Friday ninth June 2023: In what was an extremely shut battle for seventh place all through the RL360 Superstock TT Race 2, John McGuinness MBE completed simply 1.094 seconds behind James Hillier to document but another top-ten end in eighth place. In doing so, he provides another silver duplicate trophy to his huge trophy cupboard.
John McGuinness MBE: Race weekend
Near-perfect circumstances, albeit with stronger winds than in earlier races this yr, offered the backdrop for but another sensational Isle of Man TT race. John set off as soon as extra from quantity three on the street and immediately put his head down and set about chasing down the riders in entrance of him. Heading into the race his quickest Superstock lap this yr was 128.952 mph, set throughout the first Superstock race earlier within the week. John’s opening lap from a standing begin, as he dived into the pits for the one and solely obligatory cease of the race, was a brand new private finest of the assembly at 17:27.994 with a mean pace of 129.608 mph.
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As has been the case all through this yr’s races, the Honda Racing staff as soon as extra produced a flawless pit cease and gained invaluable time on their opponents. As John flew by the timing beam at Glen Helen on his second lap, he was simply 1.2 seconds behind two-time BSB champion Josh Brookes in sixth and 0.4 seconds forward of James Hillier in eighth. The battle for sixth was heating up.
Over the course of lap two, the hole between the three riders flying across the Snaefell Mountain Course would stay extraordinarily tight. John would finish the lap in seventh as he screamed previous the grandstand simply 3.7 seconds behind Brookes and a pair of.4 seconds forward of his sparring associate Hillier. At this stage of the race 4 Honda Fireblades occupied positions throughout the top ten and Michael Dunlop, aboard his MD Racing Fireblade had flown by the pace lure at 197.260 mph, a top pace that might not be topped by the tip of the race.
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Lap three underway, the one flying lap of the race, and John’s lead over Hillier started to cut back as he raced across the 37.7-mile course. Come the tip of the race and managing a slipping clutch, John would end simply over a second behind Hillier to chalk up an eighth-place end and but another end in what’s already a exceptional profession. His last cross of the grandstand additionally resulted in a brand new finest Superstock lap of the assembly, averaging 129.879 mph.
Not solely did he set the best pace by the Sulby pace lure, however Michael Dunlop would end the race in second place, the best Honda finisher. There have been additionally celebrations within the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles camp as Conor Cummins, getting back from sickness, would end in a formidable fourth place aboard his Superstock Fireblade.
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The Honda Racing staff and John McGuinness now flip their consideration to the distinguished six-lap Senior TT scheduled for Saturday tenth at 12.15.
In the Team’s phrases
“I’m still feeling pretty fresh, happy days, these 3 lappers are a little bit easier! It’s weird to stop on the first lap because for years and years you always stop on the second, so I kept telling myself ‘pit, pit, pit and don’t go past!’”
“It was a faster pace for me than the first race, and we are improving you know. The two leaders passed me a little later in the race this time, so you know we are going quicker! I had a little bit of clutch slip at Greabe Bridge, which is only half a dozen miles into it, So straight away without damaging the clutch I wound some free play into the lever and brought the bike home.”
“I saw that P7 was on the cards and we were in a battle with Hillier and he just pipped me, he’s a good pedaller and it is what it is. For eighth, we get a silver trophy for the cabinet, I’m more than happy and I did my best lap so far.”
“It was also a mint pitstop, cannot knock the boys for that pitstop it was mint! One more to go, six laps to go and then we can go and celebrate!”
#3 John McGuinness MBE
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International Road Racing 2023: Isle of Man TT, RL360 Superstock TT Race 2
Published by Honda Racing on Newspress
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