Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. LEE JOHNSTON CONFIRMS TT RETURN WITH EAST COAST RACING

   Posted on 9:15am Wednesday 8th Jan 2014

   Reigning Isle of Man TT fuelled by Monster Energy Privateer’s Champion Lee Johnston has confirmed his participation at the 2014 event by again teaming up with East Coast Racing.

   The Lincolnshire-based team will run 24-year old Johnston in all solo classes with the Northern Irishman riding Hondas in the Dainese Superbike, PokerStars Senior, RL360º Superstock and Monster Energy Supersport Races. He will again contest the Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT on board a 650cc ER6 Kawasaki.

   Without doubt, Johnston, a former British Junior Superstock Champion and front runner in the British Supersport Championship, has the potential to become a major TT star and has been a revelation since committing to road racing, enjoying a particularly successful 2013 TT campaign.

   Despite only his second Mountain Course meeting ‘the General’, as he is affectionately known, was a clear winner in the TT Privateer’s Championship, achieving a best result of ninth in the Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT Race. However, it was, arguably, the PokerStars Senior Race where was most impressive, as he not only took 11th on his privateer Honda but also lapped at a superb 126.358mph, becoming the 26th fastest rider in TT history.

   Joining the East Coast Racing team only weeks prior to the 2013 event, Johnston also took 12th in the Superstock race, 13th in the Superbike and 17th in the second Supersport race to complete a truly excellent week.

   His road racing credentials were also proved elsewhere during the 2013 season as he took four top-eight finishes at the Ulster Grand Prix, including a brace of thirds in the Supersport and Supertwin Races, and lapped the Dundrod course at 131.559mph. In addition, he claimed his debut podium at the North West 200, third in the Supersport Race, took ninth at the Macau Grand Prix and enjoyed a solid debut at the Scarborough Gold Cup. Now based in Hull, Johnston also finished fourth in the National Superstock 1000cc Race at Cadwell Park.

   Speaking about his 2014 TT plans, Johnston commented: “I still feel like a rookie around the Mountain Circuit. I got so few laps done in 2012 that 2013 really felt like I was still a newcomer. I was carrying a leg injury into the event also and it was touch and go as to whether or not I’d be able to ride at all. As it turned out I don’t think it could have gone any better and I feel confident in my own ability now going back for my third year on the Island.”

   He continued by saying: “Phil Reed at East Coast Construction has been brilliant to me with the support he is giving me and together I think we can look forward to a successful season. I’m still learning my way around the Mountain Circuit and there is no pressure on me to get results, but I am quietly confident that we can make further progress up the leader board in 2014.”

2. All star line up for Team Winfield at 2014 Classic TT presented by Bennetts

   Posted on 8:21am Tuesday 7th Jan 2014

   Ryan Farquhar returns to join John McGuinness and Gary Johnson in strong line up

   One of the most successful Classic teams of recent years, Team Winfield, has confirmed its return to the Mountain Course in 2014 with an all-star three man attack on the Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts.

   The team had mixed fortunes at the inaugural Classic TT in 2013 but Roger Winfield’s outfit will have one of the strongest teams on the Island in August with John McGuinness, Gary Johnson and the returning Ryan Farquhar riding in the Bennetts 500cc Classic TT and Motorsport Merchandise F1 Classic TT Races.

   As per the 2013 event, 20 times TT winner McGuinness will contest the Bennetts 500cc Classic Race on board a 500cc Paton where he’ll be joined by Farquhar on an identical machine.

   McGuinness will be hoping for better luck than he endured in 2013. Having shown early pace in qualifying, an electrical problem that plagued the team throughout much of qualifying returned on race day forcing him to retire from the race early on. Farquhar meanwhile has tremendous history with Winfield and the Paton machine having won the 500cc Classic Manx Grand Prix on no less than five occasions between 2007 and 2012.

   37-year old Farquhar, who recently announced he was coming out of retirement to contest the Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT Race, will also line up in the Motorsport Merchandise F1 Classic TT Race for Team Winfield where he’ll be joined by Brigg based rider Johnson. The duo will both compete on F1 Harris Yamaha’s with Johnson having ridden a similar machine in 2013, lapping at close to 118mph and running as high as third before being forced to retire.

   Farquhar and Winfield also have previous form in the Classic Superbike category, the combination having won the corresponding race at the Manx in 2009 and 2011.

   Commenting on his stellar line up for the Classic TT, team owner Roger Winfield said: “We are delighted with our riders for the Classic TT. We really enjoyed the first event last year despite not having much luck in the races themselves. But that is racing and we intend to come back stronger. I really felt for John who was desperate to win the 500cc Race last year. He’ll be the man to beat going back this time, but we have made his job a little bit harder, by recruiting Ryan to ride the other bike and his results on it in the past are there for all to see!”

   He continued: “Gary did a superb job for us last year on the Yamaha. We have developed that bike significantly over the winter and both Gary and Ryan will have a race winning package for the F1 Race.”

3. Charlie Williams set to make sensational racing return to the TT Mountain Course

   Posted on 7:31am Wednesday 18th Dec 2013

   
   The trio will be riding 500cc Manx Norton’s for Works Racing Motorcycles, owned and run by Patrick Walker and Miles Robinson. Both are lifelong Manx Norton enthusiasts and have been involved at the top level in classic bike racing for many years, providing bikes for riders of the quality of Wayne Gardner, Glen English, Swallow and Chris Palmer. They have Senior Manx Grand Prix, Goodwood Revival and Lansdowne Championship wins among their achievements.

   Works Racing Motorcycles will also team up with Stuart Garner and the Norton Factory for the Classic TT to build an eye catching Norton display in the paddock, featuring Norton machines from past to present.

   Charlie Williams came to the fore at the Manx Grand Prix, winning the 1971 Lightweight event and the Cheshire rider went on to enjoy a phenomenal TT career, particularly in the 250cc and 350cc classes, in the 1970s and 80s taking no less than nine wins and 21 podiums.

   His last TT race came in 1984, finishing second to Graeme McGregor in the Junior 250cc event and fifth in the 250cc Production Race, but he has continued to ride regularly in Mountain Course parade laps and UK circuits as well as contesting races in the UK including the Lansdowne Classic Championship, Goodwood Revival and the Triumph Past Masters.

   Swallow also has a formidable record around the 37 and ¾ mile circuit and still has the fastest ever recorded lap by a single cylinder machine, an impressive 108.03mph which he set in the 1999 Singles TT when he finished in second place. The Huddersfield rider’s record in the Classic races at the Manx Grand Prix is second to none having won nine races between 1986 and 2003, the fourth highest number of wins ever achieved in the meeting, and has taken 19 podiums in total. He last competed on the island in 2011, when he finished fourth in the Classic 350cc Manx GP.

   The third team member, Pemberton, is also an experienced campaigner around the Mountain Course having contested the Manx Grand Prix between 1996 and 2000. He returned in 2012 to finish 12th in the Supertwins Race and also rode at the TT in 2003 and 2004, winning two bronze replicas.

   Speaking about his return to competition around the Mountain Course, Charlie Williams commented: “I really wanted to be involved in the Classic TT, but didn’t envisage ever racing in it! I’ve been riding for Works Racing Motorcycles in the Lansdowne Series for Patrick Walker and Miles Robinson and they really wanted me to do it and have worn me down eventually! Now that I have committed to do it though, I am really excited about the chance to race on the Mountain Course again, without any of the pressure I had during my career. I know the bike and the team well and both are second to none.”

   Miles Robinson, Works Racing Motorcycles added: “We attended the first Classic TT earlier this year and were very impressed by what we saw. We decided immediately that we wanted to be a part of the event going forward and we are delighted with the three riders we have confirmed to ride our bikes. We are equally pleased to be working with Stuart Garner and the Norton Factory to ensure that our presence in the paddock is as professional and high profile as it is on the track.”

4. Honda's 2014 TT riders John McGuinness and Conor Cummins

   Posted on 8:48am Monday 16th Dec 2013

   ... join their elite rider team-mates for visit to English Institute of Sport

   Honda Racing's TT riders Conor Cummins and John McGuinness joined their elite racing colleagues from various disciplines in an Assessment Day at the English Institute of Sport – the organisation behind much of Team GB’s outstanding success at the London 2012 Olympics.

   As well as the TT races pair, the roll call included: Pata Honda World Superbike star Leon Haslam and World Supersport riders Lorenzo Zanetti and Michael van der Mark; the new World Endurance Championship line-up of Freddy Foray, Julien Da Costa and Sebastien Gimbert; Honda Motocross World Championship riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Max Nagl; Gariboldi Honda MX2 star Tim Gajser and last-but-not-least, 2013 Enduro World Champion Alex Salvini.

   The riders - who have eight world championship titles between them – took part in physio and isometric testing, strength and conditioning assessments and a fitness analysis, as well as a seminar on sleep patterns and jet lag in relation to sporting performance. The data collected from each rider will be collated and used to form the basis of their training and fitness programmes for the 2014 racing season.

   “It’s great for us to welcome the Honda riders to the English Institute of Sport,” said EIS Director of Operations Richard Parker. “Everything we do here is about maximising the performance of athletes and today provides an opportunity for us to assess the riders and see how we can give them some programmes to improve their performance on the bike in the coming year.”

   “To be honest I lost a bit of sleep about coming here as to be fair it’s not my kind of thing, but it’s actually been good fun,” said road racer John McGuinness. “I’ve learned quite a lot and in the end I’m happy that I’ve done it. I’m buzzing to have spent the day with all these top riders from MX, Enduro and SBK and to do a bit of bonding with my new team-mate Conor. I’ve got some areas that I can tidy up, as I’m sure we all have, and hopefully next time I’ll be a bit stronger and we can put it all to the test.”

   
   For more information on the English Institute of Sport visit www.eis2win.co.uk

5. British Superbike championship regular Martin Jessopp to make TT debut in 2014

   Posted on 8:57am Thursday 5th Dec 2013

   British Superbike Championship competitor Martin Jessopp has confirmed he will make his much-anticipated Mountain Course debut at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   The 28-year old will campaign a BMW S1000RR in the Dainese Superbike, Royal London 360º Superstock and Pokerstars Senior TT Races for his regular Riders Motorcycles team, owned and run by father Phil.

   With the exception of 2012 – when he contested the World Supersport Championship – Jessopp has been an ever present in the British Championship paddock since 2004 when he entered the British Superstock Championship on Ducati machinery. The Yeovil rider moved to the British Supersport Championship for the following three seasons enjoying his best season in 2007 when he finished 11th overall with a best result of fifth.

   A switch to Honda and a move to the premier British Superbike series followed and Jessopp took second and third in the 2008 and 2009 Privateer’s Cup before making the step up the BSB series proper. Back on Ducatis, and with Michael Rutter as team-mate, Jessopp impressed in 2010 with five top ten finishes from the first eight races including a maiden pole start at Thruxton before a broken leg at the fifth round halted his charge. However, he bounced back in style in 2011 to claim 11th overall with a best finish of fourth at Donington Park and 11 top ten finishes.

   However, it’s his road racing results that will have made the most impact on TT fans with excellent performances at both the Macau Grand Prix and North West 200. Having made his debut at Macau in 2007, he proved his talent in 2011 when he took second to Rutter, pushing his more experience teammate all the way, and he repeated the result in 2012 for another superb result.

   He made his North-West debut in 2006 and has had numerous top fifteen finishes although cancelled races have prevented him from finishing higher than the 11th he took in the 2008 Superbike race. Indeed, he qualified in second place for the 2011 Superbike Races before becoming the fastest ever man through the speed trap the following year at a phenomenal 208mph on his way to qualifying fifth.

   Speaking about the news that he will make his TT debut Martin said: “Having gained road racing experience at the North West 200 and the Macau Grand Prix, I now feel ready to make my TT debut. The TT is the pinnacle of road racing and I am very excited about the opportunity to finally race there. My plan is to work hard and learn the circuit without any pressure to get a result. Hopefully after a few years I’ll have learnt enough to push on and start to challenge towards the front as I have been able to do at the North West 200 and Macau Grand Prix.”

   Paul Phillips, TT & Motorsport Development Manager, Isle of Man Government added: “Martin is a rider we have been talking to for a number of years and we are delighted that he feels the time is right to come and take part in our event. He has proven quality on the roads and will add real quality to an already superb entry. It’s also fantastic to have another top quality team in the paddock with Riders Motorcycles who have had such a significant presence in the British Superbike paddock for so many years.”