Ian Hutchinson roars to four-timer with 134mph lap record

Tyco BMW’s Ian Hutchinson dominated the MCE Ulster Grand Prix with a magnificent four-timer, setting a scorching new outright lap record in excess of 134mph on a famous day at Dundrod. 

The Bingley Bullet completed a double in the Superbike class as he again had the edge over Bruce Anstey and Michael Dunlop in race two, saving his best until last with a searing speed of 134.089mph on the final lap. 

Hutchinson’s blazing effort finally surpassed Anstey’s 2010 record as he claimed the man of the meeting award with another hard-earned win. 

The 37-year-old had earlier won the feature Superbike race, plus the Superstock and second Supersport races as he stole the limelight at the last of the big three international road races. 

Anstey, riding the Valvoline Padgetts Honda RC213V-S MotoGP machine, and Hawk BMW rider Dunlop tried all they could to halt Hutchinson’s winning streak, but the English star came out on top to win by 0.8 seconds from Anstey, with Dunlop 1.2 seconds behind in third. Conor Cummins finished fourth on the Honda Racing Fireblade ahead of Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki) and Mar-Train Yamaha’s Dan Kneen. Peter Hickman, who was riding his Superstock Kawasaki after his Superbike developed a problem in the first race, finished seventh for the GBmoto Kawasaki team, while Gary Johnson slotted into eighth on the East Coast/Burdens BMW. 

Hutchinson earlier sealed a hat-trick with a stunning last-gasp pass on long-time race leader William Dunlop in the second Supersport event. 

Dunlop led for most of the way on his IC Racing Yamaha but Hutchinson snatched the lead on the last lap at Quarry Bends, denying the Ballymoney rider a coveted international win by only one tenth of a second. 

Burton-on-Trent rider Hickman came through to pip race one winner Anstey for the last place on the rostrum as he took third on the Trooper Beer Kawasaki. 

Cummins and Harrison were the top six. 

Dan Cooper won a thrilling Supertwins race from Derek Sheils and James Cowton, with Paul Jordan from Magherafelt in fourth. 

The Ultra-Lightweight race was won by Christian Elkin on Bob Wylie’s Moto3 machine from Sam Wilson and Paul Robinson on the Joey’s Bar 125cc Honda bikes, with Gary Dunlop fourth on his Ulster Grand Prix debut. 

Neil Kernohan won the Lightweight race on his 250cc Honda convincingly from Davy Morgan and Darryl Tweed.