Michael Dunlop won a shortened PokerStars Senior TT race at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy on Friday evening with the Bennetts Suzuki rider taking his 15^th TT victory by 13.3s from Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) and Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki).

The race was restarted over four laps after the original race was red flagged on the second lap due to an incident involving 16-time TT winner Ian Hutchinson at the 27^th Milestone. The Tyco BMW rider was conscious but was taken to hospital by airmed where it was later confirmed that he had suffered a fractured femur.

The race had been shaping up to be an epic with just 0.18s between Hickman and Hutchinson and Harrison only 1.2s further back in third but, eventually getting underway at 5.15pm, Dunlop led the restarted race through Glen Helen on the opening lap, with a 1.5s advantage over Bruce Anstey. Harrison was a further 0.9s back in third with Hickman, Michael Rutter and James Hillier completing the top six, the last two getting a second bite of the cherry having experienced problems in the first start.

Dunlop increased his lead through Ramsey slightly to 2s but Hickman was up to second ahead of Anstey who in turn held a 0.2s advantage over Harrison with Rutter still in fifth but with Conor Cummins now up to sixth at the expense of Hillier.

Dunlop added a further second to his lead by the time he reached the Bungalow and an opening lap speed of 132.292mph gave him a 4.2s lead over Hickman who in turn was 3.2s clear of Anstey. Harrison, Rutter and Cummins were holding station in fourth to sixth but Josh Brookes was on the move, going from 12^th at Ramsey to eighth at the Grandstand.

At Glen Helen on lap 2 Dunlop had increased his lead by two more seconds and Harrison was now up to third with Anstey dropping back to fourth despite leading on the road and having a clear track. Rutter was still fifth but Hillier had moved back ahead of Cummins for sixth.

By Ramsey, Dunlop was still leading by 6s as him and Hickman practically matched each other every mile. Harrison was losing a bit of time in third but he was pulling away from Anstey who was extending his advantage over Rutter. Hillier was still sixth but just 2.4s covered him, Cummins and Brookes.

Coming into the pits at the end of the lap and Dunlop’s lead was now 9.2s after lapping at 132.903mph with Hickman in second and Harrison third, the latter having lapped at 131.838mph. Anstey was out though at Bedstead with the top six now completed by Rutter, Hillier and Cummins. Brookes was up to seventh having done his first 130mph+ lap around the Mountain Course at 130.551mph.

The lead was down slightly at Glen Helen on lap three to 7.7s as Hillier took over fourth from Rutter with Brookes moving up to sixth and by Ballaugh, Hickman had reduced the deficit to Dunlop further to 7.3s. However, through Ramsey for the third time and the Northern Irishman had got the gap back up to 8.5s.

Indeed, going into the fourth and final lap, the 28-year old was 10.6s clear of Hickman and he duly came home for his 15^th TT win, his eventual winning margin being 13.3s.

Hickman made it five podiums from five starts with Harrison repeating his third place finish from Sunday’s RST Superbike race, aided by his first ever 132mph lap on lap four. Hillier and Rutter ended their strong weeks in fourth and fifth, the gap between the duo just 0.64s at the chequered flag.

The battle for sixth also went all the way to the end with Brookes, who lapped at 130.883mph fourth time around edging out Norton team-mate David Johnson. Cummins, Martin Jessopp, who recorded his first 130mph lap, and William Dunlop completed the top ten.

The results meant that Hickman won the Joey Dunlop Championship with 76 points based on cumulative results from the RST Superbike, Monster Energy Supersport, RL360 Quantum Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT Races with Hutchinson second (61) and Dunlop third (60).

Jamie Coward was the first privateer home in an excellent 11^th place with Daley Mathison next home in 13^th but Horst Saiger’s 18^th saw him clinch the TT Privateer’s Championship. He finished with 71 points with Coward in second on 63.

Ben and Tom Birchall won the second Sure Formula Two Sidecar race at the 2017 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, on Friday afternoon, taking victory by 26.5s from John Holden/Lee Cain in a repeat result of the opening race on Monday.

The Birchalls hit the front for the first time on the run from Glen Helen to Ballaugh on lap one and were never challenged again as they took their sixth TT victory.

Holden took his 17^th podium in second with Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle, in their first TT together, took the final podium place.

The crews were warned of a hint of dampness on the exit of Ginger Hall, Ramsey Hairpin, Hillberry and Governor’s Dip and the race got underway at 1.15pm with Holden/Cain leading through Glen Helen on the opening lap.

They held a slender 0.9s advantage over the Birchalls with Dave Molyneux/Dan Sayle in third and Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, Alan Founds/Jake Lowther and Lewis Blackstock/Patrick Rosney completing the top six.

Pete Founds/Jevan Walmsley, sixth in the first race, were early retirements at Quarter Bridge, and Molyneux/Sayle followed them at Sulby Crossroads but by Ramsey Hairpin, the Birchalls had taken over the lead by 1.4s from Holden/Cain. Molyneux’s retirement promoted Reeves/Wilkes into third although they were 7s down on Holden.

The Birchalls surged over the Mountain and an opening lap of 115.567mph saw their lead increase considerably to 7.9s and it was Reeves/Wilkes who were now in second with Holden/Cain a further 1.2s adrift. Founds/Lowther were in fourth with Blackstock/Rosney going great guns in fifth.

At the head of the field, the Birchalls extended their lead to 13.5s but Holden/Cain were now back up to second as Reeves/Wilkes stopped at Glen Helen briefly before getting back into the race. Founds/Lowther were also in trouble and they retired at Quarter Bridge, which saw Blackstock/Rosney move up to fourth.

By Ramsey second time around, the Birchalls had added another four seconds to their lead and there were further changes at the top of the leaderboard as Reeves/Wilkes retired at Lambfell. That put Blackstock/Rosney up into a brilliant third with the top six now completed by Steve and Matty Ramsden, Conrad Harrison/Andy Winkle and Allan Schofield/Steve Thomas.

A second lap of 116.423mph meant the Birchalls went into the third and final lap with a healthy 20s lead over Holden/Cain with Blackstock/Rosney maintaining their third position courtesy of their maiden 110mph+ lap around the Mountain Course at 110.599mph.

There were to be no changes in the front two over the final 37.73-miles but Blackstock/Rosney slowed and that allowed Harrison/Winkle to take third, the former having to settle for fourth.

Karl Bennett/Maxime Vasseur came through for fifth but there was disappointment for the French female pairing of Estelle Leblond/Melanie Farrier who, after lapping at 109.394mph, were forced to retire from sixth on the final lap. Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Holden, Rob Handcock/Ken Edwards, Greg Lambert/Julie Canipa, Wayne Lockey/Mark Sayers and Gary Knight/Dan Evanson completed the top ten.

Two-time world champion Barry Sheene was inducted into the Motor Sport Hall of Fame during a star-studded awards ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park Clubhouse on 7 June. Sheene topped a 12-strong shortlist following a public vote, beating such names as Joey Dunlop, Mike Hailwood, Soichiro Honda, Wayne Rainey and Geoff Duke. 

The legendary Englishman joins fellow inductees Giacomo Agostini, John McGuinness, Valentino Rossi and the late, great John Surtees. ‘Fast Freddie’ Spencer demonstrated Sheene’s 1976 500cc title-winning Suzuki on the Captain’s Drive, and later presented the award to Sheene’s sister Margaret Smart and his former engineer Martyn Ogborne.

“It’s amazing to be awarded this,” said Smart. “I’m thrilled to bits.”

“World champions are different from normal people,” added Ogborne. “They will pull off the move that makes you think, ‘Ooh’ – because there is no second place in a champion’s mind.”

Spencer raced against Sheene in the early 1980s and added his own memories: “In 1980, I was 18 and had never raced outside the US. I came over for a match race and won, beating Barry – but he was the first person to come up afterwards and say, ‘Good job’. Then, in 1982, I was signing autographs with him and we’d been there about an hour. I began to stir and he said, ‘Where are you going? We stay here until the last person has their signature’. That was the Barry I knew.”

Stuart Graham and Charley Boorman were among the famous names present to see the incomparable Murray Walker – whose father Graham raced Norton, Rudge and Sunbeam motorcycles through the 1920 and 30s – be presented with the Inspiration Award by 1992 Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell. Walker remembered that his first visit to the Isle of Man TT was in 1925, and credited his father with providing his own inspiration and enthusiasm.

The Henry Surtees Foundation was the event’s official charity partner, with baker-turned-racer Paul Hollywood enjoying an emotional outing on an ex-John Surtees 1960 MV Agusta. “John was so excited when I started racing, and became a mentor for me after I did the Racing Legends TV show with him. When I tested the ‘bike at Brands Hatch, my natural reaction was to pick up the phone and talk it through with him – and then it hit me again that I couldn’t.

“The gears are on the right-hand side, which is opposite to all the other ‘bikes I’ve ridden, but it handles beautifully and sounds amazing. At Brands, I just didn’t want to come in. John basically redesigned it from the ground up to make it more balanced – he knew it inside-out, and was a proper mechanic. I can remember him warming it up with one hand on the throttle and the other on the engine, feeling when it got to the right temperature. What a man.”

“Our top three of Dunlop, Hailwood and Sheene was very strong,” said Mat Oxley of Motor Sport magazine, “and each was hugely popular in their own way. Sheene was very brave and very hard-working, got the right people around him, and had the ability to make things happen. He was also one of those people who lit up a room – he was a performer.”

Honda Racing will not participate in today’s six-lap Senior TT with Guy Martin, bringing an end to a fortnight on the Isle of Man in which poor weather severely limited on-track action.

Honda Racing will now continue its preparation for the Southern 100 and Ulster Grand Prix with the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Jonny Twelvetrees, Honda Racing team manager:

We’re disappointed not to be taking part in today’s Senior TT, a decision that is ultimately due to a lack of track time for Guy on the Fireblade. We came here to race and everyone in the team – who have worked extremely hard over the last few months – was looking forward to seeing what the new bike could do. Guy informed me that he wouldn’t race in the Senior, which is a tough decision to make but one I can understand given the lack of practice we’ve had.

The good news is that Guy has told me that even though the TT hasn’t worked out, he’s keen to take part in the Southern 100 next month and try to get the most from the Fireblade there.

We wish a safe race to all the competitors and teams involved.

Guy Martin:

I came back to the TT this year to race and try to win with Honda Racing. I’ve done loads of testing and the team have been flat out, before we got here and at the event. But we’re not doing the times needed to be competitive here, we need more time to set up the bike and doing six laps will not achieve what we set out to do and I’ve always reckoned this is not the place to be out riding just to make up the numbers, so as a team we agreed it wasn’t right competing in the Senior TT. With the weather and my crash I’ve done plenty of tea drinking and dog walking.

I’m looking forward to racing the Mugen, it’s a real honour to race the most interesting bike in the paddock. I’ll see how I can do and I’m looking forward to then getting back to work Monday.

www.hondaracingcbr.com