Isle of Man TT Superbike TT Isle of Man, UK June 2, 2013 Provisional Results: 1. Michael Dunlop, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:45:29.980, 128.747 mph 2. Cameron Donald, Australia (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:46:10.917, 127.920 mph 3. John McGuinness, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:46:51.907, 127.102 mph 4. Guy Martin, UK (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:46:58.894, 126.964 mph 5. Conor Cummins, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 1:47:30.929, 126.333 mph 6. Michael Rutter, UK (Hon CBR100RR), 1:47:34.670, 126.260 mph 7. James Hillier, (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:47:44.791, 126.063 mph 8. Bruce Anstey, (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:48:03.974, 125.690 mph 9. William Dunlop, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 1:48:58.482, 124.642 mph 10. Josh Brookes, Australia (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:49:39.593, 123.863 mph 28. Mark Miller, USA (Apr RSV4 Factory), 1:56:04.230, 117.022 mph 37. Brandon Cretu, USA (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:58:18.583, 114.807 mph More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office: Sensational victory for Michael Dunlop in Dainese Superbike Race Michael Dunlop took his first ever Superbike TT victory on Sunday afternoon at the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, 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. More, from a press release issued by Honda TT Legends: Dunlop takes first Honda TT win as McGuinness sets new lap record 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. The race got away at 3pm this afternoon with Dunlop taking the lead on the first lap. He proceeded to hold his position on the timesheets for the entire race, widening the gap lap-by-lap to eventually cross the line with a 40-second advantage over Cameron Donald (Wilson Craig Honda) in second. The victory is Dunlop’s fourth at the TT but his first in the Superbike class and his first for Honda. McGuinness had a more eventful race, climbing from fourth to second and leading on the roads by the four-lap mark. The 19-time TT winner unfortunately broke the pit lane speed limit during the second pit stop, picking up a 60-second penalty that dropped him back to fourth behind Guy Martin. The Morecambe Missile came back fighting, putting in a stunning final lap that saw him catch Martin and set the new outright record, claiming third place and completing an all-Honda podium. Rutter meanwhile put in an impressive performance aboard the Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR Fireblade, chipping away with every lap to climb from 11th to sixth by the chequered flag. The three riders will convene again for the team on Friday 7 June for the Senior race. For full Superbike race results click here. 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. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: McGuinness overcomes penalty to claim Superbike podium and outright TT lap record Morecambe’s John McGuinness overcame a one-minute penalty to claim third in Sunday’s Superbike TT race, also increasing his own outright lap record to 131.671mph on the final lap. The Honda TT Legends rider – who rode complete in Joey Dunlop replica livery to commemorate 30 years since the Ulsterman won his first TT for Honda – dropped from second to fourth as a result of the penalty, issued for exceeding the 60kph pitlane speed limit, but fought his way back to claim his 37th TT podium. With the 6-lap race delayed by 45 minutes, the race finally got underway at 3.00pm and John found himself down in fourth at the end of the opening lap, a speed of 129.755mph leaving him 8.7s adrift of team-mate Michael Dunlop. Increasing his pace to 130.347mph on the second lap of the famous Mountain Course, John moved up to second by just 0.5s from Guy Martin although he slipped further behind Dunlop to the tune of 15.4s. However, with a superb pit-stop by his team, John left the pits six seconds quicker than Martin thus giving him some breathing space over his Suzuki rival and by half race distance he was 16 seconds clear. With the race settling into a pattern, Dunlop was secure in the lead just as John was secure in second but all this changed after the second round of pit stops at the end of lap four when John failed to hit his pit lane speed limiter button. It all meant he went down pit lane at 77kph and incurred a one-minute penalty as a result dropping him back to fourth and with seemingly no chance of a podium position. Showing his usual skill and determination though, John flew on the final two laps and from being 12 seconds down on Martin, he ended the race 6.9s clear to take the final podium spot and increase his own outright lap record, set in 2009, to a stunning 131.671mph. Speaking afterwards, John commented; “I gave it my all and couldn’t have ridden any harder in that race. I pushed and pushed and if it hadn’t been for some of the later runners, I think that final lap could have been 132mph but you can’t win them all. Speeding in pit lane was my fault so I’ll take it on the chin but to come back to third after being docked a minute is pleasing. I don’t know what happened in the pit stop to be honest, maybe I got a bit unsighted by Cameron (Donald) and I got distracted and if you don’t press the button, you run the risk of breaking the speed limit.” “I was a bit surprised by the pace on the opening lap and being back in fourth, and a fair way back, gave me a lot of work to do but I got back up to second. By that stage, there was nothing I could do about Michael – who was riding superbly – but I felt comfortable in second until the penalty and then I had a lot of work to do. Setting a new outright lap record is some sort of consolation and if I hadn’t finished on the podium with that final lap, I’d have been disappointed but third given the hiccups is pleasing. I felt fit and strong on that final lap and it shows that even though I’m fat and old, I’ve still got the pace to do some fast laps so, hopefully, we’ll be closer in the Senior. It’s been a real honour to wear the Joey Dunlop replica helmet and leathers today and I hope I’ve been able to do the Dunlop name justice.” John will be back in action on Monday for the 4-lap Supersport and Superstock races, which are due to get underway at 10.45 and 14.00 respectively. More, from a press release issued by SMT Racing: Stewart and SMT Racing denied top six finish in Superbike TT Dan Stewart and the SMT Racing team were denied a top six finish in Sunday’s Superbike TT race when a holed radiator on the fifth lap caused him to retire. The Barrow-in-Furness rider had worked his way excellently up into the top six, aided by his personal best lap of the Mountain Course, only for a stone to pierce the radiator at Ballaugh with just one and a half laps to go. Delayed by 45 minutes, the 6-lap Superbike race finally got underway at 3pm on Sunday afternoon and an opening lap of 128.005mph saw Dan slot into tenth place but he got into his stride as the race wore on and continued to work his way up the leaderboard. By lap three, half race distance, he was up to eighth and had caught factory Honda rider Michael Rutter on the road, the Midlands rider having started ten seconds ahead. The duo circulated in close formation on the fourth lap, where there were joined by the factory Yamaha of Conor Cummins, and with his best ever lap of the 37 and 3/4-mile course, 129.077mph, Dan moved up to a superb sixth place. With two factory riders behind him, Rutter and William Dunlop, Dan looked set to at least equal his best ever TT result of sixth but a stone kicked up by the rear wheel of Cummins at Ballaugh on the final lap lap saw the temperature of the engine increase rapidly and he was forced to stop at Sulby village a mile further down the road, a holed radiator the cause. Speaking afterwards, Dan said; “The race was going really well and although I was a bit slack on the first lap, I soon got going and was moving up the leaderboard nicely. Once I got settled in, I was really happy with the pace, especially after the first pit stop, and to lap in excess of 129mph on the fourth lap was especially pleasing as my previous best laps have come at the beginning of a race. I felt strong and was enjoying the battle on the roads with Michael and Conor but the latter was holding me up a bit and so I was trying to get by him on that fifth lap. I got close to him at Ballaugh and that’s when the stone must have been kicked up as the temperature shot up immediately after. It’s no-ones fault and it’s just one of those things but it’s a real shame as no one handed me the position I was , I rode hard and I was running with some good company.” Team owner Robin Croft added; “We’re all feeling a bit deflated to be honest as the race was going so well. I can’t compliment Dan for his riding or the boys at the pit stops enough – they all did exceptionally well. The second pit stop had to be one of the fastest of the day whilst Dan impressed me greatly with his riding but a stone in the radiator is one of those things. We’re taking the positives from our first solo race at TT2013 though and Dan did a great job and we were delighted with how it was all panning out so we’ll bounce back and go for it again tomorrow.” Dan has two races on Monday with the 4-lap Supersport (10.45) and Superstock (14.00) races. More, from a press release issued by Birchall Brothers Racing: BIRCHALL BROTHERS DENIED TT WIN Ben and Tom Birchall were denied their first win at the Isle of Man TT races when the LCR Honda suffered a puncture half way through the first 37.73- mile lap on Saturday. The Mansfield pair had got away to a lightning start and were leading the race with a 6.2s advantage when they brushed the grass bank at Kate’s Cottage which was enough to deflate the sidecar tyre.. Tom immediately tapped Ben and the Manx Gas/Klaffi supported riders pulled off the course to retire at Creg-ny-baa and sit the race out before returning to the paddock. A bitterly disappointed Ben Birchall said: “To say I am gutted would be an understatement. I lost my line of sight at Kate’s Cottage and just brushed the bank, there was something sticking out, maybe a stone and that was enough to lift the tyre off the rim. “But we have to take the good points from the experience. Both Tom and I have really got to grips with the circuit now and our sector times show we are capable of challenging for a win in the future. Due to the nature of the time trial you don’t ride together with other competitors as you set off at 10 second intervals and this was the first time we had actually made up time and been close to another rider. “We got off to a good start but there was a long way to go and you can’t take anything for granted around the TT course, it was looking good for us but we will never know if we were to have won our first TT had we finished the race.” Klaus Klaffenbock added: “After their bad luck at least Ben and Tom showed just what they are capable of. To be nearly seven seconds ahead after half a lap is a terrific achievement and everything now bodes well for the second race on Wednesday.” Practice week was disrupted by bad weather conditions with rain causing Tuesday’s session to be abandoned and then Friday’s final practice was cut short to allow a fire engine on the course to reach a house fire in Kirk Michael. However, Wednesday evening practice went without a hitch and Ben and Tom recorded their fastest lap of the week at an average speed of 112.1mph which is just a shade shy of their personal best recorded at the 2012 event of 112.9mph. Ben and Tom are back on the course on Monday for a practice lap to make sure everything is running well for the second race which is set for Wednesday at 2.15pm. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Tyco Suzuki British Superbike Championship contender Josh Brookes demonstrated his versatility today when he obliterated the Newcomer’s lap record on the Isle of Man, setting a new fastest lap of 127.726mph during the Dainese Superbike TT, and finishing 10th overall. The previous record of 125.808mph was set by Steve Plater in 2007. His Tyco Suzuki team-mate Guy Martin was in the mix for podium honours early in the six-lap race with a standing-start lap of 130.431mph, but limited track time during practice week hampered his progress and he eventually finished fourth. 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.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “We had contrasting fortunes today. Guy was really on the money on that first lap but he had a few issues that we need to sit down and look at before Friday’s Senior. He has the pace and the grip as he explained, but there are so many variables here at the TT and we just have to find the sweet spot, which I’m confident we can. “What can I say about Josh Brookes: 125mph was amazing but to then jump to 127mph on the last lap is some effort. He’s really enjoying himself but we have to keep it realistic. A top-10 in the Superbike TT with only one top rider dropping out is a phenomenal effort, although I think I’ve aged 10 years today watching that!” Dainese Superbike TT Results: 1: Michael Dunlop [Honda] 2: Cameron Donald [Honda] +40.937sec 3: John McGuinness [Honda] +1min: 21.927 4: Guy Martin [Tyco Suzuki] +1min:28.914 5: Conor Cummins [Yamaha] +2min: 00.949 6: Michael Rutter [Honda] +2min:04.690 10: Josh Brookes [Tyco Suzuki] Monday’s Race Schedule: 10.45am – Supersport Race 1 [4 laps] 2.30pm – Superstock TT [4 laps] More, from a press release issued by Marks Bloom Racing/Dan Kneen’s publicist: Solid top 15 finish for Kneen in Superbike TT Dan Kneen made a solid comeback to International road racing on Sunday when he took 14th position in the 6-lap Isle of Man Superbike TT race. The Marks Bloom Racing rider was having his first International outing of the year after recovering from a broken foot and with his practice week being hindered by inclement weather, he opted to use the race as further practice for the remainder of the week. Nevertheless, the Manxman acquitted himself well and picked up another top 15 finish and bronze replica. With the race getting underway at 3.00pm, slightly later than scheduled, an opening lap of 123.715mph saw Dan occupy 20th place but a lap later he moved up to 17th and although he dropped back one position after his pit stop, another 123mph+ lap on the fourth circuit meant he was back up to 16th place. Lapping at 123.582mph on the sixth and final lap, Dan was able to claim 14th at the chequered flag which also placed him third overall in the TT Privateer’s Championship. Speaking afterwards, a satisfied Dan commented; “I’m happy enough with the result today given the injury back in April and the lack of dry practice that we’ve had. I was a bit stiff and sore at the beginning of the week whilst we simply haven’t had enough time on the Superbike to get it fully set up right. Given the situation, today was more like a giant practice session for the Senior later in the week and we’ve definitely learnt a lot with the bike and know where we can improve. It’s also been good for me to get six laps and the full race distance under my belt so I’m confident we’ll be closer to the sharp end in the remaining races this week. There’s plenty more racing to be done and I’m sure the results will get better with each and every outing.” Dan’s back in action on Monday for the Supersport and Superstock races. More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha: SOLID START FOR MILWAUKEE YAMAHA IN DAINESE SUPERBIKE TT Milwaukee Yamaha had a successful opening day at TT2013 taking fifth and ninth places in the six-lap Dainese Superbike TT with Conor Cummins and William Dunlop respectively. Despite limited track time due to inclement weather during practice week, both riders lapped in excess of 128mph from a standing start on lap one. Cummins upped his pace and posted an even more impressive lap of 129.091mph on his Milwaukee Yamaha R1 on lap 4. William Dunlop unfortunately incurred a pit lane speeding penalty and lost out on a top eight finish, but impressed throughout and is now ready for the next challenge, along with Cummins in today’s opening Supersport and Superstock encounters. Cummins said: “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.” Dunlop said: “That was a good run and only for the pit lane penalty I’d have been in the top eight. Like Conor, I’ve a few things I need to tweak on the big bike, but I love riding it and I know we have the speed and pace to push up even closer to the front – we just need track time. Now we can hopefully push for the win on the 600. I’m looking forward to it.” Team Owner Shaun Muir concluded: “I’m really happy we were able to get six laps under our belt with both riders, as unlike many of the other manufacturers, we’ve really only had a handful of laps to get data from the Milwaukee Yamaha R1. The boys were on identical pace on that first lap with impressive 128mph lap times. William deserved a top eight and would have done that, only for the pit lane penalty, but he’s learnt a lot to take into Friday. “Conor has been battling with set-up and it was far from ideal, so to do 129.091mph is a fantastic effort and shows the potential of the Milwaukee Yamaha R1. We have more to try on Wednesday night in the practice session before the Senior, so I really believe we will see Conor back in the 130s and challenging for a podium.” Dainese Superbike TT [6 laps] 1: Michael Dunlop [Honda] 2: Cameron Donald [Honda] 3: John McGuinness [Honda] 4: Guy Martin [Suzuki] 5: Conor Cummins [Milwaukee Yamaha] 6: Michael Rutter [Honda] 7: James Hillier [Kawasaki] 8: Bruce Anstey [Honda] 9: William Dunlop [Milwaukee Yamaha] 10: Josh Brookes [Suzuki] Today’s (Monday) Races commence with the four lap Monster Energy Supersport Race 1 at 10.45am, followed by the four lap Royal London Superstock race. For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com More, from a press release issued by Centurion Racing: Cooper Battles Through Pain Barrier To Finish Superbike TT Centurion Racing’s Daniel Cooper was denied a top 15 finish in today’s Dainese Superbike TT race when a dislocated shoulder on the final lap dropped him from 14th to 29th place. Aboard the 1000cc Centurion Racing Honda Fireblade in the first of the 2013 Isle of Man TT solo races, the 26-year-old from Stroud suffered the freak injury when he got into a tank slapper through Kirk Michael village at over 150mph but managed to bring the bike to a halt before manipulating his shoulder back into place and completing the lap! After a 45-minute delay, the six-lap race finally got underway at 3.00pm and a brilliant first lap saw him record a new personal best of 123.877mph which moved him up to 18th place on the leaderboard. Another near 122mph lap on the second lap meant he was able to consolidate his position and with a solid pit stop, the race entered its second part. Despite a 121mph lap on his fourth lap, Dan slipped back to 20th but a superb second pit stop at the end of lap four saw him jump up the leaderboard to 14th place at the end of lap five, just two seconds behind fellow Honda rider Simon Andrews. With just one lap to go, the former 125cc British champion was looking good for an excellent top 15 position but suffered the injury half way round the final circuit losing over three minutes and dropping down to 29th at the flag, just missing out on a bronze replica. Dan Cooper: “I was really enjoying the race but after the bike got into a bit of a tank slapper through Kirk Michael village, half way round the last lap, my shoulder popped out and I had to stop. I pulled up at Rhencullen, put the shoulder back into place and then went to set off only for the marshals to stop me! I eventually managed to get going but had obviously lost a lot of time so just brought the bike home. It’s a real shame that it happened as the race was going so well. The bike was working superbly and I set a new personal best lap so for my first ride on a Superbike, it couldn’t have been going any better. I’m a bit stiff and sore now but we’ll be ready in time for tomorrow’s races.” Paul Rees, Team Manager: “As always, we couldn’t be happier with how Dan’s ridden today but for his shoulder to pop out of its joint is a completely freak occurrence and something that couldn’t be avoided. The main thing is that he’s OK and he should be fine for the rest of the races but we’re all disappointed to finish 29th after running 14th with just one lap to go. The positives are that Dan was riding well, the speeds were good, the bike was working well and the team did a great job in the pit stops so everyone did a good job today.” As in previous seasons, Centurion Racing will continue to show their support for Help for Heroes, their chosen charity, by displaying H4H logos on the bikes and team attire. Team Principal Paul Rees, who spent 20 years in Her Majesty’s Royal Marine Commandos, was given permission to have the bikes carry the H4H logos in order to encourage the public to be more aware of this charity that supports our Armed Forces, many of whom are making daily sacrifices in Afghanistan. Centurion Racing would specially like to thank Arai, FTR, GPR Racewear, Dunlop, RichArt, R2 Logo Print & Embroidery, Akrapovic, SW Commercials, 2K Coachworks, Fuchs Silkolene and Daytona for personally supporting Dan, and all our friends and followers.