Isle of Man TT 2013: PokerStars Senior TT Race Results

For a while there, it looked as if John McGuinness would be held off the top podium position through the entire 2013 Isle of Man TT. McGuinness had recorded third-place finishes at the Superbike, Superstock and the second Supersport TT races earlier in the week, but the active leader in Isle of Man TT wins was stuck at 19 wins all week.

That finally changed and the Honda TT Legends racer finally earned win #20 in the final race of this year’s event, the Senior TT. McGuinness completed the Senior TT in 1:45:20.394, ten seconds ahead of his teammate Michael Dunlop who was looking for his record-tying fifth win of the TT.

The race was started at 1 pm local time but was red-flagged after racer Jonathan Howarth crashed, with several spectators injured by flying debris. The race was restarted later in the afternoon at 4:30 pm local time. Gary Johnson carried the early lead through Glen Helen, with William Dunlop and Michael Dunlop both within a second behind him. McGuinness, meanwhile, was fifth behind Michael Rutter.

Rounding the Ramsey section of the Mountain Course, it was Michael Dunlop with the lead ahead of Johnson and McGuinness in third. The three lead riders maintained that order into the second lap when McGuinness gained some speed and moved into the lead. Dunlop was second while Suzuki rider Guy Martin moved up to third with Johnson forced to retire.

McGuinness led by 2.4 seconds after two laps before heading to refuel but his pit crew worked quickly, helping him increase his lead leaving the pit area. Dunlop managed to gain some ground later on the second lap to remain within 2 seconds of his teammate.

But McGuinness continued to find speed, increasing his lead through Lap 4 before going for another pit stop, leaving with a 7-second lead.

The lead widened to 10 seconds after Lap 5 and McGuinness turned one more solid lap to beat Dunlop by 10.092 seconds. Bruce Anstey set a race-best average speed of 131.531 mph on the final lap to take third place.

With his 20th win, McGuinness remains second in the all-time Isle of Man TT wins list behind Joey Dunlop, uncle of William and Michael Dunlop, and his 26 victories. Sidecar racer Dave Molyneux is third all-time with 16 after being unable to win either Sidecar race this year.

By finishing second, Michael Dunlop missed his chance to tie Ian Hutchinson’s record of five TT wins in a week, set at the 2010 Isle of Man TT. Still, with four wins and a second place finish, Michael Dunlop earned the coveted Joey Dunlop Championship Trophy as the top racer of this year’s TT.

[Source: IOMTT]

By Dennis Chung