Tag Archives: Senior TT Results

David Johnson reflects on TT 2019 Superstock podium

2019 Isle of Man TT

David Johnson Interview

South Australia’s David Johnson had scored a couple of fourth place finishes in previous TT appearances but 2019 marked a breakthrough for the 37-year-old as he raced to a hard fought podium in the Superstock TT.

Johnson was hoping for a repeat performance in Friday’s Senior TT but after an impressive opening lap of 130.98mph, disappointment then struck at the end of lap two when a vibration caused the crank position sensor to fail, shutting down the bike and forcing him to retire. Early in the week he had claimed tenth in the Supersport TT.

We caught up with Davo after the Senior TT to recap his TT week.


IOMTT Superstock David Johnson
David Johnson

Trev: I am with David Johnson here at the TT paddock on Friday, immediately after a disappointing senior TT, but with the glory of a Superstock podium still fresh from Thursday that must be a great reward for some of the pre-season effort and the faith Honda has put in you.

David Johnson: “Today, the Senior TT hasn’t gone so well, but we were looking like we were in a good position there – I think it’s an antipodean thing, we come out of the box quite slow then get fast. It’s no different than what Bruce Anstey does. I think Cam (Donald) is the only one of us who went out and did awesome laps from lap one.

IOMTT David Johnson Pits Profile HondaImage
David Johnson – TT 2019

“I always end well though, and it looked like it could possibly have been a podium today as well, while yesterday of course was amazing. On a bike that I didn’t expect it on, the Superstock bike is not known as the fastest thing out of the box but we proved to people that it is highly capable. It handles so well, I could just ride it, the way it handled was amazing, there is never any dramas with the way the stock Honda handles, that’s for sure.

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock Podium Cam Donald HondaImage
Cam Donald congratulates Davo on his maiden TT podium

“On the last lap in the Superstock race, when I was in P3 at one point, then P4, then just before the mount’ I saw P4 + 0, and thought who the hell is this I’m dicing with. It turns out its Michael Dunlop. That was only over the line, the last sector I was fourth, come across the line as hard as I could in the last sector, short circuit hard and come out 0.2s in front. Happy to get onto the podium for the first time.”


IOMTT Superbike Race Start David Johnson
David Johnson was cool as a cucumber ahead of the Superbike TT as his mechanics fuelled his bike only moments before the race start

Trev: I remarked in the Superstock race report (Link), the bike uses less fuel, the team helped make up that three-seconds in the pits to give the team great credence as well, but some people also forget that you lose more than three-seconds a lap with the horsepower deficit to the BMW and Kawasaki. So you still had to do your job with less power out on the circuit. From the sidelines earlier in the week I could see that Michael Dunlop could make 20 metres or more on you over 400 metres as soon as the bikes were upright, pulling 20 metres over a 400 metre straight – when the tracks  over 60,000 metres that certainly adds up over a full lap…

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike Pits HondaImage
David Johnson in the pits on the Superbike

David Johnson: “Yea, Sulby Straight I think we were at our worst, against whoever was fastest, 15 mph down, which is a lot, a friggen hell of a lot. Yea so I sorta had no idea who I was dicing with, I thought it was actually going to be James Hillier, but obviously he had a 30s penalty, which didn’t come into the equation, as even with that penalty off we still beat him by 6s, but it was Dunlop I was fighting with.

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock HondaImage
David Johnson – Superstock TT 2019

“The last sector is obviously where the Honda is going to be awesome, as it’s quite a tight little section, slow and tight, which is why I can push without risking too much. Just to come out by 0.2 of a second is… some people, the way they were following it, they were saying it was the battle of the TT.”


IOMTT Race Superbike Hickman Johnson
Peter Hickman leads David Johnson

Trev: It was only a race for third to be fair right from the start, Hicky and Harrison were in another league last year, and it proved the same again this year, that pair are going to be hard to beat.

David Johnson: “They’ve changed the bar for this whole situation really, Hicky was behind me starting, I was ninth on the road, and he was 10th, so when he caught me and he caught me quite early in the lap, and then starts pulling away, I was like oh my god, this is ridiculous, to push like that.

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock HondaImage
David Johnson – Superstock TT 2019

“The way they are pushing to get what they do, it’s changed a lot. That’s how hard you have to win, those two have changed the bar. Dunlop has won 19 TTs all together and in a big bike TT you have to push absolutely, like say short circuit you push 100 per cent, to win a TT these days that’s what it takes… I would if I felt comfortable on the bike, but with the short practice that we’ve had and me being new to Honda, I just didn’t quite feel that comfortable to go out of the box and push like mad right from the off.

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock HondaImage
David Johnson – Superstock TT 2019

“Whereas especially the first couple of laps, is where you make it all up and get comfortable with the bike, you push like mad in the first two laps and the rest comes to you. Whereas I’m still building up speed…”


TT Qualifying Tuesday David Johnson
David Johnson

Trev: Third, that’s probably fulfilling your ultimate potential that you would have looked at coming into the race. Are the team happy, does that mean you’ll be on a Fireblade next year and they’ll pay you more money? (laughs)

David Johnson: “Maybe, we’ve not spoken about that, I’m happy with them and they are happy with me. Especially in Superstock, they didn’t expect that at all. The Superbike is a fair weapon, so we expected to be somewhere near in that, and we were close, we thought we had the potential to be on the podium today in the Senior, unfortunately the bike let us down with an electronics problem.

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock HondaImage
David Johnson – Superstock TT 2019

“On the Superstock bike it was a long shot, the Superbike was the one I expected to be on the podium in, and then all of a sudden I’m on the podium in Superstock. I’ve won BSB championship races in Superstock, so I knew I was going to be good on it, but had no idea, never expected to be on the podium this year like that in the Superstock class.”

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superbike – TT 2019

Trev: We don’t hear outside of the TT anything that you’re up to. How have you got yourself up to speed, and your head up to speed?

David Johnson: “Well the Island Classic, Phillip Island, that’s my main preparation, they ride like mad out there. To be honest, I didn’t do any British Championship races this year, which I usually do. I know if I go into Superstock race I can be at the front. But this year we didn’t do that, for whatever reason.”


IIC Phillip Island Rob Mott Friday David Johnson
David Johnson at the 2019 Island Classic – Image by Rob Mott

Trev: Might there be any opportunities for you to get any short circuit work in the latter part of the year?

David Johnson: “There is, that’s all down to me now. I’m 37-years-old now and I’ve got my fiancee and we’re from Adelaide, and I like to spend all my time in Adelaide now. I’ve been here for 18 years now, in Europe.

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superbike – TT 2019

Trev: It’s a long time ago you left the Aussie domestic competition…

David Johnson: “I remember I was excited when you did a little write up on me in my first year, in 2002…”

David Johnson GP Support Races
David Johnson – Aussie GP Support Races 2002

Trev: So we’re both getting old.

David Johnson: “I guess so!  I do what I need to do to keep doing it. I do a heap of track days, Levi Day race schools, my own race schools here and there as well, and the Champion Rides days, so I do a lot of riding. I do the James Whitham schools when I’m here and the Focus Events around Europe. So I do a lot of riding but that doesn’t really reflect when you’re pushing hard from the get go, like mad.”

IOMTT David Johnson Supersport HondaImage
David Johnson – Supersport TT 2019

Trev: So if you got any short circuit work in this year, would it be back in Australia or in the UK?

David Johnson: “I’ve never really had the opportunity in Australia, they never come up, I would love to do it, with Honda if they had a spare bike and it was offered, I’d jump on it. But because I’ve never had the offers, I’ve never done it. And to be competitive you need to be on a good bike and team to be in Australia, in Australia the riders are world class.”

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superbike – TT 2019

Trev: It’s very tight, one turn of a clicker between hero and zero really it is that close.

David Johnson: “It’s no different than going to BSB, if you’re on a crap bike in BSB you won’t be competitive. In Australia it’s the same thing and I don’t want to do it half arsed. If I do it, it has to be properly. But I don’t know, I’ll suss it out. It feels like the end of the season for me now, so we’ll have a big night tonight and move forward from here.”

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superbike – TT 2019

Trev: So just see what crops up in the latter half or 2019 and will there be any more real road racing for you? Anything lined up for the Classic TT?

David Johnson: “Yes, I’m racing with the Kawasaki team in the Classic TT, I’m not really allowed to say that around here! But yea the Kawasaki team for that. Ulster GP as well, it’s not in my contract but I know Honda will want me to do it and I love the Ulster GP, I got a podium last year with the Tyco BMW team and it’s a good place. A love-hate relationship. I broke my back there and spent a month in Belfast hospital but I want to do that again. And the Macau GP at the end of the year, so I have a few big international races to do.

Macau GP David Johnson
David Johnson at the 2018 Macau GP

Trev: Who’s Macau with?

David Johnson: “Not sure yet, that’s to be confirmed,  to be announced, actually I don’t even know yet. I’ve had about 17,000 offers so far, so it’s wait and see.”

IOMTT David Johnson Superbike HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superbike – TT 2019

Trev: It’s nice to be wanted mate.

David Johnson: “It’s better to be wanted than no one gives a shit, so we’ll wait and see.”

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock Podium HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superstock podium – TT 2019

Trev: Celebrate a safe and successful week, we’ll see you in due course.

David Johnson: “I’ll see you at the bar later mate!”

IOMTT David Johnson Supertock Podium HondaImage
David Johnson on the Superstock podium – TT 2019

Source: MCNews.com.au

Dean Harrison reflects on his first Senior TT win

Dean Harrison Interview

The 2019 Isle of Man TT has seen Dean Harrison claim Kawasaki’s first Senior TT win since 1975. This is only the second ever win for Kawasaki in the premier event at the TT, and at 30-years-old Harrison is also one of the youngest riders ever to win the Senior TT. We had a front row seat for the chat with Harrison immediately after he claimed victory in Friday’s Senior TT.

IOMTT Senior Post Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison – Senior TT Winner – 2019

Your first big bike win at the TT.

Dean Harrison: “I’m over the moon I can’t believe it to be honest. It’s great now as I’ve won every TT on a Kawasaki, I’ve won the 650 twin race, Supersport race, the big bike race, so a win in every class, that’s ticked all the boxes.

“The race I got off to a reasonable start, Pete had a bit of the legs on me to be honest. I just tried to put as much pressure on him as I could, as the race went on he was chipping away from me, and the gap was getting bigger, it wasn’t until lap 4 or lap 5 that I noticed the gap had halved. So I thought… well the thing is when the gap halves, I’m not sure if there was a problem, as if someone breaks down there’s a big gap, and it keeps coming down and down and down.

“So I just kept it going to be honest, I was short shifting everywhere, trying to conserve fuel for my last lap. Six laps around this place, 226 miles (over 360 km) on the bike, and two hours, it’s the longest race you’ll ever do as a solo rider. It’s a testament to the bike to keep going for so long, the hammering it gets from me is unbelievable.”


IOMTT Qualifying Sunday Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison

When you saw the early boards you must have thought he was getting away from you, growing sector by sector.

Dean Harrison: “Yeah exactly, I was going as hard as I felt comfortable going, I thought I’d push and that would be my best, in those first few laps, and I think I did a sub 17 on lap one, a 16:50 something.

“The trouble is now you’re kind of splitting hairs around here, aren’t we it’s getting so fine. I just tried to put on as much pressure as I could. It sounds daft but if you take a step back and relax you end up making a mistake, if I keep going at the pace I’m going and pushing, you sorta get into a rhythm and sorta hit your points at the apex.

“But the bike to be fair was absolutely faultless, never missed a beat the whole race. Apart from a little tank surging issue, that we went through, that showed up a little bit to be honest, at the latter part of the second lap, the pit laps. But apart from that it was faultless. Massive thanks to the team.”


IOMTT Senior Post Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison

For the second pit stop the lead was about 17-seconds, half of which Peter had built up just on the climb to the mount, taking about eight-seconds out of your lap.

Dean Harrison: “That’s my Achilles heel, on the lower section I seem to have it nailed, it’s the climb up the mounts that I need to do some more research on over the winter, we’ve got to do some more short circuits scratching, the faster I get at short circuits the faster I seem to go up the mountain. So I need to come back and do a bit of that here later in the year. Hat’s off to Pete, he has won three TT’s this week and it just proves I’m competitive to get onto the podium.”


And with the top brass from Kawasaki here, we think it’s the first Senior TT for the marque since 1975…

Dean Harrison: “I think it was Mick Grant that won that… Brilliant yea, to give the Kawasaki superbike a win since 1975, Jesus Christ… 44 years ago, a few years ago, no brilliant to be fair.”


What was your thought when you suddenly saw a board which said P1?

Dean Harrison: “I knew there was something wrong when the lead had halved, obviously he’s having issues here, once I got P1 the lead just went from P1 plus 8s to P1 plus 30s and on the mountain I thought I got to short shift a bit.

“It’s hard to concentrate when that happens, when you’re in a battle with someone and it’s so close, but when something goes wrong with another competitor that you get such a big lead, it’s easy to have a lapse in concentration, so you really have to keep your mind in focus, on what you’re doing and what’s coming up, keeping the bike in the right rev range, as problems can occur around here. So I kept my head down and brought it home.”


IOMTT Superbike Race Start Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison at the Superbike Start

How would you sum up your TT overall, three podiums and a win?

Dean Harrison: “It’s absolutely brilliant, every class is so competitive now, I lost my way a little bit though mid-week, with the weather the way it’s been, I sorta lost a bit of momentum, I started real strong, and then my head went a little bit almost, and then it took a little bit to get me back into it.

“Yesterday with all the races I got back into the swing of things, and it’s great to get a win, where it’s six laps, two pit stops, it’s not a shortened race. The race yesterday, I take my hat off to Gary Thompson for the races we got in yesterday, as it was such a tight schedule and yesterday went absolutely seamless. It’s great to get it done for all the spectators, as the crowd around the track is absolutely massive, it’s great to see so much enthusiasm, with people waving over the fences, and sitting on the hedges.”


IOMTT Supersport Race Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison

Your bike worked flawlessly…

Dean Harrison: “Yea exactly, it’s a testament to the bike and the team to be fair. The bike never missed a beat the whole race. With the new bike, even we’ve got a new bik this year 2019 ZX-10RR and obviously cosmetically it looks very similar to the old bike, but engine wise it’s not, but the characteristics are quite different. And it took me quite a bit of getting used to. In the stock race, I had a few problems in the NW200 and sort of dialed that out for when we got here, and the Superbike is the same thing, it’s just a matter of time.”


You’ve won TT races before, but to win the Senior TT that must be really special?

Dean Harrison: “Everyone says it’s the biggest race of the fortnight, and me and Pete were saying last year that the Superbike and the Senior are very similar, since it’s the same bike, but for some reason the Senior is the blue ribbon race, but it’s great to get my hands on the trophy to be honest, and to go down as one of the names in history. I’m over the moon.”


How are you going to celebrate getting your hands on that grand ole lady?

Dean Harrison: “You don’t want to know!”

IOMTT Senior Dean Harrison Podium Peter Hickman Conor Cummins
2019 Senior TT Results
Dean Harrison
Peter Hickman +53.062
Conor Cummins  +58.879

2019 Senior TT Results

  1. Dean Harrison / Kawasaki
  2. Peter Hickman / BMW +53.062
  3. Conor Cummins / Honda  +58.879
  4. Michael Dunlop / BMW +1m26.709
  5. James Hillier / Kawasaki +2m30.352
  6. Davey Todd / BMW +2m32.920
  7. Michael Rutter / Honda +3m03.571
  8. Jamie Coward / Yamaha +3m13.561
  9. Brian McCormack / BMW +3m49.971
  10. Dominic Herbertson / Kawasaki +4m09.262
  11. Gary Johnson / Kawasaki +4m41.665
  12. Shaun Anderson / BMW +5m58.740
  13. Derek Sheils / Suzuki +6m07.744
  14. Mike Booth / Kawasaki +6m55.370
  15. Michael Sweeney / BMW +7m14.207
  16. Horst Saiger / Yamaha +7m15.358
  17. Mark Parrett / BMW +7m55.596
  18. Joe Akroyd / Kawasaki +8m00.702
  19. David Jackson / BMW +8m03.310
  20. Frank Gallagher / Kawasaki +8m05.124

Source: MCNews.com.au

Peter Hickman talks about TT 2019 and his problems

Peter Hickman Interview

Peter Hickman had a stellar 2019 IoM TT, claiming a Supersport win, Superbike win and just when it looked as though he would complete a trifecta in the Senior TT, mechanical gremlins struck the Smiths BMW and forced him to relinquish his lead to Dean Harrison. Hickman masterfully nursed the bike home to second place and MCNews.com.au was there to hear him reflect on TT 2019 immediately after the Senior race on Friday.

IOMTT Senior Peter Hickman
Peter Hickman

Peter, what could have been…

Peter Hickman: “It is what it is, can’t change it now, what is done is done. We had a really good start to the race, I think we did 134mph something on the first lap and on lap two. Slowly ticked away, bike was working really good, handling really good. Unfortunately after the second pit stop this returning issue that we keep having on the full superbike, it just keeps chucking water out, it doesn’t get hot or anything, but just starts throwing water out at anything over 11,000rpm.

“Once I left the pits and went down Grey Hill it was chucking water out, so I just had to kind of manage it, and basically use half throttle and no more than 11,000 rpm. So that’s two laps, at 50 per cent throttle, that was not very fun I can tell you.”

IOMTT Superstock Peter Hickman
Peter Hickman

That had happened on some of the practice runs didn’t it? So you got all the way through the first four laps of racing, you must have thought it was out of the way…

Peter Hickman: “Honestly, no, we all had this inkling that it was possibly going to happen, we’ve had three different engines, four different radiators, numerous caps, bottles, you name it it’s been changed, three or four times.

“For some reason on the superbike it just keeps doing it. Our hands were tied unfortunately, after the Superstock race, with the chief scrutineer we pleaded with them that he could just come and seal the engine and strip it after the Senior, but pretty much told us bollocks, so big shout out to Dave for ruining my Senior.


IOMTT Senior Harrison Hickman
Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison in Parc Ferme – Senior TT 2019

** Dean Harrison interjects to say ‘I like Dave’ to the sound of much laughter, while Hicky laughingly jokes about a conspiracy **


“It is what it is, rules are rules, but I think sometimes a little bit of common sense needs to come into it, but it is what it is. The team did a fantastic job and did everything they could to make the bike right for us. It managed four laps, just couldn’t quite manage six, we are still on the podium, we’ve had an absolute unbelievable TT, to come away with the hat trick for a start, win on the Supersport bike is something I’ve been trying to get for a while now, we’ve done that, and a podium in the Senior so it’s not all bad.”

IOMTT Supersport TT Peter Hickman
Peter Hickman – Trooper Triumph 675 Supersport – Image Pacemaker Press

And you’ll take away the fastest lap of the meeting, the opening lap in 16m51.495s, 143.28mph.

Peter Hickman: “Yea it’s fast isn’t it, especially for the lack of practice it’s quick. But honestly the new S 1000 RR is just so, so good, it’s only just come out of the box. It’s still a new bike, so to do that with no practice really at all…  yeah next year is going to be good.”


You’ve been strong in every class.

Peter Hickman: “It’s my sixth year now I’m getting used to the place now, and learning there I’m going. Looking forward to coming back next year and having another crack. BSB next weekend so not too much rest, we will concentrate back on the BSB for the rest of the year now and of course the Ulster GP in August.”

IOMTT Lightweight TT Peter Hickman Norton Twin
Peter Hickman on the Norton Lightweight TT bike – Image by Richard Sykes

2019 Senior TT Results

  1. Dean Harrison / Kawasaki
  2. Peter Hickman / BMW +53.062
  3. Conor Cummins / Honda  +58.879
  4. Michael Dunlop / BMW +1m26.709
  5. James Hillier / Kawasaki +2m30.352
  6. Davey Todd / BMW +2m32.920
  7. Michael Rutter / Honda +3m03.571
  8. Jamie Coward / Yamaha +3m13.561
  9. Brian McCormack / BMW +3m49.971
  10. Dominic Herbertson / Kawasaki +4m09.262

Source: MCNews.com.au

Conor Cummins on his Senior TT podium placing

Conor Cummins Interview

Conor Cummins edged out Michael Dunlop for the final position on the podium of the 2019 Senior TT at the Isle of Man, while still working towards that illusive sub-17min lap time over the famous mountain course. Here’s what he had to say following the Senior TT.

IOMTT Qualifying Sunday Conor Cummins
Conor Cummins

Conor, another big bike podium, a double big bike podium in 2018, and again in 2019.

Conor Cummins: “Yea I’m really happy with it, I just want to say a big thanks to Padgetts Racing team, they put great bikes underneath me. I got off to a steady start and just found a decent rhythm and Dean came past me at Sulby or somewhere, and I tagged onto the back of him and found a bit of a rhythm there.

“The bike was faultless, bit of an issue mid-race where I tried to manage it a little bit, but it wasn’t going to effect the result at all. It was just a bit of a handling problem we had, but we’ll get it sorted for next year. Looking forward to TT 2020.”


Mid-race you got into a big battle for position with Michael Dunlop.

Conor Cummins: “I was watching my boards a lot of the time and I managed to edge three-seconds on him, and just managed to build a bit of a cushion and I think I ended up with 20 plus seconds at the end. It’s a mega competitive field at the TT this year, so strong and to get on the podium I’m really happy, and again a big thanks to the Padgetts Racing team for all their efforts.”

IOMTT Race Superbike Cummins
Conor Cummins

That sub-17 minute lap still a target for you?

Conor Cummins: “Yea, yea it is, maybe with a bit more practice I’d probably go sub 17min I think. The fact is I haven’t done it, so we’ll just work on next year and come back stronger.”

IOMTT Senior Podium Harrison Hickman Cummins
2019 Senior TT Results
Dean Harrison / Kawasaki
Peter Hickman / BMW +53.062
Conor Cummins / Honda  +58.879

2019 Senior TT Results

  1. Dean Harrison / Kawasaki
  2. Peter Hickman / BMW +53.062
  3. Conor Cummins / Honda  +58.879
  4. Michael Dunlop / BMW +1m26.709
  5. James Hillier / Kawasaki +2m30.352
  6. Davey Todd / BMW +2m32.920
  7. Michael Rutter / Honda +3m03.571
  8. Jamie Coward / Yamaha +3m13.561
  9. Brian McCormack / BMW +3m49.971
  10. Dominic Herbertson / Kawasaki +4m09.262

Source: MCNews.com.au

Dean Harrison wins Senior TT after Hickman’s BMW falters

Dean Harrison wins

First Senior TT win for Kawasaki since 1975

Metzeler break Dunlop stranglehold

After a disastrous start to TT race week with non-stop weather delays, Thursday had seen the clouds break long enough to run a massive five TT races, completely catching up on the race program with the most races ever run on a single day in TT history.

The following day weather was forecast to close in and turn downright ugly with expected falls of up to 50mm from Friday afternoon. Thus organisers moved the six-lap Senior TT ahead to an earlier 1000 start time, which was then pushed back a little to 1015 as marshalls helped clean small sections of the course. The sky though was the most welcoming seen across the whole TT fortnight which bode well for the coming Senior TT.

Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison proved a step above the competition last year and the pair carried that form into TT 2019. Hickman though did seem to have an edge on Harrison in the lead-up to the Senior and would enter the race as favourite.

David Johnson proved he is ready to pounce should either of that pair make any mistakes today. The South Australian scored his maiden podium yesterday in the Superstock TT, despite a demonstrably clear horsepower deficit. Today, with the extra 25 horsepower of the Superbike spec’ Fireblade beneath him, that gap should be less evident.

Michael Dunlop of course is always in with a strong chance of a win should he find a little more speed today. He added to his TT win tally late on Thursday evening with victory in the Lightweight TT.  The likes of James Hillier and Conor Cummins can also never be discounted. Ian Hutchinson has failed to hit his straps this week but could also mount a last-minute surprise return to form if the planets aligned for the Bingley Bullett

Michael Rutter also showed his speed yesterday with the TT Zero win and new lap record on the Mugen electric bike, I think it is fair to say there is no more experienced road racer on any motorcycle grid in any series, anywhere in the world with as much experience as Rutter.  For the Senior TT he is on the bespoke RC213V-S Honda and while many might suggest he is a long shot, I am one that thinks that shot might actually not be all that long…

The other elder statesman of the roads is of course John McGuinness. His return from injury is being made on the V4 Norton, a machine that has proved good enough to lap over 130mph with Josh Brookes at the controls in 2017. On the grid McGuinness remarked he hadn’t quite found his rhythm on the Norton yet, and that they had been chasing a small electrical problem.

Conor Cummins was to head down Glencrutchery Road first with the other riders waved off at ten-second intervals. After Cummins it was Harrison, McGuiness, Hutchinson and Hillier the first five away. They were followed by Dunlop, Gary Johnson, Michael Rutter, David Johnson and Peter Hickman.

They are away!

Dean Harrison was quick out of the blocks and had pulled more than four-seconds back on Conor Cummins by the first split at Glen Helen. Michael Dunlop was also away well along with Michael Rutter while David Johnson was sixth.

IOMTT Senior Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison

At Ballaugh Bridge for the first time there was nothing between Harrison and Hickman for the lead. There was eight-seconds back to Conor Cummins in third place, the Padgetts Honda being quickly caught by Michael Dunlop though while David Johnson had moved past Rutter to take fifth place.

At Bungalow for the first time Peter Hickman had a one-second lead over Harrison while Conor Cummins was managing to stave off the advances of Michael Dunlop to hold on to third place. David Johnson still fifth, seven-seconds behind Dunlop. John McGuinness stopped at Bungalow with some sort of problem.

134.28mph lap from standing start!

At the end of lap one Dean Harrison registered a 133.99mph lap from a standing start as we waited with baited breath for race leader Peter Hickman to cross the stripe… There he goes, 134.28mph lap from a standing start for Hicky. Cummins still third ahead of Dunlop with David Johnson in fifth after a 130.98mph opening lap.

IOMTT Senior Conor Cummins
Conor Cummins

At Ballaugh Bridge for the second time it was still Hickman in front but now with a gap out to two-seconds. Conor Cummins was looking to have the measure of Michael Dunlop, his advantage out to four-seconds now. David Johnson a further 12-seconds back in fifth.

Peter Hickman registered 192mph through the Sulby speed trap and by Ramsey had extended his lead over Harrison out to 3.4-seconds. Cummins a further 20-seconds back, with 5-seconds on Dunlop and 20-second on Johnson.

Hickman extended his lead out to 6.5-seconds by Bungalow, which was then 6.94-seconds by Cronk ny Mona.

In the pits!

Dean Harrison the first rider into the pits while Peter Hickman arrived eight-seconds later after clocking a 134.281mph despite having to slow for the pit entry. Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman exited pit-lane together on the track but of course there was more than a 30-second gap separating them on the timing monitors, Dunlop appearing to give way to Hickman as they got back up to speed heading down Glencrutchery Road.

Honda Racing men retire

Ian Hutchinson retired after coming into the pits but David Johnson limped to a halt out on the circuit after his Fireblade had started coughing and spluttering earlier in the lap. A terrible blow after the promise Johnson showed yesterday as he raced to a podium finish in the Superstock TT.

At Glen Helen on lap three Hickman’s lead out to ten-seconds over Harrison as Conor Cummins extends his advantage over Michael Dunlop. The demise of David Johnson promoted Michael Rutter up into the top five, but 38-seconds behind fourth placed Dunlop.

On the run to Ballaugh Bridge Harrison clawed back half-a-second on Hickman but Hicky then made that up and more by Ramsey Hairpin to extend his lead back out to 10.494-seconds. Conor Cummins 35-seconds behind the race leader in third place but with 13-seconds over Dunlop.

Hickman pulled another two-seconds over Harrison by Bungalow to extend his lead to 12.198-seconds and by the start-finish line at The Grandstand that lead was 13.486-seconds. Conor Cummins 40.7-seconds behind the leader but with 16-seconds over Dunlop as they commenced lap four.

At Ramsey Hairpin on lap four the gap between Hickman and Harrison was 12.532-seconds after the Kawasaki man put in the faster sector time from Ballaugh Bridge to Ramsey. Conor Cummins 49-seconds behind the race leader but with a now comfortable 18-seconds over Michael Dunlop.

Hickman owns the next sector though, from Ramsey to Bungalow Hicky three-seconds quicker than Harrison to extend his lead out to 15.260-seconds. Hickman has displayed a huge advantage through that sector over Harrison all week and no doubt the Kawasaki man will study the post-race footage on how to narrow that gap at TT 2020.

IOMTT Senior Peter Hickman
Peter Hickman

Second Pit Stop

New rear tyres going in the bikes along with enough fuel to last the final two laps of the TT Mountain Course. When they came into the pits the gap on the timing monitors was 17.683-seconds but Hickman’s team helped him extend that by another 1.6-seconds in the pits.

Through the first split on lap five Hickman’s lead had been dramatically shortened by more than ten-seconds! Unsure if some sort of post pit-stop problem or he got held up somewhere on the circuit or made a mistake, but all of a sudden his lead has been more than halved…

Problems for Hickman…

At Ballaugh Bridge the gap now down to 1.1-seconds… Nothing in it… Hickman had some problems with the BMW Superbike spitting water at high rpm, and those gremlins had surfaced again and looked to possibly rob him the chance of a Senior TT win here today… Because of those problems encountered earlier this week, which had led the team to change engines, radiators, hoses, caps etc. but still yet to cure the problem, Hickman had favoured using the Superstock engine in today’s Senior TT.  Scrutineers however had impounded that engine for post-race technical inspections, that choice was taken away from the Smiths Racing BMW squad. Even requests for the engine to be sealed and then inspected after the Senior were rejected by TT officials, thus Smiths BMW were forced to take the gamble on the Superbike…

Harrison into the lead..

Dean Harrison moved into the race lead at Ramsey Hairpin, the advantage to the Kawasaki man a significant 7.877-seconds and seemingly building at every split. Can Hickman keep it going to the flag or will his problems allow Conor Cummins and Michael Dunlop onto the podium…

By Cronk ny Mona Harrison’s lead was 18.157-seconds and by the start-finish line in front of The Grandstand that was 18.386-seconds. Hickman’s pits had been ready to receive him but Hickman instead blasted past them. Conor Cummins a further 33.208-seconds behind in third place but with 25-seconds over Michael Dunlop.

Last lap!

Peter Hickman was down to using only half-throttle and only 11,000 rpm as he tried to reduce the amount of coolant the BMW ejected. That had allowed Dean Harrison to extend his lead out to 31.471-seconds. Hickman was nine-seconds slower than third-placed Conor Cummins on the Grandstand to Glen Helen sector and the gap between the pair was down to 24.355-seconds.

Harrison’s lead out to 40.454-seconds at Ballaugh Bridge and the BMW six-seconds slower than third placed Conor Cummins through that last split, the gap between second and third place men now down to 17.740-seconds.

At Ramsey the gap between Hickman and Cummins was down to 12.842-seconds, at Bungalow it was then down to 8.923-seconds. Harrison’s lead was more than 50-seconds.

IOMTT Senior Dean Harrison Podium Peter Hickman Conor Cummins
2019 Senior TT Results
1. Dean Harrison
2. Peter Hickman +53.062
3. Conor Cummins  +58.879

Dean Harrison the clear winner ahead of a frustrated but ultimately still great scoring Peter Hickman after he managed to nurse that Smiths BMW home over the final two laps in order to get that second place ahead of Conor Cummins by a slender 5.817-seconds.

IOMTT Senior Post Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison – Senior TT Winner – 2019

Michael Dunlop had a comfortable fourth place and it was Hillier who got the verdict over Todd for fifth, the latter setting a personal best lap of 131.49mph on the sixth lap in just his second year at the TT.

Michael Rutter, Jamie Coward – who recorded his first 130mph lap – Brian McCormack and Dominic Herbertson completed the top ten.

The race results enabled Hickman to regain the Joey Dunlop TT Championship he last won in 2017 with 111 points, 13 ahead of Harrison (98) with Hillier in third (69). Hickman will receive a Bremont watch from the TT’s Official Timing Partner.

After twice previously finishing second, Coward won the TT Privateer’s Championship with the maximum 125 points after being the top privateer in all five of the races. McCormack (61) finished second with Paul Jordan (58) in third.

Kawasaki won the Manufacturer’s Award with Smiths Racing taking the Team Prize for the third year in a row.


2019 Senior TT Results

  1. Dean Harrison
  2. Peter Hickman +53.062
  3. Conor Cummins  +58.879
  4. Michael Dunlop +1m26.709
  5. James Hillier +2m30.352
  6. Davey Todd +2m32.920
  7. Michael Rutter +3m03.571
  8. Jamie Coward +3m13.561
  9. Brian McCormack +3m49.971
  10. Dominic Herbertson +4m09.262
  11. Gary Johnson +4m41.665
  12. Shaun Anderson +5m58.740
  13. Derek Sheils +6m07.744
  14. Mike Booth +6m55.370
  15. Michael Sweeney +7m14.207
  16. Horst Saiger +7m15.358
  17. Mark Parrett +7m55.596
  18. Joe Akroyd +8m00.702
  19. David Jackson +8m03.310
  20. Frank Gallagher +8m05.124
IOMTT Senior Post Dean Harrison
Dean Harrison – Senior TT Winner – 2019
IOMTT Senior Post Dean Harrison
The front of the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki after almost two hours of racing at the Senior TT

Source: MCNews.com.au