McGuinness Gets It Started: Updated
Cycle News Staff | June 8, 2009
John McGuinness dominated all six laps of the Superbike TT today, with the HM Plant Honda rider greeted at the finish by MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, the Italian having arrived on today for his first-ever visit to the famous race place.With race action being postponed over the weekend because of rain, McGuinness got things rolling with a new outright lap record and a new race record. His only real challenge came from his teammate Steve Plater, but McGuinness was able to control the pace and took a comfortable 18-second win.Third place went to another Honda, ridden by Guy Martin.The win was McGuinness’ 15th on the Island and he turned in three 130-mph-plus laps en route to the win, including a new outright lap record of 130.442 mph on lap two – even while slowing down to pit.TAS Suzuki’s Bruce Anstey retired at Ballacraine on lap one and after a good showing McAdoo Kawasaki’s Conor Cummins was forced out on the last lap, leaving Honda riders Ian Hutchinson and Gary Johnson to fight it out for fourth, with Hutchinson getting the spot.The 37-year-old McGuinness is now the second on the all-time TT win list behind the late Joey Dunlop.American Mark Miller finished 11th in today’s race – just .05 of a second behind 10th place.
