McGuinness makes it 20 in epic Senior TT

[totalmotorcycle]

#McGuinness makes it 20 in epic Senior TT


Honda TT Legends rider John McGuinness wrapped up the 2013 Isle of Man TT races with a superb win in today’s Senior race, taking his 20th TT win and 41st podium in total. Team-mate Michael Dunlop took a close second place to end with four wins and a second from his five races whilst third Honda TT Legends rider Michael Rutter placed sixth, posting his first 130mph+ lap in the process.



The initial race was red flagged after a racing incident and so the race was re-run at the later time of 4.30pm and it was Dunlop who led from McGuinness at the end of the opening lap, the gap between the duo just 1.4s. There was little to choose between the team-mates in the early stages but a lap of 131.272mph gave McGuinness a 2.3s lead at the end of the second lap as the riders came in for their first pit stop.



Dunlop took back a third of a second on the third lap but another 131mph+ lap by McGuinness fourth time around saw the lead go up to six seconds and it gave him the breathing space he needed. The Morecambe Missile added another four seconds to his lead in the final two laps and he was able to come home for his sixth Senior race victory, one fewer than Mike Hailwood. Dunlop was comfortable in second and with Kiwi Bruce Anstey in third it was another Honda 1-2-3.



Rutter, meanwhile, had, arguably, one of his finest ever TT rides and on the opening lap he broke the 130mph barrier for the first time, a lap of 130.137mph on the Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR placing him in an excellent fourth. Although he slipped back two places by half race distance, two more 130mph+ laps, including a final lap of 130.637mph saw him take sixth place at the chequered flag.



John McGuinness
“It feels absolutely fantastic to win today and if there’s one race to win, it’s the Senior. I’ve had a good week but a win’s escaped me so do it today with the sun shining and thousands of fans waving me all the way is brilliant. The conditions were incredible, the bike was fantastic and with two superb pit stops we got the job done. I still feel really sharp and I hit all my apexes on the final lap so with a Honda 1-2-3, the job’s a dream!”



Michael Dunlop
“It was a good, enjoyable race and John rode lovely so fair play to him. I had him in sight early on and there wasn’t much between us but I got held up a bit by backmarkers, catching them at the wrong times, and I lost a bit of time there and at the pit stops. No excuses though, the bike was mint and I’m going home with four wins and a second place so I can’t complain with how my week’s gone.”



Michael Rutter
“I’m thrilled to get sixth place and get my first 130mph lap but it was a hard race as, apart from passing a couple of the later runners, I never saw anyone the entire race! Lapping on your own is never easy and I’d have loved to have been involved in the dices on the roads like John and Michael were in but I’m happy enough. The bike never missed a beat and I’ve really enjoyed myself at this year’s TT.”