Isle of Man TT June 8, 2007 Senior TT Race Results: 1. John McGuinness (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:46:44.23, 127.255 mph, Silver 2. Guy Martin (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:47:16.96, 126.608 mph, Silver 3. Ian Hutchinson (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:48:04.60, 125.677 mph, Silver 4. Ian Lougher (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:49:08.12, 124.458 mph, Silver 5. Adrian Archibald (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:49:21.61, 124.202 mph, Silver 6. Conor Cummins (Yam YZF-R1), 1:49:47.86, 123.708 mph, Silver 7. Steve Plater (Yam YZF-R1), 1:50:21.67, 123.076 mph, Silver 8. Michael Rutter (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:50:42.22, 122.695 mph, Silver 9. Ian Armstrong (Yam YZF-R1), 1:51:56.08, 121.346 mph, Silver 10. James McBride (Yam YZF-R1), 1:51:59.14, 121.290 mph, Silver 17. Mark Miller (Apr RSV1000), 1:54:25.46, 118.705 mph, Bronze DNF: Jimmy Moore (Hon CBR1000RR), 118.268 mph, -5 laps More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: Martin finishes TT Senior race in second place. Hydrex Honda and Guy Martin completed their successful run at the Centenary TT races by finishing in second place during the PokerStars Senior race. It was a tough race for Martin as his chain was jumping on the sprocket during the last few laps of the race and he was relieved to get over the line while still maintaining a podium finish. “I just cannot believe I got it home. I’ve got to say massive, massive thanks to the lads. They worked on the bikes until 2am as we had a last minute problem with the head gasket. I can’t thank them enough and it paid off as we got on the podium but I can’t believe we got it on the podium,” said Martin, “Last three laps we had the chain jumping on the sprocket which was no ones fault just one of those things. The TT is a hard race, it is six laps of 37.73miles it is just mega hard on a bike and you get little problems like this on the bike I was pleased to get it home.” He was disappointed not to take the win but was very philosophical about it all, “I think before we come to the TT it is all written out. I’m a great believer in what goes around comes around and I think John, he is the man when it comes to the TT. I’m only 24 and I’ve got a lot to learn and it is not my time and I think you’ve just got to be patient. If you try and rush these things you go out there like a bull in a China shop trying to make up a tenth here and there. You’ve got to realise when it is your time and make the most of it, it is just not yet.” Martin has only been competing at the TT for four years now and has time on his side when it comes to pulling in that elusive win, “I’m getting there slowly every year, this is my fourth year at the TT and I think this puts us in good stead for next year. Last year I came away thinking do I want to race motorbikes, I was sick to the back teeth with problems. This year the whole team is really into it and have enjoyed the whole thing just the crowds and everything made me really appreciate the TT. I know now what I want to do and it’s the TT, I want to win TTs. Got to stick at it, you don’t get anything without trying and I’m going to be here next year trying. He now plans to return to work and get his life back to normal, “I’m back to work, so as soon as I can get a ferry I’m off home. I’m doing Ballaugh down hill mountain bike race tomorrow and then get a boat home, might have Monday off work and then back to it on Tuesday. Keeps your feet on the ground, over here you get people asking for your autograph and you feel like a superstar, but I’ll soon be brought back down to earth when I put my overalls on and go back to work,” he finished. Pokerstars Senior TT Race Result: 1. John McGuinness HM Plant Honda 2. Guy Martin Hydrex Honda 3. Ian Hutchinson HM Plant Honda 4. Ian Lougher Stobart Honda 5. Adrian Archibald Relentless Suzuki 6. Conor Cummins Millsport Yamaha 7. Steve Plater Optoma Yamaha 8. Michael Rutter MSS Discovery Kawasaki 9. Ian Armstrong Canteen Smithy Yamaha 10. James McBride JV Racing Yamaha More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: SEVENTH PLACE FOR PLATER IN SENIOR TT Steve Plater rode to his best result of the week when he secured a fantastic seventh place in the six-lap Senior TT on Friday. He has been declared best newcomer at the Centenary Isle of Man races and also put in the fastest lap by a newcomer at the TT. Steve who lives in Woodhall Spa, near Lincoln has gone from strength to strength this week and after finishing his other three races in 15th, 10th and eighth places was over the moon with seventh in his final outing. This result brings his silverware total to a maximum four out of four plus the honour of being best newcomer at the TT races. He also has provisionally won the fastest lap by a newcomer award with 125.808mph on the final lap of the race but this has yet to be confirmed. As the race got underway Steve was on it from the start and had slotted into ninth place at Ramsey and up to eighth by the time they reached the Bungalow. He remained in eighth position all the way through to lap five when he reeled in Michael Rutter on time to secure seventh place. He looked really impressive at Ramsey and had the lines off to a tee, taking the same smooth route around the hairpin on each of the six laps to hold seventh place to the chequered flag after a gruelling one hour, one minute and 22 seconds in the saddle. “That was a good race,” said Steve. “I put in some good times and got faster with each lap. I have had a really good TT and my lap times from the first practise night to the final race had improved dramatically so I am happy with that. “But its not all down to me, I have a fantastic team behind me and they all have vast experience at the TT and that has helped me tremendously. I have to thank everyone at the Optoma Loans Yamaha team and team principal Alistair Flanagan for giving me the opportunity to ride at the TT this year. To pick up four silver replicas at my first attempt is amazing.” The Senior TT brings racing to a close but there is no respite for Steve who travels straight to France where he will be testing at Magny Cours next week with the World Endurance Team Kawasaki France before heading over to Mondello Park in Ireland for the sixth round of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbike championship on June 17. More, from a press release issued by Team Optoma Loans Yamaha: SEVENTH PLACE FOR PLATER IN SENIOR TT Steve Plater rode to his best result of the week for Team Optoma Loans Yamaha when he secured a fantastic seventh place in the six-lap Senior TT on Friday. He has been declared best newcomer at the Centenary Isle of Man races and also put in the fastest lap by a newcomer at the TT. Steve who lives in Woodhall Spa, near Lincoln has gone from strength to strength this week and after finishing his other three races in 15th, 10th and eighth places was over the moon with seventh in his final outing. This result brings his silverware total to a maximum four out of four plus the honour of being best newcomer at the TT races. He also has provisionally won the fastest lap by a newcomer award with 125.808mph on the final lap of the race but this has yet to be confirmed. As the race got underway Steve was on it from the start and had slotted into ninth place at Ramsey and up to eighth by the time they reached the Bungalow. He remained in eighth position all the way through to lap five when he reeled in Michael Rutter on time to secure seventh place. He looked really impressive at Ramsey and had the lines off to a tee, taking the same smooth route around the hairpin on each of the six laps to hold seventh place to the chequered flag after a gruelling one hour, one minute and 22 seconds in the saddle. STEVE PLATER That was a good race. I put in some good times and got faster with each lap. I have had a really good TT and my lap times from the first practise night to the final race had improved dramatically so I am happy with that. But its not all down to me, I have a fantastic team behind me and they all have vast experience at the TT and that has helped me tremendously. I have to thank everyone at the Optoma Loans Yamaha team and team principal Alistair Flanagan for giving me the opportunity to ride at the TT this year. To pick up four silver replicas at my first attempt is amazing. ALISTAIR FLANAGAN Steve has done extremely well and tackled the TT course with enthusiasm and professionalism. His times have improved throughout the fortnight and the last lap of the Senior TT was his best ever. The pit crew have all worked well to get Steve out on a well-prepared bike each time and the re-fuelling stops have all gone to plan. We have come away from the 2007 TT races with three top ten results and a 15th from the four races and can now move on to the next race at Mondello next weekend.” It is a quick turn around for the team who have just a few days to prepare the Yamaha R1 for short circuit racing at Mondello Park where Steve will be racing in the sixth round of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbike championship on June 17. More, from a press release issued by Honda: Isle of Man Centenary TT Festival. Senior TT June 8, 2007. Weather: Sunny. Temperature: 22 degrees. Crowd: 50,000. John McGuinness and Honda Fireblade complete magic double with Senior TT victory John McGuinness provided a scorching climax to the Isle of Man Centenary TT Festival as he won the prestigious Senior race at record breaking pace for Honda as the Japanese marque repeated their 1-2-3 finish of the opening Superbike race. Riding the HM Plant liveried Honda Fireblade McGuinness was 30 plus seconds ahead of Hydrex Honda rider Guy Martin at the finish with Ian Hutchinson third for HM Plant Honda. Lancastrian McGuinness had ridden brilliantly around the 37.73 mile Mountain Course, setting a furious pace from the off as he blasted his HM Plant Honda into the opening lap, increasing his own outright record in the process, although there was better to come from him with an astonishing second lap at an average speed of 130.354mph. Making that all the more incredible was that McGuinness had to ease off somewhat, as he slowed down to pit, and take on fuel and have a rear wheel change. He was running rampant, rejoining the action and increasing his lead, mile by mile, as he shrugged aside the challenge of Guy Martin with Ian Hutchinson running a, by now, distant third. McGuinness confirmed his mastery of the Mountain, opening up his advantage mile by mile on his high-speed dash around the Island, to take the victory by 32.73 seconds from Martin who had been slowed a little in the final third by the drive chain jumping on the sprocket. “Absolutely unbelievable. To beat the 130mph mark is just fantastic. It’s just amazing. The bike was perfect throughout and I gave it everything all of the way. I was trying really hard, and I had a great team around me, and they delivered the goods with the pit-stops,” enthused McGuinness who had won, and elevated the outright record a century from the pioneering first Senior race victory taken by Charlie Collier at a more leisurely 38.22mph. “People say to me, you’ve got the best bike, but you have still got to ride it and get the best out of it. I really enjoyed the race and I am so proud to have won this special race. It’s been great. The Superbike race win meant a lot, this one even more,” add the race winner. “When I was an apprentice bricklayer I never thought that I would be racing here, let alone being here to win 13 races. It is just an incredible feeling – the job’s a good one.” McGuinness however is considering his future in the event. “I might just hang up my leathers – I’ve got the same feeling that I had last year after winning these two races. What else do I have to prove? “I’ve been coming here eleven times but enjoy riding the course. We’ll just have to see but I am thinking about not coming back – I’ve ridden my heart out all week, finishing in the top three in all races.” He had capped a remarkable week, in which he had also taken second placings in both the Supersport and Superstock events. Martin, a distant second, vowed for better things next year, as he finished well clear of Hutchinson, aboard the second HM Plant Honda and Stobart Honda rider Ian Lougher. Martin said: “I learned a lot from the first race this week and I was able to hold my own. On the fourth lap the chain was jumping the sprocket a little and I thought it would be better when I changed wheels at the end of the lap. Unfortunately the chain had stretched too much. After that I concentrated on getting my braking points and gear changes correct. Anyway its been a good week and I have to thank my team for that. I’m probably not ready to win a TT yet. I have a great respect for John McGuinness and for my team.” Ian Hutchinson completed a successful TT with another fine podium place in the Senior race. He said: “I’m pleased to have finished on the podium in every race. I’ve struggled a bit with the Superbike I’d like to thank Honda and the team for giving me the opportunity to race some special bikes and it’s great we achieved another Honda 1-2-3. I am very pleased to have been part of this Centenary TT festival.” Adrian Archibald finished fifth giving the Relentless Suzuki team some reward, as their other rider Bruce Anstey had pitted after the first lap complaining of handling problems. Local rider Conor Cummins, riding Yamaha, took sixth place, ahead of top newcomer Steve Plater. Michael Rutter, Ian Armstrong and James McBride completed the top ten. The race was marred by an incident on the final lap at Joeys, on the Mountain section in which a rider and two other people received fatal injuries. The race organisers will not provide any other details until all next of kin have been informed. NB: Official results to follow Editorial update: The rider killed in the Senior TT incident was Marc Ramsbotham, 34. The two other people killed were spectators, according to a BBC report. Two other race officials were also injured in the crash and taken to Noble’s Hospital. An investigation into the incident has been launched. More, from a press release issued by No joy for Finnegan during Senior TT. Martin Finnegan and his Alpha Boilers Honda team didn’t get the result they had hoped for from the TT Centenary Senior race as Finnegan suffered an engine problem just ten miles into the race. “We had an engine failure ten miles out and we were only 1.8secs down when the engine went so that was not so good,” lamented Finnegan. He stopped at Ballig Bridge and had to get back to the paddock which was fun and games, “I had to cross under the bridge and through the river to get back across at Ballig Bridge. I got back up and some of the guys came and picked me up so I got back and had a chat with the guys,” he explained. Now that the racing is over Finnegan is determined to relax, “I’m now having my first beer of the fortnight; we are going to relax and have a night out which is something we haven’t had as it has been so busy. I’ll have a rest tonight.” Although the results have not been what Finnegan had wanted he has enjoyed the TT as an event, “It has been really good and well organised, they have put a lot of effort in and it has been good racing. I’ve enjoyed it,” he concluded. With the TT over Finnegan will now concentrate on some other road races, “I’m back home for the Skerries and then Klaffim, Christian and I will do the Southern 100 in a couple of weeks,” he said.