Isle of Man TT 2023: Dunlop nears all-time win record with second Supersport victory

Dunlop has been rewriting the record books in 2023 having moved into second spot on the all-time winners list on Tuesday with a victory in the Supertwin class.

Victorious in the first Supersport race, Dunlop beat Hickman by 9.6s in Wednesday’s outing and posted the first ever 130mph lap for the class.

Dunlop is now just one win away from matching the all-time record tally of 26 set by his legendary late uncle Joey Dunlop.

The MD Racing rider took the early lead on corrected time through Glen Helen on lap one by 0.113s from Dean Harrison on the Russell Racing Yamaha.

Harrison slid 2.6s adrift through Ballaugh as Dunlop extended his advantage to 6.6s on his MD Racing Yamaha at the completion of the first lap.

As the second lap unfolded, Harrison started to come under threat from Peter Hickman on his Trooper Triumph.

Just 1.4s clear at Ballaugh on lap two, Hickman went 1.4s clear into Ramsey as Dunlop’s lead grew to 11.6s as he came in for his pitstop at the end of the tour.

Peter Hickman, Supersport

Photo by: ttracesofficial/Pacemaker Press

Dunlop’s lead after the pitstop phase was 11.8s over Hickman as Harrison slid 11.4s behind Hickman, the Russell Racing rider taking on a fresh rear tyre.

But Harrison continued to bleed time to Hickman as Dunlop’s lead shrank over the third lap.

Starting the final lap, Dunlop was just 7.7s clear of Hickman at Glen Helen. But at Ballaugh, Hickman was 8.2s down on Dunlop and 9.4s adrift at Ramsey.

As Dunlop put himself eight seconds inside the Supersport lap record, Hickman could do nothing to reel him in across the rest of the final lap.

Dunlop clocked 130.403mph to beat Hickman by 9.617s, who also posted a 130mph lap at 130.219mph.

Harrison settled for third after building an 11.8s gap to the Padgetts Honda’s Davey Todd, while Jamie Coward completed the top five on his KTS Racing Yamaha.

Manxman Conor Cummins pulled out of Wednesday’s racing having been laid low for much of the last week with illness.

Picture credit @ttracesofficial/Pacemaker Press