Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man, UK
June 3, 2014
Superstock TT Race Results:
1. Michael Dunlop (BMW S1000RR), 1:11:10.773, 127.216 mph
2. Dean Harrison (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:11:30.882, 126.620 mph
3. Bruce Anstey (Hon CBR600RR), 1:11:54.197, 125.936 mph
4. David Johnson (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:12:11.802, 125.424 mph
5. Lee Johnston (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:12:18.017, 125.244 mph
6. Michael Rutter (BMW S1000RR), 1:12:18.305, 125.236 mph
7. Dan Kneen (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:12:52.351, 124.261 mph
8. Peter Hickman (BMW S1000RR), 1:13:13.249, 123.670 mph
9. John McGuinness (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:13:15.099, 123.618 mph
10. James Hillier (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:13:24.822, 123.345 mph
Americans Brandon Cretu and Mark Miller both suffered mechanical DNFs during the race. Cretu reported via his Facebook page that he retired with clutch problems, and Miller also reported via his Facebook page that his shifter broke while on lap three of the four-lap Superstock TT race.
More, from a press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
DUNLOP AT THE DOUBLE AS HE TAKES HIS SECOND TT WIN
Michael Dunlop took his ninth TT victory when he comfortably won the RL 360 Superstock race giving BMW their second win in four days. Riding the MD Racing machine, Dunlop faced a serious challenge from Monster Energy Supersport 1 race winner Gary Johnson but the Lincolnshire man crashed out on the run up to the Waterworks on the opening lap.
From that point Dunlop was able to maintain his lead over second placed Dean Harrison and eventually came home 20.1s clear of the RC Express Racing by MSS Performance rider with Bruce Anstey taking third for Valvoline Racing/Padgetts Honda.
Dunlop was quickest to Glen Helen on lap one but it was close as only 0.5s covered the top four riders with Harrison, Johnson and James Hillier all in touch with the Ballymoney man. By Ramsey, Johnson had moved up to second but his challenge came to an abrupt end just a few hundred yards up from the hairpin. He was reported conscious but with fractures and taken by airmed to Nobles Hospital.
As the riders flashed through the grandstand for the first time, Dunlop’s opening lap of 129.588mph gave him a 6.7s lead over Harrison with Anstey now up to third and Hillier still holding onto fourth. Conor Cummins and Guy Martin rounded out the top six.
On lap two, Dunlop continued to increase his advantage but Harrison was keeping him honest although the margin had more than doubled as they came into refuel, the gap now just under 13 seconds as Dunlop set the fastest lap of the race at 129.778mph. Anstey continued to hold onto third but Cummins, Martin and Michael Rutter had all overhauled Hillier though who had slipped back to seventh.
Harrison appeared to lose time at the pit stop but that was clearly not the case as he’d brought Dunlop’s lead down to nine seconds at Glen Helen on the third lap although hopes of reducing it further soon evaporated as the Northern Irishman had moved it back up to 18s by the end of the lap. One rider out of luck though was Guy Martin who retired at Parliament Square.
Using his pit boards to control the race in the closing stages, Dunlop duly came home for his third win in the Superstock race and, uniquely, on a third different bike manufacturer while it also extended his lead at the top of the Joey Dunlop Championship table. Harrison equalled his best ever result in second, repeating the runner-up spot in last year’s Lightweight race, with Anstey comfortable in third for the entire race.
The battle for fourth was close throughout though and going into the final lap, just 2.7s separated fourth to seventh and in the end it went to Australian David Johnson, comfortably his best ever TT result after a brilliant ride although it was tight – just 0.8s ahead of Cummins, who lost time at his pit stop when the bike refused to fire up. Lee Johnston had his best ever result as well as he finished sixth only 0.2s clear of Michael Rutter whose solid week continued.
Dan Kneen had another good ride, finishing in eighth place while Peter Hickman took a brilliant ninth place to be both the first newcomer and first privateer home with John McGuinness completing the top ten. Hickman increased his personal best lap to 126.545mph.
Horst Saiger was the second privateer home in 13th just ahead of Russ Mountford, James Cowton and Ivan Lintin. Lintin’s 15th place maintaining his lead in the TT Privateer’s Championship with 56 points, six ahead of Hickman.
Joe Faragher was taken by Airmed to Nobles hospital following an incident at Joey’s and reported to have sustained fractures.
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad/Hawk Racing:
Michael Dunlop and BMW Motorrad do it again with Superstock 1000 TT victory
Michael Dunlop has upped the ante once again with his second TT win of 2014, taking a stunning victory in the RL360 Superstock 1000 race at the Isle of Man. Dunlop’s ninth TT race win comes just days after winning the Superbike TT race on the BMW S 1000 RR, proving once again that BMW Motorrad is a force to be reckoned with on the road racing scene.
Dunlop’s ride to victory came in the postponed Superstock 1000 fixture, which had been scheduled to take place on Monday. Due to inclement weather, the race was held today instead.
Michael set off as the sixth rider today onboard his BMW S 1000 RR Superstock machine, and quickly fought his way to the front of the pack. Dunlop repeated his Superbike race form and game plan, setting a staggering 129.588 mph lap from a standing start – and crossing the start/finish line after the initial lap as the fastest rider on the road. Dunlop also set the fastest lap of the race at 129.78 mph on his second pass around the Isle of Man TT course.
Before long, the Ballymoney man had caught up with and overtaken both Bruce Anstey and James Hillier, leading both on corrected times and on the roads.
Dunlop spent the next three laps extending his lead to over 19 seconds, maintaining it through the pit stop, and never once looked unlikely to take his ninth TT win and BMW Motorrrad’s second big bike win in 75 years, crossing the line after the four-lap race with another victory to his name. Dean Harrison finished the race almost 20 seconds later, with Bruce Anstey in third place.
2014 marks exactly 75 years since BMW Motorrad’s last Superbike victory at the Isle of Man in 1939, when Georg Meier won on a Type 255 Kompressor.
For more information and live timing, or to download the full race results from today, visit www.iomtt.com.
The highlights from today’s racing will be broadcast on ITV4 at 9pm and will be available online via www.itv.com/itvplayer.
“I’m really delighted with this win. The Superstock race is quite special as it’s the nearest thing to the bikes you can go out and buy. The BMW S 1000 RR didn’t miss a beat and the tyres worked great. Credit has to go to BMW for putting together such a great road bike – I could have gone faster on it if I had needed to. It was a great race, though, I really enjoyed it.” – Michael Dunlop
“The win today was absolutely amazing. For Michael to have won on the BMW S 1000 RR Superstock machine is a real testament to the quality of the bike, especially one so close to what any customer can walk into a BMW Motorrad Dealership and ride out on. But Michael’s riding was in another class today, he was absolutely exceptional today.” – Lee Nicholls, Marketing Manager for BMW Motorrad UK
More, from a press release issued by RC Racing Express:
Harrison gives RC Express Racing debut TT podium
Bradford’s Dean Harrison gave the RC Express Racing by MSS Performance team their debut podium at the Isle of Man TT Races with a stunning second place in Tuesday’s 4-lap Superstock race.
Held over from Monday due to poor weather on the island, the race eventually got underway at 1.45pm on Tuesday afternoon in perfect weather conditions and a superb opening lap of 128.768mph placed Dean in a brilliant second place, just over six seconds adrift of Saturday’s Superbike race winner Michael Dunlop.
Despite suffering with a technical issue, Dean’s second lap was quicker still at 128.956mph but Dunlop was able to increase his advantage to almost 14 seconds after setting the fastest lap of the race. However, a good pit stop and strong opening sector on the third lap by Dean brought the margin down to nine seconds with one and a three quarter laps remaining.
The Northern Ireland rider wasn’t to be denied though but Dean had a comfortable margin over third placed rider Bruce Anstey and he completed the four laps and over 150 miles of racing in a brilliant second place, his second podium position around the Mountain Course and the team’s first in just their second year of TT competition.
Dean Harrison: “I’m over the moon with second place and just want to say a big thank you to everyone involved with the team. Conditions were great but the quickshifter stopped working on the opening lap and I had to completely change my way of riding, rolling the throttle to change gear when normally you can just change without even thinking. It compromised my race a bit but once I got used to it and settled into a rhythm I was still able to lap at almost 129mph and I can’t ask for much more than second place. I had good pit boards all the way round the course and was surprised by how many people I caught on the roads but I passed them all in clean, safe places and couldn’t have finished second to a better man.”
Ben Constable, Team Co-Owner: “I’m lost for words to be honest and am quite emotional with today’s result! We’ve only been involved for just under two years so to get where we have done in that short space of time is a fantastic achievement by all concerned. Our aim from day one was to get onto the top step of the podium and we continue to get closer to that goal.”
“Last year, we took 11th and eighth in the first two races and this year we’ve taken eighth and second so it’s clear we’re moving forward all the time. Dean had a slight technical issue in the race but he made Michael work hard for the win and his pace was high throughout the race. We’ve proved our capabilities again, as well as our reliability, and have finished as the top Kawasaki rider so we’re absolutely over the moon. We’ve still got two more races to go though so won’t rest on our laurels and will aim for more of the same on Friday.”
Dean will be out on the Mar-Train Yamaha in Wednesday’s second Supersport race but will on board the RC Express Racing by MSS Performance machines in Friday’s Lightweight and Senior races.
More, from a press release issued by Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki:
Solid TT results so far for Hillier
James Hillier’s hopes of adding to his Isle of Man TT win of twelve months ago have so far been thwarted by bad luck with technical issues denying him better results than the ones he’s achieved. Podiums have looked a possibility for the Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki rider in both the Superbike and Superstock races but his best result so far has been seventh in the opening Supersport 600cc race.
The 28-year old led at Glen Helen on the opening lap of the Superbike race but despite completing the lap at 130.092mph, he was forced to ease the pace with brake problems and slipped back to ninth at the end of the six laps.
In Monday’s 4-lap Supersport race, which was delayed by three hours due to overnight rain, James had a sluggish start to the race but on his second lap he increased his pace to 123.763mph to move up into 10th place. For the second half of the race, he continued to move forward and was rewarded at the end of 150.92 miles of racing with a strong seventh place for yet another top ten finish and sliver replica.
Tuesday’s Superstock race was an almost carbon copy of the Superbike when a strong opening lap saw him firmly challenging for the podium positions. Fourth going into lap two, James was still handily placed on lap three but he had to stop at Ballacraine after experiencing tyre problems and the subsequent time lost saw him drop down the order although he persevered and ended up in 11th although this subsequently became tenth after fifith place finisher Conor Cummins received a two-minute penalty.
James Hillier: “It’s been a frustrating week so far and things just haven’t been going our way. I couldn’t have wished for a better start in the Superbike race and the first sector was brilliant but three quarters of the way round the lap, the brakes began to fade a bit. I had to start adjusting the brakes as sometimes the lever was coming back to the bar and others it was going that far out I could barely reach it. Under the really heavy braking sections, it was really difficult and I ended up going down the straights checking to see if the brake was working which is far from ideal to say the least. The bike felt really good up until that point but after that the race became a bit of a blur.”
“In the 600cc race, the first lap wasn’t the greatest and I ended up going backwards until I got going in the second half of the race. I made a few mistakes and probably need to ride a 600 a bit more as I was riding it too much like a 1000. I didn’t fare much better in the Superstock race which was similar to Saturday in that I made a good start only to drop back. When I went through Union Mills on the third lap, it felt like I’d got a puncture and so I pulled in at Ballacraine to check what was wrong. The vibration was really bad and after that, it was hard to get into a good rhythm and I ended up trying too hard. We’re definitely overdue some good fortune so let’s hope that’s the case in the second half of the week.”
Pete Extance, Team Owner: “Bad luck’s been the order of the week so far and after a superb start in the Superbike race, we feel it was only the brake issues that kept James off the podium. He did a great job in the circumstances to bring the bike home in ninth and James then had a strong ride in the 600cc race. Seventh is where we feel we are with the bike so it was a good, strong position.”
“In the Superstock race, James again showed how strong he is on the opening lap putting himself into a good fourth place. He got away with Michael (Dunlop) after the pit stop but the tyre started to vibrate and it appears that the tyre spun on the rim which obviously dropped him down the order when a good result was on the cards. We’re looking forward to the second half of the week and the next three races where we’ll be hoping for a change in luck.”
James will be back in action tomorrow with the second Supersport race before contesting the 3-lap Lightweight and 6-lap Senior races on Friday.
More, from a statement issued by ACU Events Ltd.:
ACU Events Ltd regrets to announce that Karl Harris, 34, from Sheffield was killed during the Superstock Race at the Isle of Man TT races today following an incident at Joey’s on the 2nd lap of the race.
Harris, a professional Motorbike racer, made his TT Races debut in 2012. He was a triple British Supersport Champion and British Superbike podium finisher.
Harris appeared on the racing scene as a teenager in the 1990s, when he rode for Team Great Britain in the Superteen Championship. From there, Harris went on to win the 1999 European Superstock 1000cc Championship before spending a season in the World Supersport Championship.
He was best known for his British Championship career. He was the dominant force in the British Supersport Championship in the early 2000s before becoming a prominent front-runner in the Superbike class for the factory Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha teams.
Harris won three British Supersport Championships between 2001 and 2004, the first for Crescent Suzuki and the remaining two for Honda Racing, before progressing full time to the premier Superbike category in 2005. His best season came in 2006 when he finished in 5th place overall recording 6 podiums. In total, Harris notched up 12 BSB podiums.
The ACU wishes to pass on their deepest sympathy to Karl’s family and friends.
Gary Thompson, TT Clerk of the Course, ACU Events, said: “Karl was one of the great characters in the race paddock. His infectious enthusiasm and sense of humour lit up many race meetings. He was a hugely talented racer and will be sorely missed.”
The Coroner of Inquests has been informed and an investigation into the circumstances of the accident is underway.
More, from another press release issued by Isle of Man TT Press Office:
CONOR CUMMINS PICKS UP 2 MINUTE PENALTY
Conor Cummins Superstock has been awarded a 2 minute time penalty due to having an ineligible suspension component fitted to his RAF Honda Superstock machine.
As a result he is now placed 18th from his original fourth place in the final results of the RL360 Superstock Race. His final position still qualifies him for a silver replica.
More, from a press release issued by Penz13.com BMW Racing Team:
Penz13.com BMW Racing Team: Storrar earns 15th in Superstock
Isle of Man. Jimmy Storrar took a strong 15th place finish during this year’s Superstock TT over 4 laps. The British rider took his Penz13.com BMW Racing Team machinery easily to a well deserved silver replica. It took the BMW S 1000 RR rider 1:14,02.830 hours to tackle the Mountain Course 4 times, which meant an average speed of 122,290 miles per hour (196,34 km/h).
Storrar took off with two strong laps and held on to P19 after those two. A problem at the pit stop meant a little loss of time for the Brit, but his 4th lap – the only flying one in this race – was his personal best one in 125,233 miles per hour (18:04,601 minutes, 201,168 km/h).
Storrar took the chequered flag in 16th position but Conor Cummins was penalized with 2 minutes due to having an ineligible suspension component fitted to his machine. The Manxman was relegated to 18th which meant P15 for Storrar.
Jimmy Storrar:
“I am more than pleased. I felt comfortable right from the start and was able to make up ground. If you race against the clock like here and you start to overtake other riders, you know you can’t be bad as you made up at least 10 seconds. The pit stop was a bit upsetting but we localized the problem and it is already solved for Friday’s Senior TT. P15 is ok, but I want more. I am looking forward to Friday.”
Rico Penzkofer:
“I take over responsibility for the problem at the pit stop. We used a filler cap which opens and closes a bit heavily but we sorted that out already so it won’t happen again on Friday. We are still also learning. Jimmy rode a brilliant race and I am happy with his strong 15th spot.”