By Newly for 2026 incorporated into the Classic TT itinerary, the four-lap Motul Senior Classic Race featured the fastest F1 Superbike, Junior 600, Lightweight 250 pilots from qualifying sessions.
Jamie Coward (Greenall Racing – ZXR 750 Kawasaki) made the brightest start, leading Michael Dunlop MBE (Team Classic Suzuki – SRAD Suzuki) at Glen Helen by a slender 0.2 of a second.
Retirements on lap one in a race which saw moderate attrition included fastest qualifier Mikey Browne, Rob Hodson and Dominic Herbertson (Adam Hewitt/TAS Racing).
Coward was still first through Ballaugh Bridge, at Ramsey Hairpin though TT wins record-holder Dunlop MBE had usurped him for first.
Despite Coward’s plucky, gritty attentions, Dunlop MBE (final lap – lap speed – 128.031) would not relinquish the race-lead from this point on-wards, ending victorious by 11.68 seconds.
Dunlop MBE’s Mountain Course racing CV now boasts 48 victories and an incredible sixty-seven rostrum finishes!
Nathan Harrison third made it two Greenall Racing riders on the podium, finishing 33.956 seconds behind team-mate Coward.
Stanford Racing/ARD’s Shaun Anderson sealed fourth with Joe Yeardsley fifth getting the better of Michael Sweeney in the race to finish top Mistral Racing pilot.
Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams scooped seventh, Team York Suzuki’s Joey Thompson occupied eighth whilst Ryan Whitehall (Motorcycle Photography Racing – Yamaha), Kells Supersport race winner Kevin Keyes had productive circulations to ninth and tenth.
In total, nineteen racers reeled off four-laps of pure road racing’s biggest challenge, the Mountain Course.
Post Race Reaction:
Third place finisher Nathan Harrison:
“I needed that one to be fair. It’s been a rough few years and injuries and one thing after another, I needed that for my confidence, I’m ending the year on a high with two great guys next to me.”
“I’ve been trying to get stronger and stronger all year, hopefully now this will put me in a good spot going into 2027.”
Race runner-up Jamie Coward:
“Another second-place finish, eleven seconds off the win which over four laps is not an awful lot to be fair. I knew the first couple of laps I had +4, +5 on the board, I knew that he would not be able to see me.
So, kept my head down, kept my head down and on the third lap, unfortunately it was +11 and I thought he is going to be able to see me now, so just kept my head down, kept my head down, kept pushing, kept pushing and kept pushing.
To finish second to the greatest to ever do it around here is not bad going, lap times pretty good as well, hopefully the Greenall team will have me back, will come again next year have another rip-round and see if we can beat him this time next year.”
“I’ve been doing a lot of riding and that has been quite beneficial for here, I feel a lot better on the bike, and I feel sharp and a lot more in tune with the motorcycle.”
2026 Classic TT – Senior Race Result:
1st – Michael Dunlop MBE
2nd – Jamie Coward
3rd – Nathan Harrison
4th – Shaun Anderson
5th – Joe Yeardsley
6th – Michael Sweeney
7th – Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams
8th – Joey Thompson
9th – Ryan Whitehall
10th – Kevin Keyes
11th – Conor Cummins
12th – Michael Evans
13th – Paul Cassidy
14th – Tom Robinson – (First Junior 600 apparated rider home)
15th – Matt Stevenson
16th – Julien Cregniot
17th – Rodger Wibberley
18th – Noel Carroll
19th – Stuart Clotworthy
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
