Hegarty, Hutchinson and Holden/Winkle top Championship results
Although Ian Hutchinson clinched the overall TT Championship at the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy by mid-week, the other two titles – for Privateers and Sidecars – were decided on the final day.
Hutchinson’s strong performance in the first three races, which saw him finish runner-up in the opening RST Superbike Race before winning the RL360 Quantum Superstock and first Monster Energy Supersport Races, meant that he only needed to finish 10th in the second Supersport Race to take the title. However, a win saw him duly crowned ahead of Friday’s PokerStars Senior TT.
Dean Harrison’s consistent performances over the week, including three podiums, saw him finish runner up overall with Michael Dunlop’s Superbike and Senior TT race wins putting him in third.
In the sidecar’s John Holden/Andrew Winkle’s win and runner up place in the first and second Sure Sidecar Races gave them a clear win by 20 points from the Birchalls in the Sidecar Championship.
Dan Hegarty clinched the Privateers Championship with his excellent 11th place finish in the PokerStars Senior TT, following his 11th and 13th placed finishes in the RL360 Quantum Superstock and RST Superbike Races respectively, as well as breaking the 128mph lap mark around the mountain course for the first time.
He went into the final race six points behind Jamie Coward and knew he had to finish in front of the Yorkshire man. However, Coward was forced to retire from the Senior race and Hegarty duly clinched the Privateer’s title.
Alongside his senior TT exploits, multiple momentous moments from a top draw two weeks of TT Races action for Dan, included another 11th place finish in the Royal London 360 Quantum Superstock race and highly creditable 13th position in the RST Superbike encounter.
Championship Results
Photo credit: Dan Hegarty at Creg-ny-baa during the RL360º Quantum Superstock TT Race. Dave Kneen / manxphotosonline.com