Bruce Anstey - Photo Credit: Pacemaker
Bruce Anstey pipped Cameron Donald in the second closest finish in TT history to win the first Monster Energy Supersport race of the week. Along with Gary Johnson, the three riders were neck and neck throughout but the New Zealander edged it by three quarters of a second.
| 2012 Isle of Man TT | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monster Energy Supersport 1 | ||
| 1 |  Bruce Anstey |
1:12:55.92 |
| 2 |  Cameron Donald |
+0.77 |
| 3 |  William Dunlop |
+21.88 |
| 4 | John McGuinness |
+30.24 |
| 5 | James Hillier |
+2:29.94 |
| 6 | Ian Lougher |
+2:40.14 |
| TT Championship Standings | ||
| 1 | Bruce Anstey |
41 Pts |
| 2 | Cameron Donald |
40 Pts |
| 3 | John McGuinness |
38 Pts |
After dominating qualifying week, the Dunlop brothers were quickest out of the blocks and Michael opened up a ten second lead at the end of lap one before doubling it at half distance. Disaster struck on the third lap though when the Yamaha rider stopped at Glen Helen, handing the lead to Johnson after quick pit work from the Lincs Lifting Honda crew moved him ahead of Donald by 3.5s. Anstey was close behind in third with William Dunlop also in contention in fourth.
Less than a second covered the top three at Ramsey but the race began to swing Anstey's way at the Bungalow as Johnson slowed, apparently out of fuel. Cameron Donald was the first man over the finish line but Anstey pipped him on corrected timing, winning the race by 0.77s. William Dunlop's challenge faded on the last lap but Johnson's misfortune promoted him to third while the former leader had to push his bike home, falling all the way down to 28th.
John McGuinness was fourth ahead of James Hillier in a career-best fifth while Ian Lougher beat Roy Richardson by a hundredth of a second for sixth. The Barnes Racing rider was the first privateer to the finish though, one place ahead of Dan Stewart who holds an eight point lead in the privateer standings.
