Isle of Man TT legend Graeme Crosby will return to the island later this year as one of the special guests at the 2016 Classic TT presented by Bennetts.

The New Zealander will be riding his original factory XR69 1000cc Suzuki now owned by Team Classic Suzuki, which took him to so much success in the early 1980s both on the roads and the short circuits.

Croz, as he’s affectionately known, will also be meeting the fans and taking an active part in the Festival of Jurby, which takes place on Sunday August 28th, between the two race days, as well as taking to the Mountain Course again for Monday’s Classic Racer Magazine Lap of Honour.

Crosby made his debut at the Isle of Man TT Races in 1979 where he made an immediate impact, taking a brilliant fourth on the Moriwaki Kawasaki in the Formula One race. A strong season in the UK saw him snapped up by the works Heron Suzuki for the following two seasons where he enjoyed some of his greatest success.

Riding the iconic XR69 Suzuki, Crosby won both the 1980 and 1981 World Formula One Championships and took the bike to victory in the 1981 Formula One and Classic TT races, the latter seeing him lap just eight tenths of a second outside the outright lap record. He also rode an RG500 Suzuki to victory in the 1980 Senior TT giving him a career total of three TT wins.

Crosby’s short TT career only lasted three years - from 1979 to 1981 - but in that time he took three wins, a second and a fourth from his seven races. Indeed, had he competed more on the Mountain Course, it’s fair to say he would have won numerous more races as he battled with the likes of Joey Dunlop, Ron Haslam, Mick Grant and Charlie Williams.

In 1982, Crosby joined Marlboro Yamaha, managed by ten-time TT winner Giacomo Agostini, as he concentrated on his GP career and he ended the year in second overall. However, disillusioned by the politics within the sport, he quit at the end of the year at the age of just 27, although he continued to have occasional outings over the next few years including the Transatlantic Trophy and Suzuka 8-Hours.

Although a GP win ultimately eluded him, Crosby had a highly successful career and, in addition to his Isle of Man TT race wins, he had the unique honour of also winning the prestigious Daytona 200 and Imola 200 races as well as the Suzuka 8-Hours. He also gave Heron Suzuki British Championship success in the 500cc and Formula One categories.

Speaking about the Classic TT, Graeme commented:

“I’ve only missed one Classic TT since it was introduced and it is one of my favourite events of the year. I really enjoy the Classic racing scene and am actively involved in supporting riders by building classic race bikes. I’m looking forward to catching up with all the fans on the Isle of Man once more as well as getting a run out on the XR69 with Team Classic Suzuki.”

Classic TT Grandstand tickets are available for Friday’s final qualifying session priced at £5. All prior qualifying sessions are free for the main Grandstand. There are also race day tickets available for both Classic TT race days on Saturday 27th and Monday 29th as well as VIP and Platinum hospitality tickets. To purchase tickets go to iomtt.com or phone Duke Marketing on (00 44) 1624 640011.

Real Bike Sheds getting ready for Festival     

Motorcycle designers, fabricators, engineers and assemblers are getting their masterpieces all sorted for the 2016 Festival of Bikes. In garages, sheds and workshops all over the UK our finest builders are putting the finishing touches to their works of art. Around 100 stunning machines will be on display at the Cheltenham Racecourse inside the Centaur Hall.

To complement all the gorgeous custom engineered bikes, classics, vintage and rare race bikes there will also be a fine display of top draw clothing, gear, accessories and motorcycle art. There will be live music, coffee, tea and a bar of course. Plus ample free car parking. Most visiting motorcyclists will be able to rock up and park their bikes right outside the main entrance, always cool!

The 2016 Festival of Bikes takes place at the World famous Cheltenham Racecourse on Sunday 21 August. The show opens at 11am - 5.30pm.

Tickets are available for just £8.95 in advance (including kids for a quid deal). Please visit TheCustomShow.com

Team Classic Suzuki will field one of the strongest line-ups at the 2016 Classic TT presented by Bennets with Michael Dunlop, Lee Johnston and Nick Jefferies riding for Steve Wheatman’s impressive team.

As in 2015, the trio will line up in the 4-lap Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Classic TT, scheduled for Monday 29th August, on near identical GSXR 1100cc-engined XR69 Suzukis and will start among the favourites.

Dunlop took the inaugural Formula 1 Classic TT in spectacular style in 2013 leading the race from start to finish despite suffering from an oil leak. Lapping at a scorching 123.196mph, the Ballymoney rider won the race by almost a minute from then team-mate Conor Cummins, following his victories in the Manx Grand Prix Post Classic Superbike races in 2010 and 2012.

He was out of luck in 2014 but bounced back in style last year when he again won the race, this time after a fierce battle with Bruce Anstey. There was little to choose between the pair but a final lap of 125.050mph saw the Ballymoney rider, who set a new outright lap record of 133.962mph at this year’s TT, claim his second Classic TT victory.

Lee Johnston rode for the team for the first time in 2014 and finished fifth in the Formula One race while last year saw him take seventh with a fastest lap of 123.636mph. Nick Jefferies joined the team in 2015 where he took a solid 17th place, the winner of the 1993 Formula One TT race lapping in excess of 114mph.

On confirming his team line up for the Classic TT, team owner Steve Wheatman commented:

“The Classic TT has grown every year since its introduction in 2013 and we have been happy to support it each year. We’ve experienced both success and disappointment in that time, but as reigning champions in the Superbike class, we are fully committed to defending that position and off the back of an incredible TT, Michael Dunlop is definitely the man for the job.”

“Lee Johnston is back to full fitness after a crash earlier in the year will challenge for a podium place and in Nick Jefferies we have a real legend of the TT in our line up who adds a lot of experience to the team.”

Classic TT Grandstand tickets are available for Friday’s final qualifying session priced at £5. All prior qualifying sessions are free for the main Grandstand. There are also race day tickets available for both Classic TT race days on Saturday 27th and Monday 29th August as well as VIP and Platinum hospitality tickets. To purchase tickets go to iomtt.com or phone Duke Marketing on (00 44) 1624 640011.

Nicky Hayden has crossed the line in third place at the end of a hard-fought, 25-lap opening World Superbike race in front of his home crowd at Laguna Seca. In doing so, the experienced American rider has claimed the third podium of his rookie WorldSBK season. Michael van der Mark was right behind his Honda WorldSBK team mate in fourth, after a great recovery from eleventh place on the grid.

Hayden got a great launch from row two and was fifth at the exit of turn one; while keeping a solid pace, he was promoted first to fourth and then to third as the two Ducati riders Davies and Giugliano crashed out of contention on lap five and thirteen, respectively. The 34-year-old from Owensboro, Kentucky, brilliantly held on to the final step of the podium despite the pressure from Alex Lowes and, in the final two laps of the race, by a resurgent van der Mark.

The young Dutchman was able to make up several positions in the early stages despite a small mistake on lap one and, as the race entered its second half, he joined the battle for third place. With a spectacular overtake on Lowes at turn two at the start of the penultimate lap, van der Mark moved up to fourth and set his sights on his team mate; he then dived on the inside of Hayden at the last hairpin, eventually running wide.

The second and last World Superbike race of the US round will get underway tomorrow at 14:30 local time (GMT -7), after the traditional 15-minute warm up scheduled at 11:00.