the Honda TT Legends riders Michael Rutter in sixth. James Hillier took seventh from Anstey, William Dunlop and the sensational Josh Brookes, the Australian finishing in tenth and becoming the fastest ever newcomer in the process, his final lap being a stunning 127.726mph.

In the battle of the privateers, it was Steve Mercer who came out on top in 13th overall, just ahead of Dan Kneen, Ben Wylie and Jamie Hamilton.

Tomorrow’s race sees the the Monster Energy Supersport race get away at 10.45 with the Royal London 360 Superstock Race scheduled to take place at 14.00.

Michael Dunlop “The Superbike was the main goal for me. It’s been a dream of mine and it honestly hasn’t sunk in yet that I’ve won it. I never got to ride with Joey so when I caught John on the road in the tribute livery it was kind of weird and I had to think twice that it wasn’t Joey. John was so smooth and he’s taken over the title of King of the Mountain, so to sit behind him and follow those lines was just fantastic. It was a very special moment. The Superbike was just unbelievable, it handled lovely and I can’t thank Honda and the team enough.”

John McGuinness-“I can’t win them all. I don’t know what happened in that second pit stop. Obviously it’s my fault and I’ll take it  on the chin because they’re the rules. I’d ridden hard for five laps and on that last lap I just pushed and pushed, giving it everything I could and I’m just pleased I was able to nick the podium back. I’m so proud to wear the Joey Dunlop colours from 2000. I was in the same position on the podium with him in the Superbike race that year, and now here I am next to another Dunlop. I wanted to win but it wasn’t be. I’m on the podium and the consolation is the lap record.”

Michael Rutter-“That was good overall. We had a bit of a problem on the first pit stop with the rear wheel and with the front tyre in the first stint, but once we got that out of the way I started to enjoy it and got myself back up to sixth. I’m well happy with that as top six was my aim. Hopefully we can gain a couple of places on Friday. ”

Josh Brookes: “I knew that last lap was fast and I really enjoyed it, but this place is so much more physical than I thought it would be. There are so many factors that you have to consider like a full tank of fuel down into places like Quarter Bridge and getting caught-up behind other riders, but I have massive respect for this place. My Tyco Suzuki worked really well; as did the Metzeler tyres. Thanks to all the boys for a big effort. I think I deserve a beer tonight!”

Guy Martin: “I’m disappointed. That was a bit of a fighting match. Yes I did 130mph on that first lap but I’ve gone quicker than that on a Suzuki and although I had a few slides, those Metzeler tyres are really good. We need to do a bit of fine-tuning for the Senior TT. I’m fit-enough for the job and the bike is strong enough, but my hands are covered in blisters after that. It really was a struggle.”

Conor Cummins : “The first one and a half laps I was just finding my feet, but I know I can do 130mph on this bike and match the front guys. It just takes a while to get comfy and find your confidence, but the boys are doing a great job on the bikes and with a bit more work we can be up there on Friday in the Senior. My ideal lap time is just shy of 130mph and I know where I need to be going faster. If we can calm the thing that little bit more then I’m very confident we will not be far away.”