Source: IoM TT.

Michael Dunlop took his eighth TT victory when he won Saturday’s six-lap Dainese Superbike race in record-breaking style.

The BMW Motorrad rider took control from early race leader James Hillier at Ballaugh on the opening lap and, aided by two laps inside the old outright lap record, he surged clear and was able to control the race in the closing stages to take the win by 20.5s from Guy Martin (Tyco Suzuki) with Conor Cummins (Honda Racing) in third.

There was also sensational news on the final lap when Bruce Anstey, outside the top ten on the opening lap after overshooting the Nook, tore round the Mountain Course on the Valvoline Racing/Padgetts Honda to become the first man ever to have lapped at more than 132mph with a final lap of 132.298mph.

Hillier was quickest to Glen Helen on the opening lap on his Quattro Plant/Muc-Off Kawasaki and he led Dunlop by one second with Martin, a rapid starting Dean Harrison (RC Express Racing Kawasaki), Gary Johnson (Lincs Lifting Honda) and Dan Kneen (Cookstown BE Racing Suzuki) close behind.

As the lap unfolded though, it was clear Dunlop was charging and having overhauled Hillier at Ballaugh, he increased his lead all round the opening lap and with a new lap record of 131.730mph, he rocketed clear with Martin 9.4s in arrears. The leaderboard was constantly changing and Cummins moved up into third with Hillier, Harrison and John McGuinness completing the top six with Johnson reported retired at Creg ny Baa.

Dunlop was in determined mood and was closing in on Martin, who had started 20 seconds ahead of him on the road, the gap between the duo after two laps almost 17 seconds as the Ballymoney man went quicker still at 131.890mph. The Tyco Suzuki rider was six seconds clear of Cummins as they took their first pit stop with Michael Rutter up to fourth on the Bathams BMW.

Dunlop, Martin, McGuinness and Hillier were circulating in close formation on the roads but Dunlop’s lead was increasing and he was first into the pits at the end of lap four, the gap to Martin now a very healthy looking 25s after another 130mph+ lap. Martin was coming under pressure from Cummins though with his advantage now under five seconds for the first time while Rutter was still in fourth with McGuinness and William Dunlop completing the top six.

As the race went into it’s final third, Dunlop and Martin were still together on the roads and the 25-year rode to his signals to control the race for his eighth victory and BMW’s first ‘big bike’ win since German Georg Meier won the 1939 Senior.

Martin took his 14th podium in second with Cummins three seconds further back after doing his all on the final lap. Anstey really put the hammer down after his early race mishap and his lap of 132.298mph was some six seconds quicker than McGuinness’ lap set in the same race last year.

Rutter ensured it was a good day for BMW with a strong fifth with William Dunlop making a late charge to overhaul McGuinness on the final lap, the gap between the pair just 0.8s after six hard laps.

The 20-times winner had to settle for seventh with his wrist injury, as expected, unable to run the pace for six entire laps but it was a solid effort by the Morecambe man. Harrison and Hillier both dropped back as the race wore on, finishing in eighth and ninth with Australia’s Josh Brookes completing the top 10. Countryman David Johnson was two positions behind in 12th.

Anstey continued his form around the Mountain Course in the SES TT Zero second qualifying session. The New Zealand rider followed up his stunning outright lap record around the Mountain Course with an unofficial lap record for the TT Zero class, posting a time of 112.355mph.

His Mugen teammate also took the opportunity for a lap and was marginally outside Michael Rutter’s lap record (109.675) set last year. Robert Wilson (Sarloea Racing), Mark Miller (Vercarmoto) and George Spence (Kingston) also completed electric bike laps this evening.

Earlier in the evening, clerk of the course Gary Thompson opted to give the riders a chance to practice on their Superstock machines ahead of Monday’s race as well as their Supersport and Lightweight and a number of riders took up the option.

Martin again emphasised his quality after his Superbike podium with a 127.22 mph lap in the Superstock qualifying while Anstey, Lee Johnson and Michael Dunlop were all over 126 mph.

In the Lightweight qualifying session Ryan Farquhar was the fastest on the night with a lap of 116.84, still outside Ivan Lintin’s time from Tuesday evening, with Olie Linsdell powering the stunning Paton to a similar speed (116.23).

Gary Johnson posted a pair of quick laps in the Supersport class (125.72 and 125.16) Josh Brookes, William Dunlop, Hutchinson, Rutter and Dean Harrison all posting 123mph-plus laps.

2014 Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man

Superbike race results:
1. Michael Dunlop
2. Guy Martin
3. Conor Cummins
4. Bruce Anstey
5. Michael Rutter
6. William Dunlop
7. John McGuinness
8. Dean Harrison
9. James Hillier
10. Joshua Brookes (AUS)
12. David Johnson (AUS)

Click here for detailed results