TT 2016: Hutchy equals Hailwood with terrific treble

Ian Hutchinson equalled Mike Hailwood's tally of 14 Isle of Man TT victories with another dominant display in Wednesday's delayed Monster Energy Supersport Race 2.

The Bingley Bullet led form start to finish on the Team Traction Control Yamaha to clinch a double in the class and a hat-trick for the week.

It was Hutchinson's fourth consecutive success on the Yamaha R6 after his brace in 2015 and the 36-year-old has now won eight Supersport races in all to make him the most successful 600cc rider ever at the TT.

Ulsterman Michael Dunlop briefly threatened his arch-rival on his Street Sweep Yamaha on the opening lap as only 0.1 seconds separated the pair at Ballaugh, but Hutchinson began to stretch further away and held an advantage of four seconds at the end of the lap after a standing start speed of 127.45mph.

It was all relatively straightforward for Hutchy, who set the fastest lap of the race on his second lap of 127.736mph to extend his lead over Dunlop to 7.1 seconds.

Dean Harrison, having an excellent week on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki machines, was running in third, 14 seconds behind Dunlop, with Bruce Anstey (Valvoline Padgett's Honda) and team-mate Conor Cummins followed by James Hillier (Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki) in sixth.

Hutchinson's lead was now up to 11 seconds following his pit stop as he gained around four seconds on Dunlop and all the momentum was with the TT's man of the moment.

There was no major drama over the final two laps as Hutchinson put more daylight between himself and Dunlop, while the impressive Harrison consolidated third place. However, Morecambe rider McGuinness was reported as a retirement at Braddan Bridge on lap three, bringing his 90th TT race to a disappointing end.

A lap of 121.78mph saw Hutchinson go 17.8 seconds clear of Dunlop at the end of lap three, who in turn had 9.4 seconds in hand over Harrison.

The top three held station on their final lap a Hutchy sealed an emphatic win by 17.5 seconds over Dunlop, with Harrison a further 16.6 seconds in arrears.

Hillier, sixth at Ramsey on lap three, was on a charge and put in a hot final lap of 126.968mph to claim fourth place by only 1.3 seconds from Anstey as he finished 13.5 seconds behind Dunlop.

Kiwi Anstey was only 0.6 seconds ahead of Northern Ireland's Lee Johnston, who also lapped at 126mph on his final lap on the East Coast/Burdens Triumph to overhaul Cummins, who came home in seventh place, 3.7 seconds back on the Ulster rider.

Peter Hickman (Trooper Beer Kawasaki), Gary Johnson on the T3 Racing Triumph and Michael Rutter (Bathams SMT Kawasaki) were the top ten.

William Dunlop was a non-starter on the IC Racing Yamaha, sitting out the race due to a back injury he sustained in a crash during practice at Sarah's Cottage. Dunlop intends to rest up before contesting Friday's Senior TT on his Yamaha R1.

An incident was reported involving Joseph Newbould, who came off at Douglas Road corner in Kirk Michael, and was airlifted to Nobles Hospital with ankle and wrist injuries.