Historic triple with BMW Motorrad: Michael Dunlop also triumphs in the Senior TT on the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man/Munich. BMW Motorrad and Michael Dunlop (NI) have repeated history, echoing Georg “Schorsch” Meier’s (DE) legendary Senior TT victory of 1939 on the Isle of Man. Dunlop’s third BMW-powered victory of the week came in the most prestigious race of all: the blue riband Senior TT race. Before that, Dunlop had already won the Isle of Man TT Superbike and Superstock races on the BMW S 1000 RR. And it was him again who triumphed in an exciting and thrilling Senior TT race.
BMW Motorrad UK entered into road racing in 2014 to celebrate Meier’s famous victory of 75 years ago, in which he rode his factory Type 255 Kompressor and took BMW Motorrad’s first ever TT win. Joining forces with Hawk Racing, the team behind the Buildbase BMW Motorrad British Superbike entry, and supported by BMW Motorrad Motorsport, BMW Motorrad / Hawk Racing was formed.
The experts from Munich helped with their expertise, but also with technical support. For example, BMW Motorrad Motorsport supplied the Superbike engine for Dunlop’s RR.Beginning with the North West 200 in May, Dunlop and the team took victories in both the Superstock and Superbike classes as part of their build up to the Isle of Man TT. The BMW Motorrad / Hawk Racing team have now added a further three TT trophies to the tally, proving that the BMW S 1000 RR is a force to be reckoned with in road racing.
Twenty five-year-old Dunlop has secured his own place in history by increasing his total to a stunning 11 TT wins, three of them coming this week onboard BMW S 1000 RR machines in the Superbike, Superstock and Senior TT races. He also became the first rider in history to win four TT races in two consecutive years.
“The Senior TT race is the only one I’ve not won before at the Isle of Man and it’s very special to have won it this year. I’ve given BMW Motorrad three wins here and we’ve repeated its victory in the Senior TT in 1939”, said Dunlop. “At the start of this fortnight people were saying I was mad to be here on an unproven bike. I think now nobody will doubt the BMW S 1000 RR. The whole package is fantastic and the team has been brilliant. For BMW Motorrad to have built a bike that can come here for the first time, to survive six race laps without missing a beat, and to win… that is amazing.”
“It is so overwhelming that I am nearly lost for words. What happened this week on the Isle of Man is simply unbelievable”, enthused Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Technical Director. “Michael had never ridden the RR before, but he came, jumped on it and raced from victory to victory. Believe me: I have been involved in motorcycle racing for decades but I can hardly recall something similar. Especially as we are talking about the most cruel and treacherous challenge in road racing, the Isle of Man TT. We are happy and proud that we could do our bit in achieving this success by providing technical support and all our expertise regarding the RR. A big ‘Thank you’ to Michael for joining us in this adventure and winning all three races and to everybody who made this success happen.”
“This is a very proud moment for BMW Motorrad Motorsport”, added Udo Mark, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Marketing Director. “There could be no better way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Schorsch Meier’s victory than to return to the Isle of Man and to win again. Congratulations to Michael and the team. They have shown an unbelievable performance in winning all three races. We are very proud that we played our part and that our joint effort with the team led to this historic triple.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
MARTIN & TYCO SUZUKI ON SENIOR TT PODIUM
Guy Martin captured Tyco Suzuki’s third podium of TT 2014 in Friday’s coveted Senior TT on the Isle of Man aboard his GSX-R1000; with three laps in excess of 130mph to claim third place.
Race week started with a TT Superbike podium for Martin in second place with team-mate William Dunlop sixth; who recorded his fastest-ever TT lap at over 130mph. Dunlop also raced his GSX-R600 to third place in the second Supersport TT for the Moneymore, Northern-Ireland-based TAS Racing team.
Following his Supersport race podium on Wednesday, an on-form Dunlop enjoyed an early charge in yesterday’s Senior with laps of 130.466mph and 130.853mph [his new TT best] to lead in the opening stages, but a high-speed crash at the Les Graham Memorial on lap three ended his challenge. But the ‘tough-as-nails’ Dunlop was back in the paddock within a few hours still smiling, despite being on crutches with two clean breaks to his left Fibula.
Said Martin: “The bike was just mint and the boys have done a great job again today. We rode a good race, which you can see by the lap times, but we have to take our hats off to Michael; he’s riding well this week and that’s why he has won four races. That’s probably the best Superbike set-up I’ve ever ridden around here, so yeah, we’ll have to come back next year and try again won’t we.”
Said Dunlop, from his home in Ballymoney this morning: “I had been suffering a bit of arm-pump all week and I think with the extra tension with leading and then being in contention for the win made it a little worse. I could hardly feel the bars, but when you are getting P1 and P2 signals there’s no way you are going to back-off. I think I just ran into Graham Memorial with a little bit of throttle still-on and the rest; well… It’s just the small bone in my leg I’ve broken and I’m a little battered and bruised but I hope to be ready to ride in four weeks.”
Team Manager Philip Neill said: “What a great effort from both our riders in the most prestigious of all TT races. In Superbike terms I believe William came of age in the Senior TT and firmly established himself as a challenger at international level. What a shame a small mistake resulted in a crash and ended his podium challenge. However the most important thing is that he is relatively unscathed, considering this was a high-speed crash, but he will be back racing very soon.
“Guy once again gave 100% today and we are extremely pleased with a second podium finish from both Superbike races. We just didn’t have that last little bit to challenge Michael this week, but then no one else did either.
“Overall it was a pleasing team effort for TT 2014 and both our GSX-R machinery and Metzeler tyres worked exceptionally well. Thanks once again to all our sponsors for their support and well done to the TT organisers on another great event.”
Joey Dunlop TT Championship:
Martin finished fourth overall in the Joey Dunlop TT Championship standings with 52 points behind eventual winner Michael Dunlop [116], Bruce Anstey [82] and Dean Harrison [54]. Only a DNF in the Superstock encounter cost the Lincolnshire rider what would have been a well-deserved third place. Dunlop finished sixth overall with 37 points, just behind fifth-place finisher James Hillier [44].
Tyco Suzuki now move-on to Snetterton in Norfolk next weekend for the third round of the British Superbike Championship.
More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
Mugen takes Motul Team award to go with Clean emission TT Mountain Course lap record
Team Mugen Shinden rounded off their record-breaking week at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy with the Motul Team award for technical excellence.
The Japanese outfit enjoyed a stunning TT experience culminating in their lap record of 117.366 (19:17.3) around the TT Mountain Course on Wednesday 4th June in the SES TT Zero Race, the race’s first sub 20 minute lap.
Competing with the all-electric racing bike, Shinden san, the third version of the TT racer produced by M-Tec Co Ltd (M-Tec) is named after the Japanese God of Electricity.
For 2014 Team MUGEN elected to run 2 riders for the first time, with previous Team MUGEN rider, 20 times TT winner John McGuinness joined by 9-time TT race winner, Bruce Anstey, enabling the team to be able to collect double the data from previous years and to run different qualifying strategies for comparison.
Throughout qualifying, Shinden san were the leading pair and were faster than MotoCzysz’s Michael Rutter’s 2013 lap record with every completed lap, including the first sub-20 minute lap by an electric bike, but saved the best for the race itself.
Having been narrowly beaten into 2nd place in 2013 (by 1.6 seconds) M-Tec were determined to maximise the performance of Shinden san which entailed revised aerodynamics and bodywork, more powerful and lighter motor, improved battery capacity, and the latest Showa factory suspension.
Boasting specs including 100KW power (approx. 134hp) and 220Nm torque Shinden san arrived in the UK after impressing in testing in Japan, and continued to raise eyebrows with its performance in its UK testing at Castle Combe circuit, after which the bikes and team set off for the Isle of Man.
Pre-event testing was borne out in the first qualifying, with McGuinness immediately breaking the previous lap record, and recording an incredible speed of 164.9mph at the Sulby Straight speed trap. Anstey had to abort his first practice lap early due to a mechanical failure, giving McGuinness an early advantage.
However in the second TT Zero qualifying session on Saturday 31st May, Anstey came back, responding with yet another (unofficial) lap record of over 113mph. Not to be outdone, McGuinness hit back with a best qualifying speed of 115.6mph on Monday 2nd June.
Onto race day itself and McGuinness started from first position on the road. Anstey started from 4th on the road and quickly overtook the 2 bikes between him and his teammate and set off in pursuit. But McGuinness was not to be denied, and from a gap of just under 5 seconds at the first checkpoint he steadily increased his lead, crossing the line to earn his 21st TT victory to record a lap record time of 19 minutes 17.3 seconds, an incredible average speed of 117.366 miles per hour, beating the previous record by over 7.5mph and 1 minute 20 seconds.
Anstey followed home with a 115.048mph lap of his own to complete a fine EV debut in 2nd place and the team then received the news that they had also won Motul’s technical excellence team award, which they collected ahead of Friday’s PokerStars Senior TT Race.
More, from another press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
TT Riders Association Honorary Secretary Frances Thorp wins PokerStars Spirit of the TT Award
Douglas, Isle of Man. Frances Thorp, the Honorary Secretary of the TT Riders Association for the past eleven years, has been awarded this year’s PokerStars Spirit of the TT Award. The position is unpaid and subject to an election every year.
Ex-racer Freddie Frith formed the charity, which provides funds for old and injured riders and their families, in 1953. All current and former TT riders are eligible to join. Frances’ husband Tom, who passed away in 2012, competed at the TT and MGP from 1956 to 1962 and was a TTRA member.
The charity is made up of an Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, four committeemen and a President with a new president elected each year. Current president is Mortons Media Publisher Malcolm Wheeler while previous presidents have included Phillip McCallen, Mike Hailwood MBE, John Surtees MBE, Joey Dunlop, Stanley Woods and Geoff Duke OBE.
The TTRA operates a number of fundraising events in the UK and worldwide through the year including their high profile annual lunch at the NEC in Birmingham during Motorcycle Live. The charity has helped hundreds of riders and their families past and present over its sixty-year history but never reveals individual details. Frances is regularly seen operating and managing the ’38th milestone’, the meeting point behind the grandstand for ex-riders during the TT Races and Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling.
David Cretney, Isle of Man Government Political Member with responsibility for Tourism and Motorsport said:
“Frances is a worthy recipient of this year’s award. The incredible work that she puts in to fundraise for the TT Riders Association is second to none and many riders past and present have benefitted from her efforts.”
Representatives from the Isle of Man Government’s Motorsport team including David Cretney, the Isle of Man Government representative with responsibility for Motorsport and Tourism, TT rider liaison officers Richard Quayle and John Barton, ACU Clerk of the Course Gary Thompson and PokerStars Head of Corporate Communications Eric Hollreiser judged the award. Nominations were invited from members of the public and from officials associated with the TT.
The award is given to the person or team who best represent the ethos and values of the TT Races including decency, honesty, generosity, courage, compassion, integrity, respect, teamwork and commitment to the development of the races.
Previous winners of the award have included Paul Owen in 2010, Conor Cummins in 2011 and sidecar duo Ben and Tom Birchall who won the award in 2012. Longest serving TT Marshal Eric Alexander, 81, who first marshalled at the TT in 1952, won the 2013 award.
PokerStars Director of Corporate Communications Eric Hollreiser commented:
“The TT Riders Association is a tremendous charity that does incredible work behind the scenes and is a hugely important and relevant part of the overall TT organisation. We are delighted to be able to recognise both their efforts and Frances’ work with this award.”
More, from a press release issued by Metzeler:
EIGHT PODIUMS FOR METZELER AT THE 2014 ISLE OF MAN TT AND HUGE TURNOUT OF RIDERS AT THE METZELER VILLAGE
A full METZELER podium in the Lightweight with Dean Harrison, James Hillier and James Cowton; Gary Jonhson’s victory and third place for William Dunlop in the Supersport, second and third steps of the podium for Guy Martin in the Superbike races and second place for Dean Harrison in the Superstock class
Douglas (Isle of Man), June 9, 2014 – The Isle of Man TT 2014 has come to a close and given METZELER, riders and fans of road racing great satisfaction both in terms of race results and for the turnout of motorcyclists who decided to experience the excitement of this spectacular event at the METZELER Village, set up for the occasion at the National Sports Centre in Douglas.
All the riders who have chosen to run with METZELER at the Tourist Trophy have been able to count on new treaded RACETEC™ RR development tires, which are not currently available on the market but will be in the future, like the new SPORTEC™ M7 RR, to be marketed and then be purchased by any motorcyclist.
The final day was the icing on the cake of two weeks characterized by the commitment, hard work and satisfaction of METZELER, its supported teams and riders: in the Bikenation Lightweight TT Kawasaki riders – all on METZELER tires, achieved a superb hat-trick, monopolizing the podium with Dean Harrison, first at the finish line, closely followed by James Hillier and James Cowton, while Guy Martin achieved an excellent third place in the PokerStars Senior TT.
The adventure of METZELER lasted a week, where last Saturday Guy Martin gave METZELER its first podium in the 2014 TT at the Dainese Superbike TT, crossing the finish line in second place. The English rider, on his No.4 Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 started well, achieving the second position already at the end of the first lap and then maintaining it until the end of the 6-lap race which he completed in 1h 46’06.954, turning at an average speed close to 130 mph.
On Monday, June 2nd, Gary Johnson with the Smiths Triumph Racing team in the Monster Supersport TT 1 brought METZELER colors to the top step of the podium, grabbing his second ever TT victory and bringing back success with a Daytona 675, 11 years after Bruce Anstey on a Daytona 600. Having been the fastest in free practice, Johnson left for the four-lap race as one of the favorites. Leading from the beginning, the Lincolnshire rider had an advantage on the fastest ever man at the TT, Bruce Anstey, having built up a 2.5s gap ahead of Anstey after 2 laps. A slow pit stop saw him overtaken, but also thanks to the performance of his RACETEC™ RR tires, he was able to move into the lead by just 1 tenth of a second ahead of Anstey and overcome him in the last lap winning the race.
At the end of the race Johnson said: “My RACETEC™ RR tires were faultless from start to finish today. They were consistent throughout the race and had more to give if I needed to push even harder. The footprint of the front tire gave me lots of stability and confidence when turning in. With the Smiths Triumph and Metzeler tires I had a fantastic package and look forward to the rest of the week.”
Unfortunately, in the RL 360 Superstock race held the following day Johnson was unable to double his tally of wins for the week due to an accident that put him out of action for the second Supersport race that was run on Wednesday, 4th June. Lifting METZELER colors high in the Superstock race was Dean Harrison on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R of RC Express Racing by MSS Performance, where Dean scored an excellent second place after covering the 4 lap race in 1h 11’30 .882.
The fourth result in the METZELER prize list at the Tourist Trophy was won by Tyco Suzuki rider William Dunlop. Riding his Suzuki GSX-R600 fitted with METZELER RACETEC™ RR tires, the rider managed to reach the third step of the podium in Monster Supersport TT 2.
The commitment of METZELER in road racing activities does not end with the Isle of Man TT: some of the METZELER riders will compete in the Southern 100 scheduled from 7th – 10th July, followed by the METZELER Ulster Grand Prix, the “World’s fastest road race” scheduled from 11th to 16th August in Northern Ireland. As in 2013, METZELER will be the Title Sponsor.
More, from a press release issued by Öhlins USA:
HAT-TRICK AS DUNLOP AND ÖHLINS TTX PRODUCTS DOMINATE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
It was a hat-trick of success for Öhlins at this year’s Isle of Man TT races, as the hard charging Michael Dunlop took wins in the Superbike, Supersport and prestigious blue-riband Senior events, including victories using ‘off the shelf’ TTX customer products. Further adding to the success of the renowned suspension brand, William Dunlop and fan favourite Guy Martin also secured podiums on their Tyco Suzuki machinery.
With bad weather plaguing practice week, BMW Motorrad new-boy Michael Dunlop went into the opening race of TT week, the Dainese Superbike event, an unknown quantity with new, untried machinery at this event. However the North West 200 victor demonstrated once again why he is a TT legend in the making, taking an early lead and posting two laps under the existing lap record on his BMW S1000RR to build an unsurpassable 20s advantage, ahead of the enigma that is Guy Martin. Dunlop’s victory marked the first for BMW Motorrad at the event since 1939.
It was a similar story on Wednesday for the second Monster Energy Supersport race as Michael Dunlop and his MD Racing Honda CBR600RR took a comfortable victory using an off the shelf TTX GP rear shock. Completing the podium in third was Michael’s brother, William Dunlop on the Tyco Suzuki GSX-R600.
Warm and sunny conditions graced the 37 ¾ mile TT circuit for the final day of racing on Friday and for the blue riband Senior TT. It was the elder Dunlop brother, William, who took an early lead on the opening lap while Michael suffered an uncharacteristic slow start, coming through the first check point in seventh. However following a 130.628mph average lap, Michael was in the lead by the end of the opener, a position he would not relinquish for the remainder of the six lap event, to take his eleventh TT win, joining legends such as Steve Hislop and Phillip McCallen.
Harris Performance, a UK Öhlins Service Centre, have a long experience at the event and was in attendance in the paddock throughout the two week event to not only support the BMW Motorrad and Tyco Suzuki team, but the Milwaukee Yamaha duo of Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes as well as Michael Rutter on the Bathams IWR Superbike and Superstock bikes and Conor Cummins on Superstock and Supersport machinery, plus a number of privateer riders.
Speaking after a highly successful Isle of Man TT event, Chris Witter, Business Development Manager, Öhlins Racing UK said, “Congratulations to all riders using our suspension during such a competitive week of road racing and our thanks to the Harris Performance team for their support.
The Isle of Man TT races are probably the most testing event in the World, offering a perfect opportunity for Öhlins to show the performance and durability of our TTX road and track products. So with three important victories at the TT it endorses the TTX range as the preferred choice for road racers and circuit racers alike.”
For more info on the full line-up of Öhlins products visit www.ohlins.com
For the stories behind the brand visit Performance their online magazine at www.ohlinsnews.com – including a feature about the legendary TT event.
Öhlins can also be found on Facebook under ‘Öhlins Racing AB’