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The final act of the 100th Anniversary Manx Grand Prix, the RST Classic Superbike race featuring leading TT stars, ‘130 Mph Club’ members a plenty, took to the fabled, mythical Mountain Course at 6:40 PM.
First racers to blast down Bray Hill were Australian ace David Johnson (Team ACR Kawasaki) and triple TT Champion Dean Harrison (Key Racing Ducati).
Lap One:
Opening stages of lap one saw not much separating TT ‘Aliens’, early pace setters Harrison and Michael Dunlop.
At Ballaugh Bridge, 2.582 seconds was the margin between the 28 times TT winners combined.
Harrison continued to lead at Ramsey Hairpin but now by only 1.89 seconds.
No.1 plate holder Johnson was third with the Greenall Racing duo of Rob Hodson and Brian McCormack, fourth, fifth respectively.
Just 1.44 seconds covered Harrison, Dunlop at the Bungalow, it was nip and tuck as mandatory pit-stops beckoned.
As both undertook pit-stops, the order at the end of lap one was Harrison first but by only half a second.
9.7 seconds behind Dunlop, Adelaide’s Johnson remained third ahead of Hodson and McCormack.
Notable lap one retirements included James Hillier (KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan), Michael Browne (Davies Motorsport) and Saturday’s Ultra Lightweight class winner Paul Cassidy.
Lap Two:
Glen Helen lap two, Dunlop was P1 by only 0.107 of a second!
Onto Ballaugh Bridge and ‘Maverick’ extended his advantage to 2.5 seconds.
From here Dunlop increased, increased the gap to Harrison, moving 11.731 clear as he reached the Bungalow. Soon after, Harrison was forced to retire due to engine issues afflicting the sweet sounding 916 Ducati steed.
Harrison’s retirement enabled Johnson to pocket second ahead of a charging Hodson. As the third, final lap dawned, Dunlop’s grip on race proceedings was mighty, holding a nigh-on 34 second lead.
Rounding out the top six behind Dunlop, Johnson, Hodson were McCormack, Derek Sheils, Mistral Racing’s Paul Jordan.
Lap Three:
Whilst Michael Dunlop vaulted in style to Mountain Course victory No.33, a new Classic Superbike Manx GP lap record of 126.681 mph (17:52.209 seconds), attention a plenty was on the battle for second between Johnson and Hodson.
In the end, Johnson who’s last lap was 125.540 just kept P2, finishing 2.1 seconds in front of reigning class Champion Hodson, who endured a ‘moment’ at Governors Dip.
Seven plate carrier McCormack placed fourth as RC45 Honda jockey Nathan Harrison, Craig Neve despite start-line problems, Jordan, Sheils, rotary Norton runner Shaun Anderson, Amalric Blanc concluded the top ten finishers.
Classic Superbike Manx Grand Prix Race Result:
1st – Michael Dunlop
2nd – David Johnson
3rd – Rob Hodson
4th – Brian McCormack
5th – Nathan Harrison
6th – Craig Neve
7th – Paul Jordan
8th – Derek Sheils
9th – Shaun Anderson
10th – Amalric Blanc
11th – Barry Furber
12th – Michael Russell
13th – Tom Weeden
14th – Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams
15th – Stefano Bonetti
16th – Mike Norbury
17th – Gareth Arnold
18th – Anthony Redmond
19th – Alan Oversby
20th – Dennis Booth
21st – Michael Rutter
22nd – Marc Colvin
23rd – Jonathan Perry
24th – Pete Murray
25th – Paul Marley
26th – Ian Armstrong
27th – Michal Dokoupil
28th – Timothee Monot
29th – Andy Hornby
30th – Rodger Wibberley
31st – Rad Hughes
32nd – Dave Madsen Mygdal
33rd – Andy Lovett
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
Just 1.44 seconds covered Harrison, Dunlop at the Bungalow, it was nip and tuck as mandatory pit-stops beckoned.
As both undertook pit-stops, the order at the end of lap one was Harrison first but by only half a second.
9.7 seconds behind Dunlop, Adelaide’s Johnson remained third ahead of Hodson and McCormack.
Notable lap one retirements included James Hillier (KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan), Michael Browne (Davies Motorsport) and Saturday’s Ultra Lightweight class winner Paul Cassidy.
Lap Two:
Glen Helen lap two, Dunlop was P1 by only 0.107 of a second!
Onto Ballaugh Bridge and ‘Maverick’ extended his advantage to 2.5 seconds.
From here Dunlop increased, increased the gap to Harrison, moving 11.731 clear as he reached the Bungalow. Soon after, Harrison was forced to retire due to engine issues afflicting the sweet sounding 916 Ducati steed.
Harrison’s retirement enabled Johnson to pocket second ahead of a charging Hodson. As the third, final lap dawned, Dunlop’s grip on race proceedings was mighty, holding a nigh-on 34 second lead.
Rounding out the top six behind Dunlop, Johnson, Hodson were McCormack, Derek Sheils, Mistral Racing’s Paul Jordan.
Lap Three:
Whilst Michael Dunlop vaulted in style to Mountain Course victory No.33, a new Classic Superbike Manx GP lap record of 126.681 mph (17:52.209 seconds), attention a plenty was on the battle for second between Johnson and Hodson.
In the end, Johnson who’s last lap was 125.540 just kept P2, finishing 2.1 seconds in front of reigning class Champion Hodson, who endured a ‘moment’ at Governors Dip.
Seven plate carrier McCormack placed fourth as RC45 Honda jockey Nathan Harrison, Craig Neve despite start-line problems, Jordan, Sheils, rotary Norton runner Shaun Anderson, Amalric Blanc concluded the top ten finishers.
Classic Superbike Manx Grand Prix Race Result:
1st – Michael Dunlop
2nd – David Johnson
3rd – Rob Hodson
4th – Brian McCormack
5th – Nathan Harrison
6th – Craig Neve
7th – Paul Jordan
8th – Derek Sheils
9th – Shaun Anderson
10th – Amalric Blanc
11th – Barry Furber
12th – Michael Russell
13th – Tom Weeden
14th – Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams
15th – Stefano Bonetti
16th – Mike Norbury
17th – Gareth Arnold
18th – Anthony Redmond
19th – Alan Oversby
20th – Dennis Booth
21st – Michael Rutter
22nd – Marc Colvin
23rd – Jonathan Perry
24th – Pete Murray
25th – Paul Marley
26th – Ian Armstrong
27th – Michal Dokoupil
28th – Timothee Monot
29th – Andy Hornby
30th – Rodger Wibberley
31st – Rad Hughes
32nd – Dave Madsen Mygdal
33rd – Andy Lovett
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou 
