Anstey lays down a marker as Dunlop has lucky escape
Belfast Telegraph June 09 2015
Bruce Anstey won yesterday's six-lap TT Superbike race, which was red flagged in the closing stages due to an incident involving Michael Dunlop just two miles from the finish line.
Despite it being 46-year-old Anstey's first win in the premier class after 19 years of competition at the iconic Manx event, it was Dunlop who continued his domination of this year's TT headlines after limping from the back of an ambulance right in front of the main grandstand before the garlanding ceremony got under way.
The 11-time TT winner had been on record pace on the sixth and final lap while vying for a podium place, but Dunlop was involved in an incident with Scott Wilson, who is understood to have suffered a shoulder injury, just a couple of corners from home, forcing a red flag.
The Buildbase BMW rider had been in podium contention throughout, but an unfortunate second pit stop cost the Ballymoney man his 12th TT victory. His last-lap effort was undoubtedly a no-holds-barred attack on the outright lap record as he looked for some form of recognition on the opening day.
PBM Kawasaki's Ian Hutchinson, who clinched a record breaking five-in-a-week TT clean sweep back in 2010, was quickest out of the traps.
But there was more TT heartbreak for Guy Martin, who retired his Tyco BMW at Glenlough just three miles out on the opening lap.
Hutchinson led on the opening three laps with two strong 130mph efforts and the quickest lap three following his first pit stop, which left him looking very likely to take a fairytale ninth career victory - having opened up a five-second advantage on his PBM ZX10R Kawasaki.
But erring on the side of caution on the fourth lap, due to small showers on the approach to Kirk Michael village, cost him four seconds and ultimately the victory.
Hutchy recounted the situation, saying: "Being in sixth gear and flat out on top in the rain, it made me back off.
"I haven't raced at that pace for five years around here. Last year I lapped at 127mph, so to come and do 131mph proves the team is well on top of the job and the bike is good enough - so there's more to come from me."
Anstey picked up the advantage leaving the pits at the start of lap five on his Padgetts' Honda, and with a final effort of 131.797mph, the bearded Kiwi took his 10th TT win and a new race record for the Superbike class.