The 2013 Isle of Man is drawing to a close and the premier event, the Senior TT, has finished. One of the all-time greats at the Isle of Man is John McGuinness, who had gone winless this year until the final, premier Senior TT event. McGuinness redeemed himself with the victory (his 20th career win at the Isle of Man), leading home teammate Michael Dunlop (both aboard Honda TT Legend’s-prepped CBR1000RRs). Bruce Anstey brought a third Honda home for the final podium spot.
Michael Dunlop had been the big story this week, winning the first four important solo events, and having a chance to tie the record for five solo wins in a week. He fell one position short in the final event, however.
The danger of the TT was underscored yet again, when racer Jonathan Howarth crashed shortly after the start of the Senior TT, injuring himself and roughly ten spectators. After a red flag and re-start, McGuinness worked his way to the front and victory.
If you would like more information about this year’s Isle of Man, as well as additional results, visit the Monster Energy Isle of Man web site.
I won’t lie, if I had a chance to run the IOM, i’d do it. what the hell. just wanna see if I can average at or above 100mph. LOL
Any thoughts on Norton’s effort? It has been quite controversial in the UK forums as there have been major delays with customer deliveries on production bikes, yet the company funded a TT effort involving an Aprilia-engined prototype. Looks like from the results that they ran mid-field.
If they finished mid pack thats OK for the first real effort. But as you say…not sure people waiting for a Commando appreciate it!
I have to comment on the great Velocity/ITV Sport TV coverage of this year’s IOM TT. Even my wife sat with me to watch and she usually marches off to the other room when I have MotoGP or SBK on. We had fun trying to translate the accents. Had no idea it so “bummm-pe” through Ramsey. Gotta luv that Guy Martin too. What a character. We got a good feeling for the people involved and the absolute thrill of the speed that’s not so easy for other motorsports. We may just have to go and see it in person now.
I’d say to any motorcyclist with a beating heart – GO!!! It was one of the defining experiences of my life. Camping at Glen Helen surrounded by Germans giving us beer. Joey Dunlop going past at 175 mph on the SP2. Pints in The Railway Inn. The ride there from Newcastle, and the ferry over. Douglas Promenade. Doing 4 laps of the circuit, especially the Mountain section. A girl with a short skirt at the Gooseneck. 🙂 The Ulster Fry. The Verandah. Creg-ny-Ba….
JUST GO!!!
Like anything worth doing in life , there is risk in this sport. Sure I think we need to make things as safe as possible in racing . But this is the ONE place that for over 100 years these guys run for the sheer sport of it and the danger is a part of that. These men CHOOSE to take the risks and hope to reap the reward…… as I think Jackie Stewart said about it “this is MAN’s country , this” . Could these guys beat Lorenzo or Vale or Pedrosa on a track , probably not……but those guys wont even touch the IOM TT ……
That is what makes it sooo interesting and unique. If you dont like it dont watch it ….. I enjoy it and applaud each of them for having the GRANDE CAJONES for doing their best with such risk involved.
McGuinness is the MAN amoung men……Michael Dunlop appears to be starting his own legend as well!
This is the first time I’ve noticed the Senior TT Trophy. Although super-pretentiously-named, this things a masterwork. Mercury riding a spoked wheel dropping a caduceus? Genius. Implying speed and danger and beautifully crafted from silver, IMO, this is a inspired piece of art. All those names at the bottom don’t hurt it’s appeal either. Here’s more if your interested:
http://www.iomtt.com/News/2007/05/24/A-racing-icon.aspx
@LarryC
Rubbish! The TT is one of the very few of the ever diminishing large scale “peoples” motor sport events we have left and it must be cherished and protected from the creeping over regulated, bland corpocracy to which so many other sports have succumbed.
At the TT you can mingle with the very teams and riders at will and smell and feel the wind of the bikes as they pass inches from your nose on the road. Families camp out in the paddock with generations of previous riders helping out their sons and grandsons for the two weeks they take off work to compete, even the John McGuinesses of this world. They are people like us. If you feel you’re good enough you can participate in the Manx then the TT itself the following year.
In contrast, I woke up towards the end of the Canadian F1 GP last night then watched various team “executives” being interviewed in the pit lane and was struck by the black shirted “securite” placed every ten metres between them and the crowd.
There are too many people in this world who choose to be angry on other peoples behalf, ban this & ban that, ban motorcycles – IT’S FOR THEIR OWN GOOD. I ride my KTM RC8 on similar roads to which Conner Cummings met his fate ( http://youtu.be/Y07yt87lhEA ) although with a fraction of his skill and speed and I’d accept similar outcome for the privilege.
Given the choice between the Canadian F1 GP world and the IoM TT world I know the world in which I want to live.
Isle of Madness.
Another successful year. *Only* one racer killed and 10 spectators injured. 240 deaths since the inception of the race, 21 since year 2000.
They used to kill drivers wholesale in Formula One too, but they fixed that. Hard to imagine a “fix” for this madness.
The Isle of Man deserves a Darwin award.
http://news.sky.com/story/1100787/isle-of-man-tt-race-crash-10-spectators-hurt
http://news.sky.com/story/1096284/isle-of-man-tt-japanese-rider-killed
There have been similarly short sighted calls for the end of road racing since it began. On one savage year, about 11 years ago, there were 8 racers killed on the roads in Ireland. It doesn’t make me happy and at that point it seems right to say stop. But then it was pointed out that there were actually more teenage girls killed on horses in Ireland that same year. Want to ban that too?
They’ve ‘fixed’ the deaths in F1 about as much as they have in MotoGP.
Road riding is something that most people consider to be too dangerous for their taste. Fine. But don’t preach or try to stop me. I’ll do a track day, but consider racing too dangerous. But more that hats off, I’ll go and support racers for their choice and ability.
If you want to stop this sport, you’re half dead already.
+100 It’s a lot safer in the closet,of course you’ll never experience much in there. If you’re too afraid, that’s fine, but don’t go trying to ruin it for me. Excellent analogy about girls and horses. Half dead indeed. Beware the do-gooders.
Formula One = Racing for Bed Wetters
Good job John, next stop, a DENTIST!!! Great smile, horrendous teeth. What is it about the Brits and their nasty teeth?
We British are proud of our “characterful” yellowy green misshapen teeth. I for one can prop open my visor with my lower incisor!
Cultural… Dietary… Financial… You pick. But it’s not necessarily genetic.
Head down south through the bayou and tell me the Brits have bad teeth!
I’m not sure what is the prime motivation for motorcycle racers to expose themselves to the very real risks of death and injury on the IOM circuit. No doubt there is money to be made but perhaps the personal challenge for a competitor is also a significant element.
Whatever – anyone running at race speed around this circuit has testicles the size of coconuts
re: “I’m not sure what is the prime motivation for motorcycle racers to expose themselves to the very real risks of death and injury on the IOM circuit.”
adrenaline, chemical formula C9H13NO3.
a drug that operates on the same parts of the brain and central nervous system as alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, etc. difference being this compound isn’t illegal and isn’t manufactured (outsource) in remote parts of south America. this compound is produced with max efficiency “in-house”.
The IOMTT is the scariest motorcyle road race on earth, thereby making Mcpint the bravest active motorcycle racer. He seems like a nice guy too. I lifted my last pint in honor of his 20th win. Kudos to Micheal Dunlop, he almost pulled off the five bagger. With 10 people injured by one racer, it’s hard to believe this event hasn’t been stopped by law suits or do-gooders. I’ve never attended, but it’s bucket list for sure.
Make sure you go Starmag, as soon as possible.
Scariest? I don’t know… Not to take anything from IOMTT but there is another race for which pretty much the same crowd of riders turns up, but it seems to be a lot less known and less celebrated: Macau! Personally it seems even more scary to me with those guys blasting through the city canyons inches away from concrete walls…. I know that realistically at these speeds it doesn’t matter whether you hit concrete wall or a tree or a quaint little IOM cottage… but it just freaks me out 🙂
Scariness may be up for debate but Mcpint races there too, and for a longer time than almost any other racer. I’ll stick with my assessment of the current “King of the Mountain”.
re: “but it seems to be a lot less known and less celebrated: Macau!”
oh no, the seasoned among us are well aware of the guia street circuit. 10 years ago in like late November/early December there actually used to be coverage of it here in the states on a program called motorsports mundial. when that program went away, the coverage went right along with it. there even used to be a special 1hr progam for “24 Heures Du Mans Moto”.
No spoiler alert? Thanks!
re: “Jonathan Howarth crashed shortly after the start of the Senior TT, injuring himself and roughly ten spectators”
IOMTT… the motorcycling equivalent of spectating at the rally Portugal.
re: “aboard Honda TT Legend’s-prepped CBR1000RRs”
let’s not forget the red blade turned into a joey D tribute bike. McG didn’t win the superbike opener (fittingly joey’s nephew did), but he did reset the lap record. it now stands at a blistering 131.67mph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B6oK-0WfTc&feature=player_embedded
I met John a few years ago in London, he was a quiet fellow and unassuming, friendly. And a absolute genius around the Mountain Course. The year I was at the TT he rode a very radical bike in the Senior, a NSR500V twin two stroke GP bike (a really left field choice) and though he didn’t win he gave it a shot.
The weather has blessed the TT this year and allowed some great racing, Micheal Dunlop showing his mastery of the course and holding the Dunlop name high, as it has been for near on 30 years.