with RL360 SUPERSTOCK TT Race victory
Peter Hickman claimed his second win of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, on Monday evening with another start to finish victory, this time in the RL360 Superstock Race.
The Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing BMW rider put in another imperious performance around the Mountain Course to take his seventh TT victory. The Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles duo of Conor Cummins and Davey Todd took second and third with Manxman Cummins setting a new personal best of 133.116mph, the fastest lap of the race.
Pushed back to a 6.35pm start and cut to three laps, with a mandatory pit stop to be taken after the first lap, it was Hickman who led through Glen Helen but it was close with Todd only 0.4 seconds adrift. Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) was a further second back with Michael Dunlop (MD Racing) another second arrears in fourth followed by Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing) and Cummins as 3.7 seconds covered the top six.
By Ballaugh, Hickman’s lead had jumped up to 3.6 seconds whilst Harrison, on Metzeler tyres again after switching from Dunlop for the earlier Supersport race, was now 1.7 seconds behind Todd with Dunlop, Johnston and Cummins continuing to occupy fourth to sixth.
Hickman was really piling on the coals at the head of the field and more than doubled his lead at Ramsey to 7.6 seconds and although Todd and Harrison were continuing to circulate in second and third, there was a shuffle further back with Cummins now up to fourth ahead of Dunlop and Johnston.
Coming into the pits for fuel at the end of the lap, Hickman’s opening lap speed was a superb 132.217mph and that enabled him to stretch his lead out to an ominous looking 12.7 seconds. Todd’s lap of 130.592mph kept him in second and it was now fellow team-mate Cummins in third, 3 seconds behind, with Johnston fourth just 0.099 seconds adrift in fourth. Harrison and Dunlop slipped back to fifth and sixth.
After the pit stops and at Glen Helen second time around, Hickman’s lead had been reduced to 9.5 seconds and Harrison was back up to third with Cummins, Johnston and Dunlop now the running order further back. Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan) was in seventh followed by Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW Motorrad), Dominic Herbertson (Rich Energy) and John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK).
As the lap unfolded, Hickman began to edge away again and as he started his third lap, he’d stretched his lead to 15.9 seconds. Todd had also edged away from the rider in third place but it was now Cummins, the local rider having again overhauled Harrison. Johnston and Dunlop remained in fifth and sixth with the former now 1.6 seconds clear of his fellow countryman.
Harrison, leading on the road, was the first through Glen Helen on lap three but Johnston didn’t get there with his strong ride ending in retirement a few miles back at Glen Vine. Meanwhile, Hickman was looking good up front with a 16.5s lead but the same couldn’t be said for Todd who now had Cummins less than a second behind him. Harrison was still fourth with Dunlop and Coward promoted up the order after Johnston’s demise.
Todd’s hold on second came to an end at Ballaugh with Cummins having a great run from Glen Helen to move 2.6 seconds clear and although the Ramsey Rocket cut Hickman’s lead to 11.4s at Ramsey Hairpin, the leader had to negotiate his way by Todd, Hutchinson and McGuinness on the run from Ballaugh to Ramsey.
Hickman wasn’t going to be denied another win though and a final lap of 132.274mph gave him victory over Cummins by 12.7 seconds. But a final lap of 133.116mph was a new personal best for the latter and his first ever over the 133mph mark.
Todd claimed his first podium in third with Dunlop, Harrison and Coward following him home, Coward taking his third consecutive sixth place finish of the 2022 TT. Hutchinson, Herbertson, McGuinness and Phil Crowe completed the top ten.
