2013 Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy Winner
Though Friday’s PokerStars Senior TT remains, this year’s Isle of Man TT sensation Michael Dunlop received an early award – the Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy.
The Honda pilot earned the TT Trophy, which is awarded to the overall champion based on World Championship points system (excluding TT Zero and Lightweight classes), after winning four out of five motorcycle TTs so far.
Dunlop has been unstoppable through the 2013 IOM TT since winning Sunday the opening Dainese Superbike TT, which gave him bragging rights. Why? Nobody until Michael Dunlop has beaten 19-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness in the Superbike TTs since 2003.
The 24-year-old Northern Irishman maintained his rhythm at the 37.73-mile Mountain Course, winning both Monster Energy Supersport races and the Royal London 360 Superstock race.
Due to accumulated the maximum possible 100 points after four of five races, Michael Dunlop received 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.
The Isle of Man TT reports 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, the Isle of Man TT reports.
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