Michael Dunlop made history at the Isle of Man TT Races on Saturday afternoon when he won the Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 1 to equal the record tally of 26 wins held by his uncle, Joey Dunlop.
Dunlop had to come from behind after being third on the opening lap but took the lead on the run to Ballaugh on lap two and eventually took the victory – his 12th Supersport win – by 8.5 seconds from Davey Todd (Powertoolmate Ducati) with early race leader Dean Harrison (Honda Racing) taking third. It was Dunlop’s 40th TT podium which also equalled the figure held by Joey Dunlop.
The race got underway at 2.45pm and through Glen Helen for the first time, it was Harrison who led, his advantage over Todd just 0.08 seconds with Dunlop three quarters of a second behind the race leader. James Hillier (Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing), James Hind (North Lincs Components Suzuki), and Michael Evans (Smith Racing Triumph) rounded out the early top six which were covered by less than three seconds. Peter Hickman was in eighth on the Trooper Triumph by PHR Performance
By Ballaugh, Todd had taken over the lead from Harrison albeit by just 0.257 seconds with Dunlop still in third, now 1.2 seconds behind Harrison. Hillier was still in fourth, but Jamie Coward (KTS Racing/Stanley Stewart Racing Triumph) had moved up two places to fifth as Hind and Evans dropped back a place.
Harrison was back in the lead at Ramsey by 0.639 seconds with Dunlop a similar distance behind in third, 1.4 seconds now covering the top three. Coward now leading on the road – moved up another place to fourth. Hillier and Hind were now in fifth and sixth.
An opening lap of 128.037mph for Harrison gave him a lead over Todd (127.798mph) of almost two seconds and Dunlop, although still third, was more than three seconds off the race lead. Coward (126.800mph), Hillier (126.325mph) and Hind (126.021mph) completed the top six ahead of Hickman, Evans, Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Honda) and Josh Brookes (Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing Yamaha).
Through Glen Helen on lap two, Harrison led on the road but had lost time after dicing with Coward and the Honda rider’s lead over new second-placed Dunlop was only 1.2 seconds. Todd had dropped a place to third but was only 0.367 seconds adrift of Dunlop.
It was all change at Ballaugh though as Dunlop took the lead from Harrison by half a second with Todd a further half second behind. But by Ramsey, Dunlop’s charge was clear to see as he extended his lead to two seconds with Todd having overhauled Harrison for second.
Coward and Harrison continued to do battle on the road and all the time Dunlop was pulling away, a second lap of 128.833mph giving him a 4.5 second lead over Todd (128.133mph) as they all came into the pits to refuel. The top six was now completed by Harrison (127.920mph), Coward (127.476mph), Hillier (126.983mph) and Hind (126.806mph) but Coward soon hit trouble and pulled back up the return road to retire. Hickman had dropped to 11th whilst Conor Cummins was another high-profile retirement.
That was of little concern to Dunlop and his lead moved out again at Glen Helen on the third lap, his gap over Todd now 5.5 seconds. Harrison was a further 3.2 seconds adrift with fourth to sixth now occupied by Hillier, Hind and Jordan.
Todd took a second out of Dunlop’s lead from Glen Helen to Ballaugh and another four tenths to Ramsey which meant the gap stood at 4.1 seconds as they made the Mountain climb for the penultimate time. It was down to 3.9 seconds at the Bungalow but starting the fourth and final lap, Dunlop had responded and stretched his advantage to five seconds.
He wasn’t to be outdone either and continually extended his lead throughout the final 37.73 miles to take an extremely popular victory by 8.5 seconds with Todd taking his best TT result in second – he also set the quickest ever lap by a Ducati around the Mountain Course at 128.785mph.
Harrison claimed a 27th TT podium in third with Hillier taking a comfortable fourth place from an excellent Hind, fifth being his best TT result, whilst Brookes overhauled Jordan on the final run down the Mountain for sixth. The top ten was completed by Mike Browne on the second BPE/Russell Racing Yamaha, Hickman and Evans.
As well as Evans, it was also a good day for his fellow Manxmen Joe Yeardsley (16th), Ryan Cringle (17th) and Jamie Cringle (29th), the latter setting his first, official 120mph+ lap.
WORDS: Phil Wain