The tremendous weather that graced qualifying week, moved into the start of racing at TT 2023 as sun, blue skies, only the odd cloud transcended over Parc Ferme ahead of the Monster Energy Supersport opener.
Fifty racers in total started the four-lap race, which was delayed by three hours due to a road traffic collision.
Adelaide’s David Johnson, carrying the No.1 plate was first to make the descend down Bray Hill followed ten seconds later by Boyce Precision Engineering/Russell Racing’s Dean Harrison.
Lap 1:
Just over three seconds covered the top six at Glen Helen, with the initial pace set by triple TT winner Harrison, leading Michael Dunlop by only 0.550 of a second.
At Ballaugh Bridge Dunlop grabbed the initiative, slotting into P1, moving 1.571 in front of Harrison with outright lap record holder Peter Hickman a further 1.883 seconds behind.
By the Bungalow R6 Yamaha pilot Dunlop lead had extended to 4.493 seconds.
Harrison now first on the road, was first to finish lap 1, going through at 127.643 mph.
Soon after race leader Dunlop sped through Glencrutchery Road, averaging for lap 1, 128.305 mph – 17:38.632 seconds.
5.488 separated Dunlop and Harrison, Hickman maintained third with Jamie Coward, Davey Todd, James Hillier wrapping up the first six.
Lap 2:
4 minutes 19.389 seconds, this was Dunlop’s sector time to Glen Helen, inside the existing Supersport lap record.
9.454 clear at Ballaugh Bridge, ‘Maverick’ went into don’t think just do mode, looking in the same form that took him yesterday to an unofficial lap record.
Behind Dunlop, Harrison solidly kept second, Hickman stayed third, six seconds down on his respected rival.
With scheduled pit stops beckoning, Dunlop’s lead by Ramsey Hairpin, grew to in excess of eleven seconds.
Whilst a new outright class lap record, wasn’t quite attained, 112 times Irish road race winner Dunlop had boosted his grip on race proceedings, enjoying a 13.445 lead over Bradford’s Harrison.
There was disappointment in the pits for next gen talent Jim Hind, WH Racing’s Julian Trummer who were handed thirty second pit-lane speeding penalties.
Lap 3:
Believe it or not Ducks encountered Milltown! One of the stranger aspects of this captivating Supersport encounter.
Harrison nibbled a touch into Dunlop’s race lead at Glen Helen but across Ballaugh Bridge, Ramsey Hairpin, Bungalow timing sectors had lost more time to the Ballymoney racer.
17.528 seconds was Dunlop’s advantage as lap three finalised.
Harrison second, started to come under pressure from nine times TT winner Hickman.
Coward, King of The Roads Champion Todd, 2013 Lightweight class victor Hillier rounded out the top six behind Harrison, Hickman, now covered by a shade under four seconds.
Seventh to tenth place holders were Paul Jordan, David Johnson, Rob Hodson and Bathams Racing’s Craig Neve.
Lap 4:
16.4 seconds clear at Ballaugh Bridge, Dunlop was doing everything he had to do, as he homed in on a tenth Supersport TT success.
Whilst Dunlop looked safe for TT win no.22, the race for second heated up with Hickman closing to within 1.122 seconds of Harrison.
Notorious for his prowess over the mountain, Hickman took almost a second out of Harrison as final race chapters entered the horizon.
Dunlop stylishly wrapped up TT triumph no.22 but who would finish second?
Answer Hickman, topping Harrison by only 0.394 of a second, after recording the second quickest lap of the race (129.039).
Twice TT Privateers Champion Coward took fourth, Todd was fifth, Hillier occupied sixth.
Jordan, Johnson, Hodson, Hind concluded the top 10 leader board.
Newcomers Ryan Cringle, Jorge Halliday, Jack Petrie placed 22nd, 37th, 39th respectively whilst others securing more than creditable results included Michal Dokoupil (14th), Joey Thompson (16th), Barry Furber (17th), Jonathan Goetschy (21st) and Stephen ‘Trevor’ Parsons (27th).
TT 2023 – Monster Energy Supersport Race 1 Result:
1st – Michael Dunlop
2nd – Peter Hickman
3rd – Dean Harrison
4th – Jamie Coward
5th – Davey Todd
6th – James Hillier
7th – Paul Jordan
8th – David Johnson
9th – Rob Hodson
10th – Jim Hind
11th – Craig Neve
12th – Michael Evans
13th – Shaun Anderson
14th – Michal Dokoupil
15th – Brian McCormack
16th – Joey Thompson
17th – Barry Furber
18th – Pierre Yves Bian
19th – Stefano Bonetti
20th – Richard Wilson
21st – Jonathan Goetschy
22nd – Ryan Cringle
23rd – James Chawke
24th – Tom Weeden
25th – Julian Trummer
26th – Michael Russell
27th – Stephen Parsons
28th – Jonathan Perry
29th – Mark Parrett
30th – Forest Dunn
31st – AJ Venter
32nd – Amalric Blanc
33rd – Mark Goodings
34th – Martin Morris
35th – Xavier Denis
36th – Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams
37th – Jorge Halliday
38th – Paul Cassidy
39th – Jack Petrie
40th – David Brook
41st – Masayuki Yamanaka
Photo credit: Mark Corlett, Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
- June 3, 2023
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