Isle of Man TT Supersport Race Two Isle of Man, UK June 5, 2013 Provisional Race Results: 1. Michael Dunlop, UK (Hon CBR600RR), 1:11:52.091, 125.997 mph 2. Bruce Anstey (Hon CBR600RR), 1:11:54.404, 125.930 mph 3. John McGuinness, UK (Hon CBR600RR), 1:12:35.882, 124.731 mph 4. William Dunlop, UK (Yam YZF-R6), 1:12:36.849, 124.704 mph 5. Cameron Donald, Australia (Hon CBR600RR), 1:12:46.450, 124.429 mph 6. James Hillier (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:13:11.759, 123.712 mph 7. Dean Harrison (Yam YZF-R6), 1:13:34.079, 123.086 mph 8. Guy Martin, UK (Suz GSX-R600), 1:14:07.563, 122.159 mph 9. Gary Johnson (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:14:08.326, 122.139 mph 10. Conor Cummins, UK (Yam YZF-R6), 1:14:40.951, 121.249 mph More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office: FOURSOME MICHAEL DUNLOP TAKES ANOTHER RACE WIN AT THE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES 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. More, from another press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office: Birchall Brothers gain first win in Isle of Man TT Races Sure Sidecar 2 Triumph For the second time at the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, the Sure Formula Two sidecar event saw debut winners with former World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall leading from start to finish to take their first victory around the Mountain Course. Having been forced to retire from Saturday’s three-lap encounter when leading, the Nottinghamshire brothers made no mistakes this time around and took a 17.3s victory from Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance with Conrad Harrison/Mike Aylott having to settle for third on this occasion. The Birchalls signalled their intentions from the start moving into a two-second lead at Glen Helen on the opening lap, with first race winners Tim Reeves/Dan Sayle slotting into second and Harrison a further one and half seconds back in third. Molyneux lay in fourth from John Holden/Andy Winkle and Gary Bryan/Jamie Winn. There was no change at the top of the order over the remainder of the lap and a lap of 114.490mph gave the Birchalls a 10.7s lead over Reeves/Sayle with Molyneux/Farrance now moving up to third. Harrison/Aylott slipped back to fourth with Holden/Winkle and Bryan/Winn still in fifth and sixth. Circulating ahead of Reeves/Sayle on the roads, the Birchalls extended their lead to 11.5s at Glen Helen on the second lap and that soon increased when the first race winners were forced to retire at Ballaugh. That promoted Molyneux/Farrance and Harrison/Aylott up into the podium places with Holden up to fourth and Dougie Wright/Martin Hull now getting the better of Bryan/Winn for fifth. The Birchalls second lap was their personal best at 114.662 and although Molyneux/Farrance also lapped in excess of 114mph, they were now 16s behind. However, they were a similar distance clear of Harrison/Aylott with the top six remaining the same. On the final lap, the Birchalls were able to maintain their advantage over Molyneux/Farrance and they took a superb victory thus following in the footsteps of Reeves in adding a TT victory to their World Championship success of 2009. Harrison/Aylott took their fifth TT podium together with Holden/Winkle comfortable in fourth. Wright/Hull retired at Kirk Michael on the final lap and so Bryan/Winn took fifth with Gary/Dan Knight wrapping up their excellent TT campaign with sixth. Frank Lelias/Charlie Richardson did likewise in seventh with Wayne Lockey/Luke Capewell in eighth ahead of Dean Banks/Ken Edwards and Mick Donovan/Aaron Galligan, all of them achieving their best TT results. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: Two more TT podiums sees McGuinness equal record total John McGuinness enjoyed an excellent day of racing at the Isle of Man TT Races on Wednesday with the Morecambe man taking second in the TT Zero race and third in the second Supersport race. The two podiums moved him on to a total of 40, which equals the record number achieved by Joey Dunlop during his illustrious TT career. The first race of the day for John was the one-lap TT Zero race, for electric machines, and after a 109mph+ lap in practice, hopes were high of taking another race win. At Glen Helen on the opening lap, John’s lead over arch-rival Michael Rutter was nine seconds but by Ramsey this had been reduced to five and it was clear it was going to come down to a Grandstand finish. Rutter crossed the line first with a new lap record of 109.675mph and although John broke the lap record also at 109.527mph, he was agonisingly 1.67s adrift of Rutter and so had to settle for second place. Putting his disappointment to one side, John was back in action less than an hour later on the 600cc HM Plant Padgetts Honda for the second 4-lap Supersport race and a strong opening lap of 124.768mph put John into fourth place, 8.3s behind third placed rider William Dunlop. For the rest of the race though, John continued to eat into Dunlop’s advantage and heading into the final lap, he’d edged half a second ahead. Lapping quicker than ever before on a Supersport machine, John’s final lap of 127.210mph secured him the final podium position by just 0.972s after 150 miles of high-speed racing! It gave him his fourth podium of the week and 40th in total. Speaking later, a happy John said; “I was really disappointed after the Zero race as I rode my heart out and to lose by such a small margin was tough to take. Michael must have had a different strategy as I could see him on the Cronk y Voddy and again going up the Mountain but then he just disappeared. No-one could have ridden harder around the corners as what I did so if we’d have been on the same bikes I think it would have been a different story. It’s fair to say I was gutted. The Mugen team did an awesome job and it was a tough one to take.” “I had to pick my lip up though for the Supersport race and, in what’s becoming a recurring theme this week, I have never ridden harder! I knew the gap between William and myself was next to nothing so I pushed and pushed as I was desperate for that final podium spot. I had a big slide at Cronk ny Mona and my feet were off the pegs so I was pushing the bike hard but the pace was incredible right from the off. It was wheel to wheel stuff again and another great race to be part of whilst the HM Plant Padgetts boys did a great job once more. In all the year’s I’ve been riding for them, the bikes have completed every lap and although I might not have won one yet, I’m having a great week. To equal Joey’s record number of podiums is something special too and I’m very proud of that feat.” John’s final race is Friday’s 6-lap Senior race where he’ll be back out on the Honda TT Legends Superbike. More, from a press release issued by Birchall Brothers Racing: BIRCHALL BROTHERS TAKE FIRST TT WIN After the disappointment of a non finish in Saturday’s three lap sidecar TT Ben and Tom Birchall bounced back with a vengeance to win the second event on the Isle of Man on Wednesday, setting their fastest ever lap around the 37.73-mile mountain road course on the second of three laps with an average speed of 114.661mph. As the riders took to their start positions Ben said: “It’s perfect weather today so it should be a good race. After Saturday we just want to get the three laps completed and put on a good show for the fans, we will try our best to bring a top result back to the team although the pace is very hot and any one of six of us could be on the top step of the podium!” .Ben and Tom powered the Manx Gas/Klaffi supported LCR Honda prepared by CM Engineering away to a determined start and by the time they reached the first checkpoint at Glen Helen they had a two second lead. They stretched that out to five seconds at Ballaugh and nearly doubled their advantage at Ramsey. At the end of the lap they were 10.7 seconds in front and set a personal best time of 114.49s. Lap two saw the Birchall boys increase their lead further and when the second placed outfit went out with a mechanical problem their lead was up to 20 seconds over seasoned campaigners Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance. At the end of the lap Moly had made inroads towards them but Ben put in the fastest lap of the race improving his personal best to 114.661s. On the final lap the lead was down to 17 seconds but Moly had no answer to the pace of the Birchalls and they romped home to take their first TT victory with a 16 second advantage over Moly. Ironically the same time as their regular race number! (16) An emotional Ben Birchall said: “If that’s what winning the TT is like I want some more. What a team we have got behind us, it’s not just me and Tom on the bike we have an incredible team. We just chipped away throughout the race. It is so hard to be leading the race and if I am honest I would sooner be pushing and chasing. I had to keep telling myself, don’t think about it, we did have a few hairy moments on lap two and I think we cleared the spectators off the grass at Milltown when we went in a bit too hot! I knew on the last lap that we had a good lead and saw Moly in front of us. As long as I could see him on the road I knew we would be ok, we didn’t need to pass him as we were well up on time. I have to say a big thank you to Manx Gas, Klaffi and Adolph Hanni for providing us with such a strong outfit and also to Andy Mitchell, Andy Faragher and everyone else for their support this last couple of weeks. This win is incredible, we are all so pleased.” It’s back to reality now for the Birchall brothers as they travel to Croatia for the second round of the FIM Sidecar World Championship that takes place at Rijeka on June 16th. The Birchalls are currently holding third place in the overall standings and will be seeking another top result to add to their points tally.