2019 Monster Energy Supersport TT 2 Results
Due to a five-race shedule that was needed because of Wednesday’s 2019 Isle of Man TT race cancelations (weather), Thursday’s Monster Energy Supersport 2 TT was shortened from four to just two laps.
This meant riders had to get on it quickly, and Peter Hickman wasted no time. He quickly got up to speed aboard his K2 Trooper Beer Triumph by Smith’s Racing to claim his fourth TT victory.
Hickman, who holds the outright record lap at the 37.73-mile Mountain Course of 135.452, also won this year’s opening RST Superbike TT aboard a BMW S 1000 RR.
When the race was complete, Hickman claimed the win by 3.302 seconds ahead of Silicone Kawasaki Racing ZX-6R Ninja pilot Dean Harrison. Claiming third was James Hillier, who finished ahead of Conor Cummins and Jamie Coward, respectively.
As for the man who won Tuesday’s Supersport 1 race, Lee Johnston finished ninth aboard his Ashcourt Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Following is from the official IOM TT report:
Conor Cummins on the number one plate Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda CBR600RR got the Monster Energy Supersport TT Race 2 underway at 12:55 on Thursday.
The delayed race was the first on Thursday’s packed and unprecedented five race schedule.
To fit in the action the Supersport race was truncated to just two laps, meaning riders had to have the hammer down right from the drop of the flag – although the 600cc races are always so close there’s never much time for riders to settle into the racing frame of mind.
Peter Hickman showed he was on the ball, jumping to the top of the leaderboard at the first timing point, Glen Helen, on lap one. His lead was a miniscule 0.061 seconds from James Hillier, who in turn had only 0.354 seconds advantage on Dean Harrison.
Gary Johnson also got a good start from seventh on the grid he was into fourth, 0.8 seconds down on Dean.
At Ballaugh Bridge it was all change as Dean Harrison took the lead and Hillier got ahead of Hickman on time to relegate him into third. With only tiny margins between the top three, the top six on the leaderboard were covered by just five seconds meaning the race was all to play for.
Hickman had the lead once more by Ramsey, by 0.038 seconds from Dean Harrison, Hillier was down to third, 1.660 seconds behind Harrison and Conor Cummins had clawed himself back up into fourth, ahead of Gary Johnson.
As the pack started the climb from Ramsey towards the Bungalow, Hickman’s skill on the Mountain showed once more as he pulled out his cushion over Harrison to 1.791 seconds, the longest advantage so far in the race.
The lead was out to 2.304 for Hickman at the grandstand, Harrison remaining second and Hillier was 0.961 seconds back on Dean. Jamie Coward was up to fifth trailing Cummins by 5.405 seconds and Gary Johnson was down to sixth place.
At Glen Helen on the second and final lap, Dean Harrison had eroded Hickman’s lead and in fact edged out in front of him on time by half a second, setting the stage for an epic and frenetic last lap through the remaining five sectors.
Hickman showed his determination with a fast run to Ballaugh, again overhauling Harrison to take the lead by just 0.323 seconds.
Through Ramsey for the final time in the race Hickman’s lead had grown fractionally to just 0.363 seconds, with Harrison 4.791 seconds back on Harrison as the triple H bomb headed for the grandstand and another podium ceremony.
Jamie Coward continued his good showing in fifth place as he closed to just 4.371 seconds down on local man Conor Cummins who continued to circulate in fourth.
Once more Peter Hickman’s acknowledged supremacy on the Mountain showed to the good as he brought the K2 Trooper Beer Triumph by Smith’s Racing to his fourth TT victory, extending the lead to 3.302 seconds over Harrison. James Hillier was a very strong third and Conor Cummins held on to fourth. Jamie Coward completed the top five.
In the winners’ enclosure Peter told Manx Radio TT’s Chris Kinley that he was especially pleased to take the win as he’d had such strong support from the team over the past few years and even input from the Triumph race shop. It was only his fifth and sixth laps on the bike at TT 2019.
Photos by Wayne Freestone
