Wednesday June 5, 2013 at 4:06pm
Michael Dunlop smashed his own lap and race records in a thrilling second Monster Energy Supersport race on Wednesday afternoon at the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races to remain unbeaten for the week and become only the third rider to win four races in a week.
A stunning final lap of 128.667mph gave the 24-year old a 2.3s victory over long time race leader Bruce Anstey to make it four wins from four races with the second HM Plant Padgetts Honda of John McGuinness in third.
After a 15-minute delay due to a power failure in parc ferme, Anstey who, as he promised, was quickest out the traps but, as expected, it was close with Dunlop just 0.4s behind. Brother William was right in contention in third with the fast starting James Hillier again showing well on the run to Glen Helen. He occupied fourth with McGuinness and Dean Harrison close behind.
As the lap progressed, Anstey continued to extend his advantage and an opening lap of 126.476mph gave him a 3.5s lead over Michael Dunlop with William almost three seconds further back in third. McGuinness was up to fourth now ahead of Guy Martin and Harrison.
The duo at the head of the field practically matched each other all the way round the second 37 and ¾ miles but Anstey continued to lead, his lap of 127.817mph just a fraction outside Dunlop’s lap record from 2010. The gap had crept up to 4.47s with the Dunlops in second and third, McGuinness in fourth, Cameron Donald in fifth and Hillier still in sixth. However, the HM Plant/Padgetts crew got Anstey out from the pit stop in super quick time, his lead shooting up to nine seconds.
Dunlop knew he had work to do in the second half of the race and he made his charge immediately, reducing the deficit to 5.6s at Glen Helen. Just as the gap between the top two was decreasing, so was the gap between William Dunlop and McGuinness for third with just 2.4s between them with less than two laps to go. Donald was still in fifth with Hillier in sixth as, once again, the fans were treated to the leading five riders on the road circulating nose to tail.
Going into the final lap, Anstey still held sway by just over four seconds and he led on the road too but with Dunlop now having clear track, having passed McGuinness, Hillier and Donald, he ate into the gap at all of the timing points.
He hit the front for the first time at Ballaugh, his lead now 1.5s but he had to work all the way to the chequered flag and it needed that sensational new lap record to see off the strong challenge of Anstey, the difference at the end of 150 miles of racing just 2.3s. Dunlop’s race record was also a staggering 28s inside the previous best.
McGuinness went quicker than ever before on a 600cc machine, posting his first 127mph lap in the class, to pinch the final podium spot from William Dunlop by 0.967s with Donald also joining the 127mph club in fifth.
Hillier’s strong week continued with another sixth place with Harrison, Martin, Gary Johnson and Conor Cummins completing the top ten. Robert Wilson was the first of the privateer’s home in an excellent 14th, one place ahead of Ivan Lintin.
The fourth win has already seen Dunlop wrap up the Joey Dunlop TT Championship as his 100 point maximum cannot be overhauled with just the Senior race left to count towards the prestigious award.
In the race for the Privateer’s Championship, Steve Mercer continues to lead the way on 50 pts but it’s tightened up considerably with the impressive Lee Johnston now just a point behind with Dan Kneen and Ben Wylie joint third on 44 points.