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For once at TT 2023, the weather pre racing was not illuminated all-round by blue skies.
Low cloud, bouts of moisture on track meant a three-hour delay to the Royal London 360 Superstock opener, with racing starting at 2:45 PM.
As across all solo races, excluding Super Twins, Classic TT winner David Johnson was the first to get the tap on the shoulder to circulate around the other-worldly Mountain Course.
Lap 1:
Acquiring the best start to Glen Helen was man of the moment Michael Dunlop.
Dunlop astride his own squads MD Racing Honda, headed class lap record holder Peter Hickman by only 0.650 of a second.
DAO Racing’s Dean Harrison held third, 1.385 to the good over Davey Todd.
Seven plate holder Josh Brookes was the first retirement, stopping at St Ninians.
At Ballaugh Bridge, Hickman took P1 ownership, moving 2.257 in front of Dunlop.
Monster Energy by FHO Racing’s Hickman, extended the race-lead to plus three seconds at Ramsey Hairpin.
The end of lap one saw Hickman, who lost time trying to overtake Milenco by Padgetts Todd, 2.7 seconds ahead of Ballymoney’s Dunlop.
Top Kawasaki pilot Harrison was 11.186 down on Dunlop with Todd, Conor Cummins making a welcome return to action, Jamie Coward wrapping up the top six.
Lap 2:
Post all important sole pit stops, outright lap record holder Hickman led Dunlop by 5.318 seconds at Glen Helen.
Across Ballaugh Bridge, Ramsey Hairpin timing points, Hickman upped his grip on race proceedings, vaulting to a nigh on 9.2 second lead.
As lap two ended, Hickman on course for a fourth successive Superstock TT triumph, was 15.702 clear of Dunlop.
Harrison third, was a shade over ten seconds down on 23 times TT winner Dunlop.
King of The Roads Champion Todd kept fourth as Coward, speediest Yamaha TT exponent in history James Hillier held fifth, sixth respectively.
Lap 3:
On outright lap record pace to Glen Helen, Hickman’s relentless charge towards victory grew, grew and grew throughout the third and final lap.
With blue skies emerging around the Grandstand, Parc Ferme, Hickman wheeling past the chequered flag, chalked up in style TT victory number ten, equalling Giacomo Agostini, Rob Fisher, Stanley Woods TT wins tally.
Hickman’s last lap of 134.331 mph (16:51.147 seconds), was just outside his own existing Superstock lap record.
Second place finisher Dunlop, finished 23.171 down on Hickman.
A delighted Harrison took third whilst John McGuinness MBE was a late retirement over the Mountain.
Outside the top three, reigning National Superstock 1000 Champion Todd placed P4, Hillier took fifth with KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan’s Coward sixth.
Cummins, Johnson, Michael Browne, Team Classic Suzuki’s Shaun Anderson concluded the first ten finishers.
Positions 11th-15th went to Brian McCormack, Craig Neve, Bathams Racing team-team Michael Rutter who equalled his dad Tony Rutter’s amount of TT starts (83), Jim Hind and Street Diner Racing’s Sam West.
TT 2023 – Royal London 360 Superstock Race 1 Result:
1st – Peter Hickman
2nd – Michael Dunlop
3rd – Dean Harrison
4th – Davey Todd
5th – James Hillier
6th – Jamie Coward
7th – Conor Cummins
8th – David Johnson
9th – Michael Browne
10th – Shaun Anderson
11th – Brian McCormack
12th – Craig Neve
13th – Michael Rutter
14th – Jim Hind
15th – Sam West
16th – Paul Jordan
17th – Julian Trummer
18th – Stephen Smith
19th – Rob Hodson
20th – Raul Torras Martinez
21st – Dominic Herbertson
22nd – Richard Wilson
23rd – Mark Goodings
24th – Mark Parrett
25th – Stefano Bonetti
26th – David Datzer
27th – Ryan Cringle
28th – Michael Russell
29th – Forest Dunn
30th – Michael Evans
31st – James Chawke
32nd – AJ Venter
33rd – Rhys Hardisty
34th – Rennie Scaysbrook
35th – Dave Hewson
36th – Amalric Blanc
37th – Anthony Redmond
38th – Xavier Denis
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
Seven plate holder Josh Brookes was the first retirement, stopping at St Ninians.
At Ballaugh Bridge, Hickman took P1 ownership, moving 2.257 in front of Dunlop.
Monster Energy by FHO Racing’s Hickman, extended the race-lead to plus three seconds at Ramsey Hairpin.
The end of lap one saw Hickman, who lost time trying to overtake Milenco by Padgetts Todd, 2.7 seconds ahead of Ballymoney’s Dunlop.
Top Kawasaki pilot Harrison was 11.186 down on Dunlop with Todd, Conor Cummins making a welcome return to action, Jamie Coward wrapping up the top six.
Lap 2:
Post all important sole pit stops, outright lap record holder Hickman led Dunlop by 5.318 seconds at Glen Helen.
Across Ballaugh Bridge, Ramsey Hairpin timing points, Hickman upped his grip on race proceedings, vaulting to a nigh on 9.2 second lead.
As lap two ended, Hickman on course for a fourth successive Superstock TT triumph, was 15.702 clear of Dunlop.
Harrison third, was a shade over ten seconds down on 23 times TT winner Dunlop.
King of The Roads Champion Todd kept fourth as Coward, speediest Yamaha TT exponent in history James Hillier held fifth, sixth respectively.
Lap 3:
On outright lap record pace to Glen Helen, Hickman’s relentless charge towards victory grew, grew and grew throughout the third and final lap.
With blue skies emerging around the Grandstand, Parc Ferme, Hickman wheeling past the chequered flag, chalked up in style TT victory number ten, equalling Giacomo Agostini, Rob Fisher, Stanley Woods TT wins tally.
Hickman’s last lap of 134.331 mph (16:51.147 seconds), was just outside his own existing Superstock lap record.
Second place finisher Dunlop, finished 23.171 down on Hickman.
A delighted Harrison took third whilst John McGuinness MBE was a late retirement over the Mountain.
Outside the top three, reigning National Superstock 1000 Champion Todd placed P4, Hillier took fifth with KTS Racing Powered by Steadplan’s Coward sixth.
Cummins, Johnson, Michael Browne, Team Classic Suzuki’s Shaun Anderson concluded the first ten finishers.
Positions 11th-15th went to Brian McCormack, Craig Neve, Bathams Racing team-team Michael Rutter who equalled his dad Tony Rutter’s amount of TT starts (83), Jim Hind and Street Diner Racing’s Sam West.
TT 2023 – Royal London 360 Superstock Race 1 Result:
1st – Peter Hickman
2nd – Michael Dunlop
3rd – Dean Harrison
4th – Davey Todd
5th – James Hillier
6th – Jamie Coward
7th – Conor Cummins
8th – David Johnson
9th – Michael Browne
10th – Shaun Anderson
11th – Brian McCormack
12th – Craig Neve
13th – Michael Rutter
14th – Jim Hind
15th – Sam West
16th – Paul Jordan
17th – Julian Trummer
18th – Stephen Smith
19th – Rob Hodson
20th – Raul Torras Martinez
21st – Dominic Herbertson
22nd – Richard Wilson
23rd – Mark Goodings
24th – Mark Parrett
25th – Stefano Bonetti
26th – David Datzer
27th – Ryan Cringle
28th – Michael Russell
29th – Forest Dunn
30th – Michael Evans
31st – James Chawke
32nd – AJ Venter
33rd – Rhys Hardisty
34th – Rennie Scaysbrook
35th – Dave Hewson
36th – Amalric Blanc
37th – Anthony Redmond
38th – Xavier Denis
Photo credit: Mark Corlett
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou 
