Hutchy makes history in drama-packed TT
Victory in the 2010 Senior TT has given Ian Hutchinson the record of becoming the first man in the event's 103-year history to win five races in a week.
The Padgetts Honda star had already secured victory in the Superbike, Superstock and both Supersport races.
All eyes were on the Yorkshireman as the race got under way, but he faced strong competition from the likes of John McGuiness and Keith Amor, both riding for HM Plant Honda, Guy Martin on the Wilson Craig Honda and flying Manxman Conor Cummins on the McAdoo Kawasaki.
The six-lap race was marred on lap three when Martin, who was leading at the end of lap two, crashed heavily at Ballagarey. His bike caught fire and the race had to be red flagged while fire engines attended. Martin was air-lifted to hospital with chest injuries.
The Senior TT was re-started, with a reduced distance of four laps. But the re-run was also hit by a serious accident when Cummins crashed on the second circuit at the Verandah. He was taken to hospital with arm and leg injuries and his condition was described as 'serious but stable'.
In the initial race Hutchinson, McGuinness, Cummins and Martin went head to head over the first two laps, with all four lapping at over 130mph and less than six seconds splitting the quartet after the first pit stop.
When the race re-started at 3pm, Hutchinson stole the early initiative, but it was close and his advantage over McGuinness at Glen Helen was just half a second. Cummins was only a tenth further back in third with Donald in fourth and Michael Dunlop and Ryan Farquhar in fifth and sixth - just three seconds splitting the top six.
By Ramsey Hairpin, Hutchinson had edged 1.14s clear and McGuinness held a similar advantage over Cummins, the gap between those two 1.5 seconds. As the riders flashed across Glencrutchery Road for the first time, Hutchinson led with an opening lap of 131.487mph but it was close with McGuinness only 0.61s adrift, the 15-times winner having clawed back some time over the Mountain. Cummins was still in contention, only two seconds behind in third whilst Keith Amor was now up in to fourth closely followed by Farquhar and Anstey, both of whom had retired from the earlier abandoned race.
Hutchinson eked out a further two seconds on the second run to Glen Helen but no sooner had he passed the timing beam than McGuinness was out, the HM Plant Honda having coasted to a halt just on the exit of the left hander. This promoted Cummins up to second but he found himself 3 seconds behind as they reached Ramsey. Amor, Farquhar and Anstey were all promoted up the order with Ian Lougher now in sixth but there was further drama when Cummins had failed to reach the Bungalow.
Cummins' crash allowed Hutchinson's lead to rocket up to 27 seconds, another 131mph+ lap helping him on his way. Amor was close to his first ever 130mph lap in second with Farquhar, Anstey, Lougher and Michael Rutter now occupying the leading six positions.
After the pit stop, Hutchinson's lead over Amor had increased but the Scotsman was still trying and he reduced the deficit steadily around the third lap although the Bingley man was seemingly in control of everything, still over 21 seconds to the good as they went in to their final lap.
At Glen Helen, the gap had increased to 31 seconds but Amor's hopes of a Superbike podium were dashed when, remarkably, he too coasted to a halt after passing through the timing point, joining team-mate McGuinness on the sidelines. Farquhar and Anstey now found themselves in second and third, both looking to end their week's on a high.
Hutchinson was able to almost cruise round his final lap of TT2010 and he crossed the line standing on the footpegs, adopting a Superman stance for what is truly an amazing feat. Farquhar and Anstey were celebrating too, the former recording his first ever Superbike podium at the TT and the latter ending a difficult week on a positive note.
Lougher completed yet another TT year with a strong set of results, taking fourth in the Senior with Michael Rutter bringing home his Superstock-spec Honda in fifth. Meanwhile, Dan Stewart replicated his sixth place finish of 12 months ago for another top class TT result with Adrian Archibald, Dan Kneen, Davy Morgan and James McBride, the final two the first two privateers past the chequered flag.
David Johnson was the first newcomer to finish, as he had been in the previous four races, the Australian taking an excellent 16th place overall in the race. He also finished as the fastest newcomer overall with his final lap of 123.838mph his fastest of the week.
With five wins from five, Hutchinson was the comfortable winner of the overall TT Championship taking the Joey Dunlop Trophy by a whopping 61 points from Michael Dunlop and Farquhar. Finally, in the race for the Privateers Championship, it was McBride who took the trophy, his second place in today's Senior giving him a total of 80 points, ten ahead of Moore with Morgan in third.
Jenny Tinmouth extended her title as the fastest women around the course with a final lap of 119.945mph.
Noble's Hospital reported that Martin had sustained bruising to both lungs and some minor fractures in his upper spine in his accident at Ballagarey, but was otherwise OK.
He is expected to be in hospital for a few days and thanked his fans from his hospital bed for all their support and reassured them that the incident had nothing to do with a lack of commitment from him!
