2015 Isle of Man TT Supersport 2 Results
The comeback story of Ian Hutchinson continued Wednesday during the 2015 Isle of Man TT.
The 35-year-old Brit – rightly nicknamed the “Bingley Bullet” – produced Wednesday another dominate performance in this year’s TT, earning the second Monster Energy Supersport race win.
Hutchy hadn’t earned a TT victory since his sweep of all five solo races in 2010. Troubles began following that year’s TT; while competing in the 2010 Silverstone British Supersport round, he crashed. While on the ground, Hutchinson got run over by another rider, sustaining some serious leg injures that prevented him from many races. But now – after 20+ surgeries and seemingly back to full health – Huthinson has completed a hat-trick in the 2015 TT.
Piloting the Team Traction Control Yamaha YZF-R6, he won both Monster Energy Supersport races; he also won the RL360 Superstock race for Paul Bird Motorsports Kawasaki. With his Supersport 2 victory, he know equals Michael Dunlop record of 11 TT wins.
Hutchinson was joined on the Supersport 2 TT podium by Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Honda’s Bruce Anstey and Smiths Racing Triumph’s Guy Martin.
Anstey, who won this year’s IOM TT RST Superbike race, finished 14.8 seconds behind. As for Martin, who finished today’s TT Zero, in fourth aboard a Victory Racing eBike prototype, this was his first podium of the 2015 Isle of Man TT.
Speaking of his double Supersport win for Team Traction Control Yamaha, Huthinson says: “I did my usual of keeping in contention at the begging and not do anything stupid. I had +7 on my board earlier than I did in Monday’s race and it was going pretty good, although I was a little bit concerned as I had a brand new engine, but the bike felt great.
“I knew I couldn’t relax too much and I pushed on for the last lap and this just feels fantastic. It is an amazing feeling to do the double, especially as it all came together at the last minute.”
2015 Monster Energy Supersport 2 Race Recap
When the four-lap Supersport 2 TT began, Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki’s James Hillier took the early lead ahead of Hutchinson and 10-time TT winner Anstey. Completing the top six were Yamaha TBC’s Gary Johnson, Martin and Mar-Train Racing Yamaha’s Dean Harrison. But unfortunately, Harrison experienced some issues at Ballaugh and retired.
Hutchinson turned up the energy, and by Ramsey he had taken the lead off Hillier, with Anstey closing in fast on second place. By the end of the opening lap, Anstey was into second with Hillier slipping into third, already feeling pressure from Martin. Behind, Johnson was in fifth followed by the man who earned third for Victory Racing in Wednesday’s TT Zero, Lee Johnston. As for MD Racing Honda’s Michael Dunlop, who suffered a huge crash during the RST Superbike race, he retired while in the pits.
Up front, Hutchinson extended his lead. His second lap – recorded at 127.751mph – would be the fastest of the race, and Anstey was now eight seconds back. When the grid pitted for fuel and tires after lap two, Martin also took third from Hillier.
The top three remained in the same positions for the final two laps, and Hutchy took the win by 14.8 seconds ahead of Anstey, who claimed his fourth podium of the week. Martin earned third.
Hillier took fourth, which was his best-ever Supersport TT finish, ahead of Johnson and Johnston. Three Honda CBR600RR followed with Conor Cummins in seventh, TT Zero winner John McGuinness in eighth, and Dan Kneen in ninth. Cummins was able to hold McGuinness by a mere 0.04 of a second for seventh. Earning 10th was Smiths Racing Triumph’s David Johnson.
In the overall TT Championship after five of seven solo TTs, Hutchinson now has 95 points – 23 ahead of Anstey. Hillier is in third with 52 points. Two solo races remain – the Lightweight TT and the Dainese Senior TT; both races are set for Friday.
2015 Isle of Man TT Supersport 2 Results Photo Gallery
