Bruce Anstey put the disappointed of Monday’s Supersport race firmly behind him, taking an emphatic 34 second victory in the Relentless Supersport TT Race 2 earlier today. Anstey and Ian Hutchinson couldn’t be separated at the end of the opening lap, but the 39-year-old Kiwi dropped the hammer on lap two, opening up an eight second lead, also recording a new lap record of 125.359mph. From there in, Anstey’s GSX-R600 Relentless Suzuki never missed a beat and the quietly-spoken Kiwi took the chequered flag and his seventh Isle of Man TT victory. The win also completed the set for TAS Racing, having now won every available solo four stroke class in TT racing history. Bruce Anstey: “I’m just so glad to have been able to give Suzuki, Relentless and all our other sponsors the race win, especially after the disaster for us all on Monday. I was a bit uptight on that first lap, but from lap two I just got into a comfortable rhythm and the bike was faultless. I think I could actually have gone faster but the wind was quite severe on the Mountain. I’m really delighted — that’s all I can say.” Cameron Donald: “We’d made some significant changes to the bike and I was really up for it. I got into the groove pretty quickly and was feeling good to be honest. After a really good pit stop where we made up some time thanks to the boys, I think I was up to eighth when the bike just stopped on the Mountain. My dad is listening at home in Australia so I cheekily asked to use the emergency phone at the Mountain Box – as it was an emergency for me – and rang Oz to let him know I was ok!” Philip Neill – Team Principal: “Finally we’ve got our TT Supersport victory after many years of cruel luck in the class. We really needed to win that race today after Monday’s events, and I’m delighted to have completed a full house at the TT. There was certainly more pressure and emphasis on that race today than any other but Bruce showed why he’s the best rider in the class. I was always confident that the GSX-R600 Suzuki was the best bike, especially after winning last year’s British Supersport Championship. That moves us up to 14 TT wins, which is a remarkable achievement by anyone’s standards. It is a shame that Cameron had to retire with a small electrical problem, but to be fare he hasn’t really had enough time on the Supersport bike this fortnight. All thanks again must go to Suzuki and Relentless and a big mention must go to Pirelli for supplying the perfect tyre for the job. I’m now really looking forward to Friday’s Senior Superbike TT.” Relentless Supersport Race 2 [4 laps]: 1 Bruce Anstey [Relentless Suzuki] 1hour 13mins 35.71 [123.041mph]; 2 Ian Hutchinson [Yamaha] 1hour 14mins 09.76 [122.099mph]; 3 Ryan Farquhar [Kawasaki] 1hour 14mins 23.14 [121.733mph]. Fastest Lap [New Record]: Bruce Anstey [Relentless Suzuki] 18mins 03.51 [125.359mph]. More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: NON-FINISH FOR STEVE PLATER IN WEDNESDAY’S JUNIOR TT After a mechanical failure put paid to his chances of a result in Wednesday’s Junior TT race Steve Plater now focuses his attention on the feature race of the week, The Dainese Senior TT which he completed in seventh place on his debut in 2007. After taking his debut win in Monday’s first Supersport Junior TT, Plater was looking forward to further success in Wednesday’s event but was denied a finish when he was seen to coast to a halt at the Bungalow on the Mountain section of the course on the first of four laps. “I don’t know what went wrong,” said Plater. “We haven’t had time to check the bike over as the pit crew are now busy preparing the Superbike for the Senior TT on Friday. “It’s a shame, but these things happen in racing, especially at the TT which is a very demanding course. At least my teammate Ian Hutchinson made it onto the podium to claim second place for AIM Yamaha. He didn’t finish the Superbike race on Saturday or the first Supersport event on Monday so he will be relieved to get this one under his belt.” Plater is now preparing for the final race of the week when he and Hutchinson will be contesting the Senior TT for AIM Yamaha on Friday. The high profile race is to be run over six laps of the 37.73-mile course starting at noon. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: Second retirement for McGuinness at TT08 John McGuinness suffered his second retirement at the 2008 Isle of Man TT races when he was forced to pull out of Wednesday’s Supersport 600cc race. The Morecambe ace, riding the Padgett’s Manx Gas Racing Honda, was holding on to third place in the early stages but an oil leak halted his charge and he pulled into the pits at the end of the first lap. With conditions again good for racing on the Mountain Course, John made a great start and slotted in to third place at Glen Helen, nine miles into the course, just over two seconds behind race leader Ian Hutchinson. However, soon after, he began to lose time and with his right foot slipping off the footpeg on a number of occasions, it was clear all was not well. Having dropped down to fifth by the time they reached Ramsey Hairpin, John’s boot and leathers were beginning to get covered in oil and he pulled in to retire after just one lap, making it two 2nd places and 2 retirements from his four races so far. Speaking afterwards, a philosophical John said: “I got away from the start really well and everything felt good in the first 10 miles but when I went along the Cronk y Voddy straight for the first time, my feet started slipping off the pegs. I kind of knew there and then that something was wrong and, when I could, I glanced down at the bike and noticed there was oil leaking from somewhere. It was only going to get worse so I had no option other than to retire.” “It’s disappointing for everyone, especially for all the team who have worked so hard and I think Clive’s ready to throw himself in to the Irish Sea! It’s one of those things though and isn’t anyone’s fault, that’s just the nature of the TT. We’ve got one more chance to put it right and get a win so let’s hope the Senior is the one.” John, who tried his hand in the commentary box after retiring, will line up in Friday’s Senior aboard the Padgett’s Manx Gas Racing Honda Fireblade with the 6-lap race commencing at 12.00pm. More, from a press release issued by Guy Martin’s publicist: Martin takes sixth in Supersport TT race Guy Martin got his 2008 TT campaign back on track on Wednesday when he finished sixth in the second Supersport 600cc race and although the result was far from what he was looking for, it at least made up for the disappointment fof retiring from Monday’s corresponding race. Riding the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda CRB600RR, Guy got a solid start and slotted in to fourth place at Glen Helen on the first lap, less than four seconds adrift of the pace setting Bruce Anstey. The Kiwi would go on to dominate the race but Guy was right in contention for the other podium spots and an opening lap of 122.659mph saw him only 1.94seconds behind third placed rider Ryan Farquhar. However, that was as close as he got to the Irishman and, as the race wore on, Guy struggled with the performance of his Honda tailing off on each lap. Whilst he could rattle off 122mph+ laps at will, the riders above him were lapping at 123mph+ and, on the final lap he was overhauled by both Ian Lougher and Gary Johnson, to finish the four lap race in sixth place. It was his second finish of race week and backed up his excellent third place in Monday’s Superstock race. Speaking later, Guy said: “What can I say. I didn’t come here to finish sixth that’s for sure but at least I got a finish today and sixth is a lot better than being parked up by the side of the road. We just lacked a bit of power today and what with all the problems we’ve had with the 600 both here and at the North West 200, we’ve just ran out of time getting the thing dialled in.” “I rode as hard as I could for the entire race and I was giving it 100% from start to finish and you can’t do much more than that. It obviously wasn’t meant to be today but the Senior gives us one final chance to nail that elusive win. I’m going all out for that one and it would be great to end the week on a high. Fingers crossed!” The 6-lap Dainese Superbike race takes place at 12.00pm on Friday. More, from a press release issued by Keith Amor’s publicist: No repeat podium for Amor in second Supersport TT Keith Amor was unable to repeat his third place finish in Wednesday’s second Supersport 600cc TT race as the Wilson Craig Honda rider was forced out on the opening lap of the race. It was a dramatic first minute for the Falkirk ace as the bike actually caught fire as he plunged down Bray Hill, a lead attached to the wiring loom having chafed and, subsequently, melted on the carbon fibre on the machine. With sparks and flames coming from the bike, Keith somehow pressed on and although they soon disappeared, his race was more or less over there and then. As the riders swept through Glen Helen, it was clear that the perfomance of the bike was being compromised and Keith was down in 11th place at the first commentary point. He carried on but he had slipped down even further to 19th at Ramsey, 26 miles into the lap, and he was eventually black flagged at the Bungalow. After returning to the paddock, a hugely disappointed Keith said: “After the success on Monday, to say today has been a disaster would be an understatement. I had really high hopes of improving on that third place but as soon as I set off I hit problems and there were sparks and flames everywhere when I went down Bray Hill – I’m sure it looked spectacular from the outside but it was pretty hair raising on the bike!” “It was a 10p part that started chafing against the wiring loom and with the heat of the bike, something started melting and that was it. I carried on but the bike was getting slower and slower and I didn’t even get to complete a lap. It’s been a bit of an up and down TT for me but we’ve still got the Senior left so I’ll be giving it my best to get a good result there and finish on a positive note.” Keith will be back out on the Wilson Craig Honda Fireblade in Friday’s 6-lap Blue Riband Senior race. More, from a press release issued by AIM Yamaha: SECOND FOR HUTCHY IN WEDNESDAY’S JUNIOR TT After two non finishes in the Superbike and the first Supersport TT races, Ian Hutchinson put the gremlins behind him and rode through to take a splendid second place in the second Relentless Supersport Junior TT race on Wednesday. In perfect weather conditions Hutchy was quick to make up ground at the start and by the time he reached the first check point at Glen Helen he had moved into the lead. He was down on time to Bruce Anstey by 0.4s at Ramsey but made up the deficit over the mountain to complete the first lap in first place. But Anstey turned up the wick on lap two and moved back ahead with an advantage of a second and a half at Glen Helen and steadily increased his lead to eventually cross the finish line over 21 seconds ahead of Hutchy at the end of the four laps. IAN HUTCHINSON I am just thankful that I have got a race finished now as it just eats away at you when you have a bit of bad luck and you start wondering whether you can do it. I just wanted to get to the line today and forget about everything that has gone before. The boys have been up all night sorting the bike out. We didn’t have any engines left so we scrounged an engine out of someone’s road bike and the boys knocked it all together for us so everybody deserved a break today. We have been trying hard all week and finally its come together for me. The TT can be a cruel place when its all going wrong but a mega place when its going right. We can at least be thankful we have had mixed fortunes instead of the whole TT going bad. To do well in a race you have to ride the wheels off the bike but after my earlier bad luck I just had to ride the wheels off it gently today! Meanwhile Monday’s Junior TT winner Steve Plater was denied a finish when he was seen to coast to a halt at the Bungalow on the Mountain section of the course on the first of the four laps. STEVE PLATER We don’t know exactly what the problem is with the bike. The pit crew are now busy preparing the Superbikes for the Senior so have not had the time to strip the 600 down to find the fault. We don’t need the bike again this week so it doesn’t matter for now, we have to prioritise our time in getting ready for the big race on Friday. The climax of the week is the high profile Dainese Senior TT in which Ian Hutchinson finished third last year while Steve Plater produced his best finish of the week in the 2007 Senior TT, posting his fastest lap of the week. The six-lap race is set for a start at noon on Friday and is the final race on the AIM Yamaha TT calendar. More, from a press release issued by Les Shand’s publicist: Shand takes 24th in second Supersport TT race Les Shand overcame mechancial difficulties to finish 24th in the second 4-lap Supersport TT race on Wednesday. Riding the Bob Henderson Suzuki, Les suffered a broken steering damper on the third lap of the race and with the handling compromised he had to nurse the bike home. Nevertheless, the finish ensured that he picked up another bronze replica and maintained his 100% finishing record for the week. Having been moved up the start order from his original number 28, Les went off at number 22 and an opening lap of 115.618mph saw him slot into 28th place. Despite sunny, dry conditions, the course was affected by strong winds, particularly on the Mountain, and speeds were subsequently affected. A lap of 117.721mph on the second lap saw him move up to 24th and he progressed even further third time around, up to 24th. However, it was on this lap that the steering damper broke and after a couple of moments, Les thought caution was better than valour and he eased back on the final lap to slip back to 24th. This earned him his second bronze replica of the week, to accompany his two silvers. Speaking afterwards, Les said: “For some reason the bike felt quite ‘flat’ in the first couple of laps and I seemed to be struggling for speed, maybe the strong winds affected the gearing of the bike. Then on the third lap the steering damper broke and going round May Hill, I got into a major tank slapper and, at one point, was heading for the wall! Fortunately, I made it right and cracked on as best I could.” “It didn’t seem to be a problem over the Mountain but when I got to the Glen Helen section on the final lap, it was a real handful again so I knew that the best I could do was to get the bike home in one piece. I backed off the throttle a bit and got finished so that was the main thing and at least I got another replica. It’s been a long fortnight but there’s still the Senior race to go and I’ll be giving it my all to ensure we end on a good note.” The 6-lap Dainese Senior race takes place at 12.00pm on Friday.