Just a few hours after the renewal of his contract with the Tyco Suzuki team for another year, Briton Guy Martin clinched a sensational hat-trick at the 2013 Ulster Grand Prix, historically one of the most important events in the Road Racing.
Martin won both Superbike Races and Race-1 of the Supersport class to become the undisputed hero of the day, while brothers Michael and William Dunlop got themselves one win each.
On the 7.
401 mile Dundrod (approximately 12 km) of the mighty Dundrod Circuit, near Belfast, the 31 year old Lincolnshire rider begun his day winnign Race-1 of the Supersport class ahead of Bruce Anstey of New Zealand (HM Plant Honda by Padgetts) and Brit Lee Johnston (Honda East Coast Racing).
The first race of the Superbike class instead was a close one, with Martin winning it by just 39 thousandths of a second over Michael Dunlop (Honda TT Legends), with the latter’s brother, William (Milwaukee Yamaha), completing the podum in third place and a gap of more than 10 seconds.
In the second Superbike race, a technical problem immediately put Michael Dunlop out of action, thus paving the way for the third win for Martin.
The Suzuki man in fact did not miss out on the chance, winning the race with a 4-second margin on very regular Bruce Anstey and almost 8 seconds on Conor Cummins (Milwaukee Yamaha), who jumped on the last step of the podium.
The Superstock race was won by Michael Dunlop, who took advantage of Martin‘s technical issues – he was force to retire when he was in the lead – to win with a good margin on Gary Johnson (Kawasaki Lincs Lifting Ltd) and – again – Anstey, while Race-2 of the Supersport class saw the triumph of William Dunlop, who got the best of Anstey by just 73 thousandths of a second, and was joined on the podium by teammate Conor Cummins, third once gain 11 seconds behind the winner.
See what the man of the day had to say about his treble right after the jump.
Here’s how Guy Martin commented his three wins at the 2012 Ulster Grand Prix:“I’m over the moon with that today.
What a way to seal the deal for next year with the Tyco Suzuki boys and well deserved for everyone involved.
The Superbike was quick in the Ulster Grand Prix race but just started moving about a little towards the end, so we made a few changes and yeah… it was peachy, just peachy.
The little 600 was flying and we again proved how good a little bike she is and those Metzeler tyres, top job boy, top job.
Great racing and well done to the organisers for getting it off well, and I’m pleased to win the Darran Lindsay Man of the Meeting Award.
Now it’s time for the boat home!”