Isle of Man TT 2015: John McGuinness wins 22nd TT race

[WingNut]

John McGuinness passed through the Sulby speed trap at 163.3 mph on the way to victory.

Team Mugen rider John McGuinness set a new lap record for electric bikes to claim his 22nd TT win and move within four victories of Joey Dunlop's record.

The Morecambe racer completed the one-lap sprint of the 37-mile (60km) course at an average speed of 119.279 mph.

The 43-year-old said: "It is nice to get in the winners enclosure for my 22nd win. I am over the moon."

Bruce Anstey made it a one-two for Team Mugen, finishing 4.02 seconds down on team-mate McGuinness.

The New Zealander, who won the event's opening Superbike race, said: "I was trying so hard and really enjoyed it. The bikes are heavy but they handle so well."

Bruce Anstey enjoyed a narrow 0.8-second advantage at Glen Helen, but by Ballaugh, McGuinness was 2.2 seconds ahead

Anstey trailed McGuinness by five seconds at Ramsey before cutting it 2.5 seconds at the Bungalow.

"This race may not be everyone's cup of tea but the technology is so impressive and the bike is really fun to ride," said McGuinness.

"You used to be able to keep your flask and sandwiches handy on the tank but not any more. You really have to be on it and make sure you get your racing lines right.

"We are not a million miles from breaking the 120mph barrier, which is crazy."

Lee Johnston, who claimed his first TT podium finish in Tuesday's Superstock race, was one minute 14 seconds behind Anstey in third and 21 seconds ahead of Victory Racing team-mate Guy Martin.

Robert Wilson and Michael Sweeney were fifth and sixth.

Guy Martin

Guy Martin took over the ride at late notice from the injured William Dunlop

http://m.bbc.com/sport/motorsport/33076898

[WingNut]

Isle of Man TT 2015 results: Bruce Anstey clinches tenth career victory as Michael Dunlop crash causes late red flag

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Anstey prevailed in an almighty duel with Ian Hutchinson as third-placed Dunlop crashes out when he hit a stray bike from an earlier crash

After thousands of riders took to the mountain course to pay tribute to the late rider Simon Andrews, who died in an accident while competing in the North West 200 last year, the first race of the week began in the form of the RST Superbike race.

Having originally been pencilled in to feature on Saturday, predicted high winds and dangerous conditions meant that racing was postponed until Sunday as the medical helicopter would not be able to tend to any crashes around the island should it be needed.

But what transpired on Sunday was worth waiting for. From the get-go, it quickly emerged that there would be a tussle for victory throughout all six laps of the 37.733-mile course. With pre-race favourites Anstey, Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop all in the mix, there was a surprise on the opening lap when 30-year-old James Hillier emerged out in front as he reached Ramsey Hairpin with less than a second covering the top three.

By the end of the first lap, Hutchinson, Hillier and Anstey had all taken turns out in front, and the top five all completed their first lap from a standing start at over 130mph average with Hutchinson ahead by 1.2 secs. However, an early casualty was crowd favourite Guy Martin, whose Tyco BMW let him down before he barely got going as he retired at Glen Lough on the opening lap.

Hutchinson extended his lead to over four seconds as they field came in for their first pit stops at the end of the second lap, and by the end of the third Dunlop had overhauled Hillier to take third and set his sights on the front two.

However, the fourth lap saw Anstey begin to reel in Hutchinson despite the later flashing through the Sulby speed trap at 194mph, and when the pair dived into the pits for a second and final time, Anstey had eroded the lead down to just 0.2889 secs. The New Zealander took the lead with a quicker stop than Hutchinson, and the race was on for the final two laps.

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Anstey was proving unstoppable, and by the end of his fifth lap had stretched out a 5.307 sec lead over Hutchinson, with Dunlop dropping away in third after a difficult lap. The Kiwi was for the majority of his final lap on the record pace that he set last year, and crossed the finish line to take his 10th victory at the Isle of Man TT, though he had to make do with a final lap of 131.797mph to miss out on the record.

Dunlop, on course for a potential record-breaking lap on his final circuit at catching Hutchinson at an alarming rate, collided with a fallen backmarker’s stranded bike at the Nook and the race was soon red flagged as a result. Race organisers soon reported that Scott Wilson was believed to be the other rider involved, with the Kent-born 25-year-old said to have suffered a broken collarbone.

Gary Johnson also crashed out on the final lap after he was reported to have gone off at Guthries, but good news soon came as Johnson was confirmed ok and Dunlop arrived back at the Grandstand in an ambulance, albeit limping heavily.

Provisional results

1. Bruce Anstey (Honda/Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Motorcycles)

2. Ian Hutchinson (Kawasaki/Paul Bird Motorsport)

3. James Hillier (Kawasaki/Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki)

[macknife]

Electric bike doesn't count.

[mark131v]

Maybe electric bike doesn't count but his 23rd win on the Senior TT certainly does, now matching Mike Halewood as all time most successful TT rider on 7 Senior TT wins and touching distance to Joey Dunlop's all time best of 26, not bad for a 43 year old podgy fellow from Morecambe on a Honda when most people are saying the new Bmw and Yam R1's are in another class, just goes to show some people are just born with balls of steel no matter what bike you put them on ...!

edited to say personally I think ANYBODY who has the balls to ride a TT let alone win one in any category is firkin nails and to take your life in your hands like that is something special!!

Edited June 14, 2015 by mark131v

[WingNut]

I was about to say the same thing. Just finishing the race period, on any sort of bike, and not getting killed at those speeds on those roads is a major achievement in itself and takes a lot of guts. There is an average of 1-2 deaths every year. To imagine guys like McGinnis have not only ridden it, but won it so many times and survived it that many times is truly amazing. I can imagine there is a part of his wife that wishes he would give it up so that she doesn't have to keep worrying every year if she might lose him.

That TT documentary done a few years ago had some really sad moments with the wife of one rider who was killed.

And this year was no different with the crash and death of Franck Petricola during practice runs.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/franck-petricola-dies-isle-of-man-tt-rider-suffers-fatal-crash-in-practice-10295990.html