Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. Michael Dunlop secures Joey Dunlop 'TT Championship' Trophy ahead of final race

   Posted on 7:54am Friday 7th Jun 2013

   MIchael Dunlop will be awarded the Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy thanks to his four incredible wins so far at the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   With wins in the Dainese Superbike, both Monster Energy Supersport races and the Royal London 360 Superstock race, the 24 year old Dunlop has an unassailable lead in the 2013 TT Championshiop. The Ballymoney man has achieved all this before the blue riband race, the PokerStars Senior TT, which is due to take place on Friday 7th June.

   The Joey Dunlop Trophy is awarded to the overall champion, based on a World Championship points system, across the Solo classes, excluding the SES TT Zero and Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight races. Having already accumulated the maximum possible 100 points after only four of the five races, Michael Dunlop will receive the trophy and £10,000 prize money. However, second and third positions are still to be decided and with a wide range of other riders sharing the podium with Dunlop, a number of the leading riders are still in the running to finish runner-up.

   John McGuinness tops the chasing pack with a total of 61 points after achieving his 40th podium position in Wednesday's Monster Energy Supersport Race 2. His grand total of podiums equals that of the TT wins record-holder and McGuinness' hero, Joey Dunlop. Bruce Anstey is only 2 points behind the Morecambe rider in the Championship points with 59 points after top ten finishes in all four races to date including two podiums. William Dunlop, James Hillier, Cameron Donald and Dean Harrison also still have a mathematical chance of finishing second.

   The Privateers Championship on the other hand is still very much up for grabs. Steve Mercer is the current leader with 50 points but is closely followed in the table by Lee Johnston with 49 points and Dan Kneen and Ben Wylie, who are both on 44 points. Dan Cooper, Robert Wilson, Rob Barber and Davy Morgan all still have a chance of finishing top in the battle to be top privateer.

2. Darren Gough Fulfils Isle of Man TT Dream

   Posted on 7:15am Thursday 6th Jun 2013

   England cricket legend Darren Gough completed a key chapter in his summer of Bennetts Biking Dream Challenges yesterday after fulfilling a lifetime dream to experience the thrill of the Isle of Man TT.

   Gough was given the ultimate ‘access all areas’ TT experience, the highlight being to ride a lap of the famous 37 ¾ mile Mountain Course under the guidance of TT star ‘Milky’ Quayle. To cap it off, Gough got up close to the Superbike TT race with a grid walk, a place at the very best race vantage point at the bottom of Bray Hill, and a ‘closed lap’ of the Mountain Course in the official course inspection car.

   Gough’s weekend was organised by Bennetts, the UK’s No.1 Bike Insurance Specialist, who are also an official sponsor of the Isle of Man TT. His TT experience is part of a series of Biking Dream Challenges which have been set up for him by Bennetts this summer after discovering that Gough harboured a dream to learn to ride different types of motorcycle.

   Having undertaken further bike training with the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and out on the TT track on a sports bike, Gough will soon take on his next challenge on an altogether different type of motorcycle.

   Reflecting on his TT experience, Gough, said: “I’ve always been a fan of watching sports bikes but it’s always been BSB, WSB and MotoGP. To come here and take in the TT has been amazing. I take my hat off to these guys. You can imagine that’s what motorcycle racing was like 100 years ago - just pure skill and guts.”

   Hannah Squirrell, Bennetts Marketing & Ecommerce Director said, “The Isle of Man TT is a completely unique event and we are extremely proud to support it, so when we heard of Darren’s Biking Dream, we knew we could help him fulfil it.  He is an excellent ambassador for motorcycling and we’re glad he is able to spread a positive message.”

3. Birchall Brothers gain first win in Isle of Man TT Races Sure Sidecar 2 Triumph

   Posted on 9:07am Wednesday 5th Jun 2013

   For the second time at the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, the Sure Formula Two sidecar event saw debut winners with former World Champions Ben and Tom Birchall leading from start to finish to take their first victory around the Mountain Course.

   Having been forced to retire from Saturday’s three-lap encounter when leading, the Nottinghamshire brothers made no mistakes this time around and took a 17.3s victory from Dave Molyneux/Patrick Farrance with Conrad Harrison/Mike Aylott having to settle for third on this occasion.

   The Birchalls signalled their intentions from the start moving into a two-second lead at Glen Helen on the opening lap, with first race winners Tim Reeves/Dan Sayle slotting into second and Harrison a further one and half seconds back in third. Molyneux lay in fourth from John Holden/Andy Winkle and Gary Bryan/Jamie Winn.

   There was no change at the top of the order over the remainder of the lap and a lap of 114.490mph gave the Birchalls a 10.7s lead over Reeves/Sayle with Molyneux/Farrance now moving up to third. Harrison/Aylott slipped back to fourth with Holden/Winkle and Bryan/Winn still in fifth and sixth.

   Circulating ahead of Reeves/Sayle on the roads, the Birchalls extended their lead to 11.5s at Glen Helen on the second lap and that soon increased when the first race winners were forced to retire at Ballaugh. That promoted Molyneux/Farrance and Harrison/Aylott up into the podium places with Holden up to fourth and Dougie Wright/Martin Hull now getting the better of Bryan/Winn for fifth.

   The Birchalls second lap was their personal best at 114.662 and although Molyneux/Farrance also lapped in excess of 114mph, they were now 16s behind. However, they were a similar distance clear of Harrison/Aylott with the top six remaining the same.

   On the final lap, the Birchalls were able to maintain their advantage over Molyneux/Farrance and they took a superb victory thus following in the footsteps of Reeves in adding a TT victory to their World Championship success of 2009.

   Harrison/Aylott took their fifth TT podium together with Holden/Winkle comfortable in fourth. Wright/Hull retired at Kirk Michael on the final lap and so Bryan/Winn took fifth with Gary/Dan Knight wrapping up their excellent TT campaign with sixth. Frank Lelias/Charlie Richardson did likewise in seventh with Wayne Lockey/Luke Capewell in eighth ahead of Dean Banks/Ken Edwards and Mick Donovan/Aaron Galligan, all of them achieving their best TT results.

4. JOHN MCGUINNESS WINS HIS SIXTEENTH TT TITLE WITH DAINESE SUPERBIKE VICTORY

   Posted on 1:05pm Tuesday 4th Jun 2013

   John McGuinness won his 16th TT today when he took victory in the Dainese Superbike race at the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   The Honda TT Legends rider overcame an early challenge from Bruce Anstey and a strong pit stop at the end of lap 2 saw him reassert himself. When the Kiwi went out at Quarry Bends, John was already 20 seconds clear of the field. With Guy Martin retiring on lap 5, McGuinness’ eventual winning margin was almost a minute over Cameron Donald who came through to take 2nd, some 10 seconds clear of Gary Johnson who took third despite suffering a 30-second penalty for infringing the pit lane speed limit.

   Saturday saw dry, sunny conditions all around the course although a strong breeze kept the riders on their toes over the Mountain and at the first checkpoint at Glen Helen on the first lap, McGuinness was leading by just over a second from Johnson who was carrying over his practice form into the race. Anstey was only two tenths further back in third with Martin in fourth and James Hillier going brilliantly in fifth just ahead of Michael Dunlop and Dan Stewart.

   McGuinness was putting in one of his customary fast first laps but Anstey was matching him all the way and at the end of the first lap only half a second separated the pair, both lapping comfortably over 130mph. Johnson and Martin also broke the 130mph barrier in third and fourth as Michael Dunlop and Donald completed the top six, Hillier dropping back to ninth. There was disappointment though on the opening lap for both Michael Rutter and Simon Andrews, the duo retiring at Cruickshanks and Quarter Bridge respectively.

   Anstey was really flying on the second lap and he overhauled McGuinness by Glen Helen turning his deficit into a 1.5s advantage. Johnson was a further four seconds back in third still ahead of Martin, Dunlop and Donald but at the head of the field Anstey was pressing ahead on the Padgetts Honda and he completed the lap at 131.378mph. His lead was only 0.9s though as McGuinness also broke the 131mph barrier and his lead unravelled due to a slightly sluggish pit stop and when they left the pits, it was the Morecambe man who was now some 12 seconds clear. Dunlop was also in trouble in the pits losing over 2 minutes.

   The gap was still 12 seconds through Glen Helen but Anstey was soon reported as having stopped at Quarry Bends and Martin moved up into second ahead of Johnson albeit by less than half a second. Donald was now fifth with Keith Amor putting in a brave ride in 6th given the discomfort of his injured shoulder. Stewart, William Dunlop and James Hillier were next with Conor Cummins riding superbly in tenth. Another local hero, Dan Kneen, was in trouble though, making an unscheduled pit stop at the end of the first lap and then retiring for good at the end of lap 3.

   By two thirds race distance, McGuinness was controlling affairs from the front maintaining a near 20-second lead over Martin who now had some breathing space in second when Johnson was handed a 30-second penalty for exceeding the speed limit in pit lane after his second pit stop. Indeed, it was now Donald who was up to third whilst Cummins retired at Signpost.

   There was drama on the fifth lap when Martin retired at Hillberry but, leading on the road, McGuinness was able to cruise home in his final lap, his final winning margin over Donald 56.9 seconds. Johnson lost the runner-up spot due to the pit lane infringement but he was still comfortable in third ahead of Amor who ensured it was four Hondas in the top 4.

   Michael Dunlop came through from his pit stop problems to secure 5th on the final lap just edging Stewart out by two seconds. William Dunlop enjoyed his best ever ride in the Superbike race to take 7th with Hillier, Adrian Archibald and Ian Mackman rounding out the top ten. Mackman’s finish ensured he took maximum points in the Privateer’s Championship whilst the first newcomer home was Dan Hegarty in 32nd.

   To listen live to Radio TT’s commentary for all races and follow live timing at the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races go to www.iomtt.com.

5. Isle of Man links with China strengthened

   Posted on 9:06am Tuesday 4th Jun 2013

   The Isle of Man continues to strengthen its political and economic relations with China as part of a broader strategy to raise the Island's international profile and generate new business opportunities.

   Recent developments include the visit of the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Liu Xiaoming, on a three-day visit to the Island and Minister for Economic Development John Shimmin leading a trade delegation to the country - which also saw the signing of a Statement of Cooperation between the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission and China Banking Regulatory Commission.

    

   The delegation outlined opportunities for the Island to support the Chinese economy, specifically through import/export solutions, capital market listings, and wealth management services.

    

   These developments continue the Isle of Man's policy of positive engagement with other nations in order to promote a deeper understanding of the Island and its role within the global community. Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK commented: "Events such as the Ambassador's visit and the Isle of Man trade mission to China are important elements of our strategy to grow and diversify the Manx economy. I believe there is potential to attract significant new business and employment opportunities to the Island by forging a strong alliance with China."