Isle of Man TT Races – Senior TT
Guy Martin’s Senior TT podium was the third of the week for Tyco Suzuki rounding out a more than satisfactory TT fortnight for the Moneymore based team. Race week started with a TT Superbike podium for Guy in second place with William sixth – also recording his fastest ever lap around the TT at over 130mph – followed by William’s Supersport Race 2 third place and the aforementioned Senior TT placing for Guy yesterday.
Following his Supersport race podium on Wednesday, the in-form William Dunlop enjoyed an early charge with laps of 130.466mph and 130.853mph [his new TT best] to lead the blue riband Senior TT race in the opening stages, but a high-speed crash at the Les Graham Memorial on lap three ended his challenge.
Typically, a tough as nails road racer, William was back in the paddock within a few hours still smiling, despite being on crutches with two clean breaks to his left Fibula. Guy was certainly ‘on the money’ throughout, with three laps in excess of 130mph and another 129mph effort on his way to third place.
Guy said afterwards: “The bike was just mint and the boys have done a great job again today. We rode a good race, which you can see by the lap times, but we have to take our hat off to Michael he’s riding well this week and that’s why he has won four. That’s probably the best Superbike set-up I’ve ever ridden around here, so yeah, we’ll have to come back next year and try again won’t we.”
William Dunlop said from his home in Ballymoney this morning: “I had been suffering a bit of arm pump all week and I think with the extra tension with leading and then being in contention for the win made it a little worse. I could hardly feel the bars, but when you are getting P1 and P2 signals there’s no way you are going to back off. I think I’ve just run into Graham Memorial with a little bit of throttle still on and the rest well…”
He added: “It’s just the small bone in my leg I’ve broken and I’m a little battered and bruised but I hope to be ready to ride in four weeks.”
Team Manager Philip Neill concluded: “What a great effort from both our riders in the most prestigious of all TT races. In Superbike terms I believe William came of age in the Senior TT and firmly established himself as a challenger at international level. What a shame a small mistake resulted in a crash and ended his podium challenge. However the most important thing, is that he is relatively unscathed, considering this was a high-speed crash, but he will be back in racing very soon.
“Guy once again gave one hundred percent today and we are extremely pleased with a second podium finish from both Superbike races. We just didn’t have that last little bit to challenge Michael this week, but then no one else did either.
“Overall it was a pleasing team effort for TT2014 and both our GSX-R machinery and Metzeler tyres worked exceptionally well. Thanks once again to all our sponsors for their support and well done to the TT organisers on another great event.”
Joey Dunlop TT Championship
Guy finished fourth in the overall Joey Dunlop TT Championship standings with 52 points from his TT week, behind eventual winner Michael Dunlop , Bruce Anstey  and Dean Harrison . Only a DNF in the Superstock encounter costing the Lincolnshire man, what would have been a well-deserved third place. William finished sixth overall with 37 points, just behind fifth placed finisher James Hillier .
Tyco Suzuki now more on to Snetterton in Norfolk this coming week for Round 3 of the British Superbike Championship