TT 2016: Ian Hutchinson gunning for Supersport double

Ian Hutchinson starts Wednesday morning's second Monster Energy Supersport TT as the hot favourite following the Bingley Bullet's commanding victory on Monday on the Isle of Man.
Ian Hutchinson is gunning for a double in the Supersport class at the Isle of Man TT.Ian Hutchinson is gunning for a double in the Supersport class at the Isle of Man TT.
Ian Hutchinson is gunning for a double in the Supersport class at the Isle of Man TT.

The Yorkshire rider set a new race record for the four-lap event on Keith Flint’s Team Traction Control Yamaha R6 by 15.2 seconds and wrapped up the win by more than 14 seconds over Michael Dunlop.

Ulster rider Dunlop was later excluded from the results due to a technical infringement.

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Northern Ireland’s Mar-Train Racing team later issued a statement taking responsibility for the error after supplying the 27-year-old Ballymoney rider with an engine for his Yamaha prior to the TT.

The illegal element within the engine was a set of coated cam buckets, according to the Lisburn-based team, who have missed this year’s TT after new signing Dan Keen was ruled out through injury.

Yorkshire rider Hutchinson stole the show on Monday as he bagged a double following a sensational win on the Tyco BMW in the RL360 Quantum Superstock race, setting a new lap record of 133.098mph from a standing start.

It was Moneymore team TAS Racing’s 16th TT triumph and their first since Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey scaled the top step eight years ago, but team manager Philip Neill said Hutchy’s stunning win had been worth the wait.

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“It’s fair to say we’ve had a bit of a wait for this one but to see Ian win on the BMW S1000RR in record fashion was worth the wait,” said Neill.

“Ian, my father Hector and I receive most of the attention at times like this, but we all really value the strength of our team who are fully committed and most have been with me for a very long time.”

Hutchinson has now chalked up 13 wins on the island and has the opportunity to draw level with Mike Hailwood today if he can repeat his 2015 brace in the Supersport class.

Arch-rival Dunlop, though, will be fired up following his shock exclusion from Monday’s race and is poised to come out with all guns blazing on his Street Sweep Yamaha.

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Bradford rider Dean Harrison has been in terrific form throughout the 2016 festival is high on confidence after clinching a brace of runner-up finishes on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki machines in the Supersport A and Superstock races.

Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki’s James Hillier sealed two thirds in the Supersport and Superstock races and will be gunning for the podium again.

Manxman Conor Cummins – fourth on the Valvoline Padgetts Honda on Monday – John McGuinness (Jackson Racing Honda) and East Coast/Burdens Triumph rider Lee Johnston are also among the contenders, while Gary Johnson will be aiming to finish higher up the leaderboard on the T3 Racing Triumph.

Injury-hit William Dunlop may skip the race to prepare for the Senior TT as he continues to struggle following his crash in practice at Sarah’s Cottage.

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Kiwi Bruce Anstey is also out of sorts after a crash in practice.

The SES TT Zero race also takes place on Wednesday afternoon, with John McGuinness expected to secure his third straight success for Mugen.

His opposition includes team-mate Anstey and Sarolea’s Lee Johnston and Dean Harrison.