Hutchinson takes Supersport TT win

From the Isle of Man TT

Ian Hutchinson made it two from two at the 2010 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy when he won a record-breaking and thrilling first Monster Energy Supersport race on Monday morning, taking the victory by just 3.03 secs. The Padgetts Honda rider overhauled Guy Martin to take his fifth TT victory with the Wilson Craig Honda rider again having to settle for second while Michael Dunlop came through after a sluggish opening lap to take third.

With conditions perfect all around the Mountain Course, it was Martin who stole the early advantage at Glen Helen on the opening lap, leading Hutchinson by 1.7 secs. with Manxman Daniel Kneen putting in a stunning ride in third, another 1.6 secs. back. Positions were close behind with John McGuinness, William Dunlop, Ryan Farquhar, Conor Cummins and Bruce Anstey occupying positions fourth through eighth and separated by just 1.6 secs. Michael Dunlop, meanwhile, was back in ninth.

By Ramsey, Martin had eked out another 10th of a second but Hutchinson was stronger over the Mountain and with an opening lap of 125.536mph, he led the Lincolnshire rider by just eight tenths of a second. Kneen was still holding on to third with Michael Dunlop getting in to his stride and up to fourth. Brother William was also having a strong ride in fifth with Cummins moving up to sixth on the McAdoo Kawasaki.

Martin showed his prowess on the first nine miles again though and he turned his deficit in to a 0.33-sec. advantage second time around, Kneen still in third but now only 0.5 secs. ahead of a charging Dunlop. The field behind was still extremely bunched up with just fractions of a second splitting William Dunlop, Amor, Cummins and McGuinness.

Just like the opening lap, Hutchinson proved to be quicker for the remainder of the lap though and having got back in to the lead at Ramsey Hairpin by over 2 seconds, a second lap of 126.207mph now gave him a 3.39-sec. lead as they came in to refuel. Michael Dunlop had also lapped in excess of 126mph to seize third from Kneen with William Dunlop and McGuinness now holding on to fifth and sixth.

After the riders left the pits after their solitary fuel stop, Hutchinson had pulled further ahead to lead by four seconds, while Michael Dunlop was closing in on Martin, now only six seconds adrift. Martin again charged through the high speed run to Ballacraine and the twists and turns of the Glen Helen section to lie just 0.28 secs. behind his fellow Honda rider Hutchinson while Amor was also inching his way up the leaderboard, the Scots ace now moving up to fifth at the expense of William Dunlop.

Hutchinson was almost five seconds to the good as the riders went on to their final 37 and ¾ miles but Martin was putting in a determined final lap and continued to reel Hutchinson back as they tore round the Mountain Course. The gap kept coming down at each timing point and when Hutchinson flashed across the line after a lap of 126.362mph, the stopwatch began. Martin broke the old lap record with a speed of 126.555mph but it wasn't enough and Hutchinson took his second win of the week by 3.03 secs.

Michael Dunlop was also inside the old lap record but hugely disappointed with his third place while it was Amor who claimed the lap record with a stunning final lap of 126.909mph. This was enough to push Kneen back to fifth but it was still an excellent ride by the 22-year old.

William Dunlop, John McGuinness, Conor Cummins, Ryan Farquhar and Cameron Donald completed the top 10.