Bruce Anstey (born 21 August 1969 in New Zealand) is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is a former lap record holder on the Snaefell Mountain Course with a time of 17 minutes 6.682 seconds, at an average speed of set during the 2014 Superbike TT Race.Anstey's lap record was passed by John McGuinness on 12 June 2015, achieving . Anstey was signed to race for the Padgett's Honda Racing Team having previously ridden for TAS Suzuki Racing, Valmoto Triumph and DTR Yamaha."Bruce Anstey ", northwest200.org, retrieved 2010-08-28"Rider Profile :: Bruce Anstey (NZ)", BBC, 7 April 2010, retrieved 2010-08-28 For thirteen consecutive seasons, from 2002 - 2015, Bruce Anstey secured a top three finish at the North West 200, the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix.
On 10 April 2018, Anstey stated that due to illness he would not compete during the 2018 racing season. He did however ride a parade lap on board a Honda RC213V-S during the 2018 Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling in late August. Anstey announced a return to competitive racing in July 2019 stating he would compete at the Classic TT, and secured a victory in the 250 cc event.
In a BBC Sport interview in September 2021, Anstey stated his intention to resume racing at the 2022 Classic TT.
Racing career Anstey was inspired to take up a career as a motorcycle racer after watching Mike Hailwood's comeback victory at the 1978 Isle of Man TT Races. He made his competitive debut on Boxing Day, 1990, at the Cemetery Circuit, Whanganui in his native New Zealand, competing on a Suzuki RGV250.
Isle of Man TT Yamaha (1996-2002) 1996 Anstey made his Isle of Man TT debut at the 1996 event. Riding a Yamaha he finished in 29th place in the Lightweight TT before retiring in the Senior TT.
1996 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaLightweight 250cc 29th1.27.4.05103.99BronzeSenior TTDNF
1998 Due to illness, Anstey did not participate at the 1997 TT, with his next appearance being at the 1998 races. Again featuring in the Lightweight and Senior races, Anstey took his Yamaha TZ250 to a 26th-place finish in the Lightweight and followed this by taking 20th in the Senior TT, being the third 250cc mounted rider to finish behind Gavin Lee and his fellow New Zealander, Shaun Harris.
1998 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaLightweight 250cc26th55.05.0982.17BronzeSenior TT20th2.00.44.9112.48Bronze
1999 Campaigning in the same classes as the previous year and riding the same Yamaha TZ250, Anstey's form continued to improve in 1999, with him securing his first top-ten finish by claiming seventh in the Lightweight and following this up with 24th in the Senior.
1999 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaLightweight 250cc7th1.19.21.5114.1SilverSenior TT24th1.59.53.5113.29Bronze
2000 The 2000 Isle of Man TT saw Anstey gain his first podium place at the event, finishing second behind Joey Dunlop in the Lightweight TT. The second race of his week saw him again riding the DTR Yamaha TZ250 in the Senior where he took the Denis Trollope machine to the highest place of any 250cc machine in the race, 14th.
2000 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaLightweight 250cc2nd59.39.4113.84SilverSenior TT14th1.58.41.5114.43Silver
2002 The 2001 Isle of Man TT was cancelled as a precaution against the Foot and Mouth Outbreak reaching the Island. Racing resumed in 2002, with Anstey being entered in five races. He retired in the week's curtain raiser, the Formula 1 TT, however his fortunes improved as race week progressed. In the Ultra-Lightweight TT, Anstey took his DTR 125cc Yamaha to tenth place and then followed this with third place in the Production 1000cc class. He then secured his maiden victory at the TT taking the honours in the Lightweight TT on a DTR 250cc Yamaha. Anstey then recorded a second-place finish in his final race of the week, the Production 600cc.
2002 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaFormula 1 TTDNFUltra-lightweight 125cc10th1.30.32.9100SilverProduction 1000cc3rd56.05.2121.08SilverLightweight 250cc1st1.18.31.1115.32SilverProduction 600cc2nd57.36.9117.87Silver
Triumph (2003) 2003 At the 2003 meeting, Anstey competed in four categories. Opening his account with the runner up position in the Production 1000cc race, he followed this up with a victory in the Junior TT aboard the Valmoto Triumph Daytona, giving Triumph its first TT win in 27 years. In the Production 600cc class, Anstey managed an eighth-place finish for Triumph and completed the racing programme with seventh place in the Senior aboard a 1000cc Suzuki.
2003 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaProduction 1000cc2nd55.55.42121.44SilverJunior 600cc1st1.15.13.98120.36SilverProduction 600cc8th38.50.74116.55SilverSenior7th1.14.25.8121.66Silver
Suzuki (2004-2010) 2004 Signed by TAS Suzuki in 2004, Anstey finish on the podium in all the races he entered at the TT. A third place in the opening Formula 1 was followed by victory in the 1000cc Production race. A trio of second-place finishes then followed as Anstey took the runner up spot in the Junior 600cc, the Production 600cc and the Senior TT respectively.
2004 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaFormula 1 TT3rd1.12.58.0124.1SilverProduction 1000cc1st54.53.5123.72SilverJunior 600cc2nd1.15.23.0120.12SilverProduction 600cc2nd57.48.9117.46SilverSenior2nd1.13.38.3122.96Silver
2005 Anstey once again was entered in five races at the 2005 Isle of Man TT, producing mixed results. Problems with his TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike saw him retire in both races in which the machine featured. On the plus side Anstey took victory in the Superstock TT. Following this he took 4th place in the opening Supersport race but retired in the following one. Anstey's week ended with his retirement in Friday's Senior.
2005 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbikeDNFSuperstock1st54.39.74124.242SilverSupersport Race 14th1.15.56.10119.249SilverSupersport Race 2DNFSeniorDNF
2006 In the 2006 TT practices, Anstey achieved the unofficial current top speed record for the Mountain Course of New Isle of Man Top Speed Record (retrieved 12 August 2006) at the end of Sulby straight on a Suzuki 1000cc machine. This speed value was registered by the on-board datalogging equipment and so is not an official record.
2006 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbikeDNFSuperstock1st1:12.56.34124.147 mphSilverSupersport Race 12nd1:14:30.13121.542 mphSilverSenior3rd1:48:08.79125.596 mphSilver
2007 At the Centenary TT of 2007, Anstey failed to finish in the opening Superbike Race, but claimed victory in the Superstock event winning by 40 seconds over John McGuinness.Walker, Jimmy (2007) "Neill hails Anstey as Kiwi breezes to glory", Belfast Telegraph, 6 June 2007, retrieved 2010-08-28 Anstey missed out on a podium place in the Supersport race finishing fourth, which was followed by another retirement in the highlight Senior TT.
2007 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbikeDNFSuperstock1st1:11.56.29125.875 mphSilverSupersport Race4th1:13.38.27122.969 mphSilverSeniorDNF
2008 In 2008, Anstey opened his account by claiming the runner up spot in the Superbike race. This was followed by an initial victory in the opening Supersport only for Anstey to be subsequently stripped of the 1st place. Having defied a heavy cold to win the race, he was disqualified following an inspection of his machine, which found the exhaust cam did not meet regulations. However just two days later on Wednesday 4 June, Anstey won the second Supersport Junior race in which he was involved in a dice on corrected time with Ian Hutchinson. Following over 150 miles of racing, Anstey came home in a time of 1'13:35.71 at an average speed of 123.041 mph. On his second lap he also broke the lap record for the race with an average speed of 125.359 mph. The Senior TT again proved a disappointment for Anstey, with him posting a retirement.
To celebrate his Supersport Junior TT win, Suzuki released a GSXR-600 K8 replica of Anstey's Relentless by TAS Suzuki race bike.
2008 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbike2nd1:48.16.66126.614 mphSilverSupersport Race 1DSQSuperstockDNFSupersport Race 21st1:13.35.71123.041 mphSilverSeniorDNF
2009 In Anstey's campaign at the 2009 Isle of Man TT, he was second in the second Supersport, but retired in the other four races.
2009 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbikeDNFSupersport Race 1DNFSuperstockDNFSupersport Race 22nd1:15.05.81120.580 mphSilverSeniorDNF
2010 In the 2010 meeting, Anstey finished just outside the top-ten in the opening Superbike race. He failed to finish in either the opening Supersport or the Superstock races. An eighth place followed in the second Supersport race and, comparatively, the meeting ended on a positive note with Anstey securing the final place on the rostrum after a hard-fought Senior.
2010 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbike11th1:50.07.67123.337 mphSilverSupersport Race 1DNFSuperstockDNFSupersport Race 28th1:14.12.16122.031 mphSenior3rd1:11.38.08126.408 mphSilver
Honda (2011-present) 2011 Anstey switched teams for the 2011 season. Although he failed to finish in the Superbike TT, he enjoyed a win in the opening Supersport race, followed by a further retirement in the Superstock. A fifth place in the second Supersport was followed by Anstey again taking third in the finale race, the Senior TT.
2011 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbikeDNFSupersport Race 11st54' 40.01124.232 mphSilverSuperstockDNFSupersport Race 25th1:13.43.85122.814 mphSilverSenior3rd1:46.01.50128.109 mphSilver
2012 At the 2012 Isle of Man TT, Anstey took third place in the Superbike race, which was followed by victory in the opening Supersport race. A brace of fourth places followed in the Superstock and second Supersport races.
2012 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbike3rd1:47.00.22126.938 mphSilverSupersport Race 11st1:12.55.92124.160 mphSilverSuperstock4th1:12.05.98126.593 mphSilverSupersport Race 24th1:13.50.38122.633 mphSilverSeniorDNS [Race Cancelled]
2013 At the 2013 races, Anstey secured an eighth place in the opening Superbike race, followed by taking second place on the podium in the first Supersport. A fifth place in the Superstock was followed by another second in the second Supersport race. Anstey rounded off the week's racing with third place in the Senior.
2013 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbike8th1:48.03.974125.690 mphSilverSupersport Race 12nd1:12.30.520124.884 mphSilverSuperstock5th1:11.56.895125.857 mphSilverSupersport Race 22nd1:11.54.404125.930 mphSilverSenior3rd1:45.37.999128.584 mphSilver
2014 Anstey posted a fourth place in the Superbike race, followed by second in the Supersport and third in the Superstock. The 2014 TT also saw Anstey's debut in the TT Zero Class in which he finished in second place to John McGuinness on an identical Mugen Shinden San. Another second place followed in the second of the Supersport events and the week was rounded off with fourth in the Senior.
In the Superbike TT, Anstey set a new outright lap record for the Mountain Course. In addition to his six silver replicas, Anstey was also awarded the John Williams Trophy for the fastest lap in the Superbike TT Race and the Jimmy Simpson Trophy, which is presented to the rider who has achieved the fastest lap of the meeting.
2014 TT results RacePositionTimeSpeedReplicaSuperbike4th1:46.31.687127.504 mphSilverSupersport Race 12nd1:12.44.483124.483 mphSilverSuperstock3rd1:11.54.197125.936 mphSilverTT Zero2nd0:19.40.625115.048 mphSilverSupersport Race 22nd1:12.33.883124.788 mphSilverSenior4th1:46.20.814127.722 mphSilver
2015 Superbike TT On Sunday 7 June 2015, Anstey achieved the highlight of his career, winning the Superbike TT.