2014 Superstock TT Results
Michael Dunlop is at it again. The 25-year-old Northern Irishman dominated the RL360 Superstock race, which was rescheduled for Tuesday due to rainy conditions Monday.
This was the MD Racing BMW S1000RR pilot’s second win of the 2014 Isle of Man TT, and the ninth of his career.
Dunlop, who won Saturday’s Dainese Superbike TT, was joined on the Superstock podium by RC Express Racing by MSS Performance Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison and Valvoline Honda’s Bruce Anstey, respectively.
“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 tires worked great,” Michael Dunlop says.
“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.”
Following an hour-long delay due to a traffic collision while the Snaefell Mountain Course was open to locals, the rescheduled RL360 Superstock TT finally got underway with a tight race between Dunlop and Lincs Lifting Kawasaki’s Gary Johnson, the winner of the Monster Energy Supersport 1 race.
Dunlop was quickest getting to Glen Helen, but only 0.5 of a second back was Harrison, Johnson and Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s James Hillier. By Ramsey, Johnson had moved into second, but his Superstock appearance was short lived; Johnson crashed out on the ascend up to the Waterworks on the first of four laps. The IOM TT reports that Johnson was conscious, but had a few fractures (collarbone and a vertebrae) and was airlifted to Nobles Hospital (report will follow once details are released).
With Johnson out, Dunlop opened up a considerable lead, finishing lap one at an average of 129.588 mph. This placed him 7.7 seconds of Harrison and Anstey, who now progressed to third. Anstey had been quick all week, and had set a new outright record at the Isle of Man TT during the Dainese TT.
At this time, Hillier was in fourth, followed by RAF Reserve Honda’s Conor Cummins and Tyco Suzuki’s Guy Martin.
Dunlop continued his speed, and set the fastest lap of the race on lap 2 with a 129.778 mph. Harrison was putting up a fight, but as the riders pitted to refuel, Dunlop had nearly doubled his lead. Harrison continued his charge, and shrunk Dunlop’s lead down to nine seconds on the third lap. As for Martin, he was forced to retire at Parliament Square.
As Anstey held onto third, Cummins, Martin and Batham’s BMW’s Michael Rutter all passed Hillier, who fell back to seventh.
After another quick final lap, Dunlop would finish by 20.1 seconds ahead of Harrison. This was Dunlop’s third Superstock race win, and each one was taken on different machinery (Kawasaki in 2011, Honda in 2013, BMW in 2014). Due to his win, he also extended his lead in the Joey Dunlop Championship table.
Harrison equaled his best-ever finish with second, his first runner-up finish arriving at last year’s Lightweight TT race. As for Anstey, he remained comfortably in third for the entire Superstock TT.
Fourth went to the Australian David Johnson aboard Lloyds and Jones PR Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja; this was his best-ever finish, and a tight one. David Johnson finished 0.8 of a second ahead of Cummins, who lost time in his pit stop due to his bike not restarting quickly.
Miles Kingsport Honda’s Lee Johnston had his best-ever finish with sixth, and he finished ahead of Rutter, Marks Bloom Racing Suzuki’s Dan Keen, and the top newcomer/privateer pilot, Ice Vally By Motorsave Trade BMW’s Peter Hickman.
Taking 10th was 20-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness, who is clearly struggling with his ongoing wrist injury. The “Morecambe Missile” broke his wrist while dirt training earlier this year. The injury forced him to miss the North West 200 races.
As for the Americans on the Splitlath Motorsport EBR 1190RS super bikes, Brandon Cretu retired on the first lap due to clutch issues, and Mark Miller retired with a broken shifter on the third lap.
The IOM TT says Manxgas Racing Honda’s Joe Faragher was air lifted to Nobles hospital following an incident at Joey’s and reported to have sustained fractures.
Immediately after the finish of the Superstock TT, the Clerk of the Course announced that due to an unspecified incident on the Mountain during the race, the rest of the day’s schedule was canceled.
UPDATE – It has been confirmed that Karl Harris, 34, died following a crash at Joey’s on the second lap of the Supersport race. Read the report here.
2014 Isle of Man TT Superstock TT TV Schedule:
Velocity will broadcast highlights of the race beginning at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 3.
