Michael Dunlop secures Joey Dunlop ‘TT Championship’ Trophy ahead of final race
MIchael Dunlop will be awarded the Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy thanks to his four incredible wins so far at the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy. With wins in the Dainese Superbike, both Monster Energy Supersport races and the Royal London 360 Superstock race, the 24 year old Dunlop has an unassailable lead in the 2013 TT Championshiop. The Ballymoney man has achieved all this before the blue riband race, the PokerStars Senior TT, which is due to take place on Friday 7th June.
The Joey Dunlop Trophy is awarded to the overall champion, based on a World Championship points system, across the Solo classes, excluding the SES TT Zero and Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight races. Having already accumulated the maximum possible 100 points after only four of the five races, Michael Dunlop will receive the trophy and £10,000 prize money. However, second and third positions are still to be decided and with a wide range of other riders sharing the podium with Dunlop, a number of the leading riders are still in the running to finish runner-up.
John McGuinness tops the chasing pack with a total of 61 points after achieving his 40th podium position in Wednesday’s Monster Energy Supersport Race 2. His grand total of podiums equals that of the TT wins record-holder and McGuinness’ hero, Joey Dunlop. Bruce Anstey is only 2 points behind the Morecambe rider in the Championship points with 59 points after top ten finishes in all four races to date including two podiums. William Dunlop, James Hillier, Cameron Donald and Dean Harrison also still have a mathematical chance of finishing second.
The Privateers Championship on the other hand is still very much up for grabs. Steve Mercer is the current leader with 50 points but is closely followed in the table by Lee Johnston with 49 points and Dan Kneen and Ben Wylie, who are both on 44 points. Dan Cooper, Robert Wilson, Rob Barber and Davy Morgan all still have a chance of finishing top in the battle to be top privateer.
