7 things you need to know about this year’s Classic TT

1. Four of the top six Superbike TT finishers were disqualified
While Michael Dunlop won the blue-riband race aboard his XR69 Suzuki, the four Kawasaki ZXR750s of Dean Harrison who finished second, James Hillier who finished third, Jamie Coward in fifth and Horst Saiger in sixth were disqualified from the official results hours after the race finished. It was in post-race scrutineering when officials found two of the bikes to be using oversized engines before the other two were removed from the process and therefore scratched from the final standings. The controversy was good news for Michael Rutter, who was elevated from fourth to second place and for William Dunlop, who was promoted from seventh up to the last step of the podium to third.

2. Michael Dunlop won both the Junior and Superbike Classic TTs
Thirteen-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop once again proved he’s the man to beat around the Mountain Circuit after being the only bloke to claim a double win at this year’s Classic event. He set a new record of 126.808mph aboard the Steve Whitman Suzuki XR69 on his way to the superbike feature-race win. He was also first over the line in the Junior Classic TT riding the Black Eagle Racing MV Agusta and, in a brilliant display of his dominance, was forced to stop for fuel while second-place getter and TT veteran Michael Rutter completed the race non-stop and still couldn’t manage to catch the 27-year-old.  

3. John McGuinness won his first-ever Classic TT
It’s hard to believe, but the 2016 event saw 23-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness claim his first-ever Classic TT victory. It came in the Senior Classic TT riding his Roger Winfield-prepared Paton and in true McGuinness style he set both a new lap record in the class (113.342mph) as well as a new race record on the way to his historic win. “We’ve been trying hard for the last four years which have been really frustrating but we’ve got it now,” he said following the win. “I’ve had to really learn to ride the bike, keep the momentum. It’s like riding a 250 round here.”

4. Aussie Paul van der Heiden won the Newcomers B race
Australian domestic road racer Paul van der Heiden became the first Aussie to stand on the top step of a TT podium since Cameron Donald’s victory in the 2008 Superstock TT. Riding his Monster 650-powered Ducati, van der Heiden looked set to have to settle for second place, trailing Englishman Jonathan Perry by 16 seconds at the mid-point of the race. However, Perry suffered a blown starter fuse during his pitstop which elevated the Aussie to the top spot and he went on to win, setting a new race record average of 108.574mph in the process.

5. Bruce Anstey won the inaugural Lightweight Classic TT
Forty-seven-year old Kiwi rider Bruce Anstey notched up yet another win around the TT circuit in 2016 by claiming the first-ever Lightweight Classic TT victory. Riding the Padgetts-prepared Honda RS250, he not only claimed the victory but he broke John McGuinness’ 17-year-old 250cc lap record with a 118.74mph flyer during the four-lap race. “I won the last 250cc TT in 2002 and now I’ve won this one, so it’s fantastic,” the likeable Kiwi said after the race.

6. Aussie Alex Pickett had a stunning Classic TT debut
Alexander Pickett made his Classic TT racing debut this year with the same team he made his TT debut with back in 2014. Piloting the 1991 TC Racing ZXR750K in what would become the controversial Superbike Classic TT, Pickett crossed the line in 11th place to finish as top privateer.
The eventual scratching of four Kawasaki-mounted finishers meant Pickett was promoted to seventh place in the revised results behind former Moto3 Grand Prix racer Danny Webb.

7. Aussie Cam Donald scored a class win
In what was a welcomed change from Donald’s recent Isle of Man results, the Victorian rider finished both races he contested during the 2016 classic event. Riding an AJS 7R in the 350cc Junior TT, Donald claimed a class win when he finished fourth overall in the four-lap race. Outgunned by multi-cylinder bikes, Donald was the first British single over the line and became only the second steel-framed AJS to record a 100mph-plus lap of the Mountain Course. Two days earlier in the Classic Senior TT, Donald rode his Moto Gallur 500cc Vincent to 16th place. “It’s ironic that I’ve had to step back to 1960s technology to find some reliability (at the TT),” the Aussie joked afterwards.