TT 2016: Hutchy doubles up with Superstock win

Ian Hutchinson made it a double in a day at the Isle of Man TT with a blistering triumph in the RL360 Quantum Superstock race.

The Tyco BMW rider shattered the lap and race records and joined the exclusive 133mph club, setting a mind-blowing speed of 133.098mph from a standing start.

It was an exceptional performance by the Bingley Bullet, whose job was made easier when chief rival Michael Dunlop retired in pit lane at the end of the opening lap with a reported problem with the gear lever on his MD Racing BMW.

Hutchy completed the four-lap race in a time of 1h 9m 47.543s to shatter the previous mark by more than 17 seconds to seal his fourth win in the Superstock class.

Hutchinson, who had a lead of 7.5 seconds over Dunlop at the Bungalow on the opening lap, was left clear in front from Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki rider James Hillier and had established an advantage of 24 seconds by the time he reached Glen Helen on lap two.

With Hutchy in control, a fierce battle developed behind him for the runner-up spot with Dean Harrison piling the pressure on Hillier.

The Silicone Engineering Kawasaki rider was chasing a second podium finish in a day after taking third in the morning's Supersport race and was only three seconds behind Hillier.

Northern Ireland's Lee Johnston was holding onto to fourth at Glen Helen on the second lap on his East Coast Burdens BMW, but only by half-a-second from Michael Rutter (Bathams SMT BMW) with Gary Johnson on the Penz13.com BMW a further half-a-second back.

Hutchinson fired in a second lap of 132.93mph to increase his cushion to almost 33 seconds over Hillier the riders slowed for the pit stops, with Harrison still in third but now six seconds adrift of Hillier.

At Ramsey on lap three, Hutchinson was now 36 seconds up but Harrison was closing on Hillier again and was now only two-and-a-half seconds back in third, with John McGuinness on the Jackson Racing Honda now into fourth, five second ahead of Johnson. Lee Johnston, who had been in the mix for a top six finish, was reported as a retirement at Sulby on his BMW.

Hutchinson, who had led on the roads from lap two after passing McGuinness, only needed to finish the final lap to secure his 13th TT win but all the action was unfolding behind him as Harrison upped the tempo in his quest to snatch second place.

Hillier was still holding on grimly at Glen Helen, but by the time they reached Ballaugh Bridge it was Harrison who had seized the position and he held on to the finish, crossing the line 27.6 seconds behind Hutchinson.

Harrison's final lap of 131.139mph enabled him to overhaul Hillier, who missed out on second place by 1.9 seconds after a lap of 130.607mph.

Rutter also produced a magnificent last lap on his BMW of 131.118mph to move into fourth, 28.9 seconds behind Hillier, with Lincolnshire rider Johnson taking fifth on the Penz13.com BMW.

Morecambe man McGuinness completed the top six ahead of Conor Cummins on the Valvoline Padgetts Honda, with William Dunlop finishing eighth on the MSS Kawasaki.

Bruce Anstey, who was making his 80th TT start, stopped at the pits at the end of lap one on the Valvoline Padgetts Honda and was out of the race, while there was more misfortune for Peter Hickman, who retired after lap two.

James Cowton came off at the 11th Milestone but the incident wasn't reported as serious.