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Phenomenal Peter Hickman pulls off one of road racing's greatest ever feats at Ulster
![[Image: Hicky7Wins.jpg]](http://www.ttwebsite.com/gifs/2019/UGP/Hicky7Wins.jpg)
Peter Hickman toasts his fifth win in a day on Saturday and his seventh of the 2019 Ulster Grand Prix
following victory in the second Superbike race over runner-up Dean Harrison (left) and Conor Cummins.
Phenomenal Peter Hickman pulls off one of road racing's greatest ever feats at Ulster Grand Prix
Phenomenal Peter Hickman produced one of the greatest road racing feats in history as he won all five races at Saturday’s fonaCAB Ulster Grand Prix.
The 32-year-old equalled Ulsterman Phillip McCallen’s 1996 five-timer record, but Hickman established a new benchmark for an international meeting by winning a magnificent seven races out of seven at Dundrod following his Superbike and Supersport double on last Thursday’s card.
He also reinstated the historic 7.4-mile course as the fastest road race in the world after blitzing the outright lap record, recording the first ever 136mph lap on his Smiths Racing BMW in Thursday’s Superbike race.
The always-smiling Burton-on-Trent man raised the bar to a staggering average of 136.415mph and carried his sensational form into Saturday’s headline bill, when he proved equally as formidable in a mixture of wet and dry conditions at Dundrod.
His unprecedented Ulster Grand Prix monopoly included two Superbike and Supersport hat-tricks and an utterly dominant Superstock success.
Hickman is now the fourth most successful rider ever at the event with 13 wins – tied with Bruce Anstey –which is an incredible statistic given he only made his Dundrod debut in 2014.
Irish road racing legend McCallen’s five-in-a-day record had stood for 23 years but Hickman’s final win on Saturday in the second Superbike race put him level with ‘Supermac’, who was at Dundrod to witness history being made.
Held in largely dry conditions, the British Superbike contender set the fastest lap of the day at 134.504mph as he beat closest rival Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki) by almost seven seconds, with perennial rostrum finisher Conor Cummins a long way back in third on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda.
It was the perfect end to a very special day at the famous old road race and after celebrating with a spectacular burn-out, Hickman reflected on his Ulster Grand Prix heroics.
“Although I try to win every race, to have actually achieved that and end the week with seven wins from seven starts is something I never really thought I’d do,” he said.
“I’m over the moon and we’ve created history today, which is testament to the whole Smiths Racing team and the awesome bikes they have built for me.
“I just tried to get to the front as soon as I could and once I did I was able to ride my own race and pick my own lines. It’s absolutely mega and what a week it’s been.”
Hickman was also untouchable as he romped home in the earlier feature Superbike race on damp roads, taking the chequered flag by three seconds from Harrison with Cummins again sealing the last podium spot.
Senior TT winner Harrison was unable to land a blow and the Bradford man admitted it was simply Hickman’s day.
“Pete’s been riding brilliant and you can’t take it away from him,” he said.
“He’s come from being on the podium in BSB at Thruxton, which is one of the most competitive championships in the world. I’m feeling pretty good myself and I’m happy with another podium.”
Lee Johnston finished fourth on the Ashcourt Racing BMW but missed the second Superbike race due to the five-race rule, with the Fermanagh man competing in the Supertwin race instead.
Tyco BMW’s Michael Dunlop was a non-starter in either Superbike race. The injured Ulsterman only rode in the Superstock race at the beginning of the day, finishing eighth after starting from the second group.
The main Superbike event was brought forward after a red-flag incident in the Lightweight-Ultra-Lightweight race, when Sarah Boyes crashed at Rock Bends. Fortunately she escaped serious injury. The race was not re-run due to time constraints after wet weather and mist in the morning led to a delay of around two-and-a-half hours.
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Kyle White
(This post was last modified: 12-08-2019, 12:22 PM by Malcolm.)
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12-08-2019, 12:21 PM |
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