MICHAEL RUTTER AND TEAM SEGWAY RACING MOTCZYSZ MAKE HISTORY AT THE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES
John McGuinness closely followed Rutter home on the Team Mugen Shinden machine with Michael Rutter’s MotoCzysz teammate Mark Miller taking the final podium slot, with all three breaking the prestigious 100mph mark, which was first achieved by a conventional bike by Scotsman Bob McIntyre in 1957.
After a series of weather delays and revisions to the running order, ten machines lined up for the 2012 SES TT Zero race at the Isle of Man TT Races. Damp patches were reported around the course following the earlier rain but nothing was going to prevent the Midlands man from his history-making lap.
Michael Rutter had the honour of carrying the number one plate and was the first away down Glencrutchery Road and quickly established a lead of over 30 seconds at the first checkpoint at Glen Helen from John McGuinness with Mark Miller a further 3 seconds back in third. Yoshinari Matsushita, representing Japanese outfit Komatti-Mirai Racing was running in fourth place with Rob Barber on the Austrian TGM IOT outfit completing the top five.
With Matsushita dropping out of the race before Ballaugh Bridge, Rob Barber moved up to fourth but at the front of the field Rutter continued to set the pace with an average speed of 118.730mph and a lead of almost a minute from second placed John McGuinness.
Miller was quickest through the speed trap at 132.6mph with John McGuinness at 128.8 and Michael Rutter 126.6, down on the 152mph he set in qualifying but Rutter continued to be on the pace for the ‘ton’ and reached Ramsey Hairpin in 12:53.24 (119.653mph).
The capacity grandstand waited anxiously for news and when Rutter’s time of 20:31.00 (107mph) was reported at Cronk-ny-mona the crowd rose as one in anticipation of witnessing history.
Rutter duly crossed the line in 21:45.33 (104.056mph) and wrote his name and that of MotoCzysz in the TT Races Record books. The final podium received added poignancy with both John McGuinness on the Team Mugen (22:08.85-102.215mph) and Mark Miller (22:23.97-101.065mph) joining Michael Rutter in breaking the 100mph+barrier.
