Multiple UK Club Championship winner Phil Crowe is preparing for a busy schedule during the 2014 season. The man from Market Rasen is set to make his debut at the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy this year, as well as the Ulster Grand Prix. As if the race schedule were not enough, Crowe also plans to develop young motorcycle talent through his Lincolnshire based PCR Motorcycle Developments company.

Phil has announced that he will continue with his short circuit commitments with Thundersport GB in the GP1 class and selected British Superstock 1000 rounds, but the main focus in 2014 will undoubtedly be the roads campaign.

“It’s an exciting time for me” said Crowe. “While I will continue with the short circuit commitments, my focus and aim has always been to develop on the roads and this year I will make my eagerly anticipated debut at the Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix,” said the Lincolnshire rider.

“My plan is to run in the RL 360 Superstock, Dainese Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races and I will be returning to the North West 200. Oliver’s Mount remains part of the race schedule for me this year and I am looking forward to running the BMW S1000RR at Dundrod, a circuit that I have always wanted to race,” said Crowe.

“Additionally I am really looking to build on the plans to support young racing talent and inject something back into the sport. We have some exceptional riders that we are working with, including bright young stars Tom and Tim Neave, who I believe have a very promising future. If I can help them along the way, it will be extremely rewarding,” said Crowe. “I am also working with Carl Simpson who is already demonstrating his skills and talents on the bigger machines. He will only improve and get faster this year.”

“I have prepared carefully this year for the TT and Ulster, with some sound advice from experienced road racers. With the strong package behind us, I will be looking to be at the sharp end of the newcomers."

Phil would like to thank his friends, family and sponsors, notably PCR Motorcycle Developments, Holbeach Motorcycle Tyres, B&C Express, Fleetwood Grab Services, Objektum Modernisation, Astle BMW, WK Bikes, Merlin Leathers, Arrow Exhausts, Renthal and Tsubaki.

Tickets are now on sale and selling fast for the 2014 TT Races. Glencrutchery Road Grandstand race day tickets are sold out but there are still TT Fan Zone Grandstand tickets available at Ballacrye, Creg Ny Baa and Nobles Park during practice and race days. Grandstand tickets are also available by purchasing VIP or Platinum Hospitality tickets. All tickets are available from www.iomtt.com or by phoning 00 44 (0)1624 640000.

On Tuesday 21 January, the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) held a training day for volunteers participating in their ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project. Aston Martin Works kindly hosted this event in their new Heritage building, formerly known to many as ‘Olympia’.

The ‘Aston Martin - A Century of Craftsmanship’ project is led by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Aston Martin Lagonda, Aston Martin Works, Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Aston Martin Owners Club. The aim is to bring together current and former Aston Martin employees, to tell the behind-the-scenes history of Aston Martin.

Current and former Aston Martin employees learnt about oral history and how to interview people using recording equipment. Roger Kitchen, an Oral History Society trainer and co-founder of the Living Archive in Milton Keynes introduced the day’s training by saying, “Everybody has a story to tell”.

The volunteers along with a similar group from Aston Martin Lagonda’s Gaydon headquarters will start by interviewing each other and then arrange interviews with people who are keen to share their stories of life at Aston Martin. The volunteer group will be supported by the Project team from the BMIHT Archive, where the recordings will be deposited for posterity, enabling future generations to learn about their industrial heritage.

The Heritage Motor Centre Gaydon near Warwick is currently hosting an ‘Aston Martin – A Century of Craftsmanship’ exhibition until December 2014. Admission to this new exhibition is included within the standard museum entry fees.

www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

The Lincolnshire Show takes place on Wednesday & Thursday June 18th & 19th 2014

Classic Motorcycles are welcomed for display in the classic vehicle section which is located near the main entrance. Bikes must be rideable, roadworthy, taxed, insured, mot’d. Bikes have to be on site by 8am latest & no exit till 6pm. Each Exhibitor gets 2 free entrance tickets per day - These are worth £22 per person.

I shall be erecting a 20ft x 10ft marquee on site for display, seating, rest area and a covered trailer will be adjacent for helmets/kit etc

A potted history of your machine will be required for the Show Brochure. Please contact me by 25th February 2014 to enter your bike for the show.

THIS IS OPEN TO ANY CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE OWNER please feel free to share

Alan Caine [email protected]  - 01472 851674

Saturday 15th February - 8pm 'till late

Adventure accessories retailer AltRider will debut their new 2014 protection parts at the MCN London Motorcycle Show. Along with manufacturing premium accessories for adventure motorcycles, AltRider is also known for their public involvement with the riding community offering training events, access to exclusive off-road terrain and more. To spread the word about off-road adventures, AltRider is partnering with Ace Cafe London to host an after show party following the Saturday edition of the MCN London show.

Join fellow ADV riders after the show to hang out and talk bikes at the world famous Ace Cafe London. There will be plenty of bikes to check out, along with delicious food, drinks and awesome music. AltRider will be offering a raffle for door prizes, and you can also sign up to win a trip to the USA to ride with AltRider.

The festivities start at 20:00 and run until 24:00 on February 15th.

For more information visit AltRider at the MCN London show, booth #A30.

Seattle-based AltRider specialises in designing and manufacturing high-quality parts and accessories for adventure motorcycles. AltRider utilises only the highest quality production techniques; CNC tube bending, 5 axis laser cutting and hand TIG welding are just a few of the methods that are standard practice. All products are 100% designed and manufactured in the USA. Discover the difference at www.altrider.eu

For more information about what's on at the Ace, check out
www.ace-cafe-london.com

South African rider AJ Venter will return to the Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, in 2014 as part of the Top Gun Racing team.

It will be Venter's second year of competing on the Mountain Course and this time he will compete in all solo races, riding Hondas in the 600cc and 1000cc categories and a Kawasaki in the Lightweight Race.

The former British Supersport Championship front runner made his debut appearance at the TT last year, lapping in excess of 116mph, before going on to ride at the Macau Grand Prix for the first time and is determined to come back to the Island this year and continue to build on his road racing career.

AJ will also be competing in the South African Superbike Championship onboard a BMW S1000RR, which he will prepare himself under the AJ Venter Racing Team banner. The team's plan is to keep racing at home, remain injury free, and focus on the TT for 2014

Top Gun Racing is run by former racer and TT competitor Adrian Cox, the RAF man hanging up his leathers after last year's Formula 1 Classic TT when he took eighth on his 600cc Honda, winning the privateer category in the process. After making his debut at the Manx Grand Prix in 2010, Cox moved up to the TT in 2012 and went on to win two bronze replicas with a best finish of 15th in last year's Lightweight race. Other riders to benefit form the support of Top Gun Racing include former Senior Manx GP winner and fellow RAF man Michael Russell.

The team will be competing with support from the RAF, Breitling, Silkolene, Energy and X Bikes and further information can be found on their website www.topgunracing.co.uk

Speaking about his forthcoming TT campaign, Venter said: "I am over the moon to be joining Adrian Cox's team, as he is close friends with the team I rode for at last year's TT where I was treated like royalty. What really excites me this year is that I'll be able to do a lot more laps as I will be competing in 6 races rather than three. I learnt a lot from last year's event, and this year I will be coming back more focused physically and mentally. One thing that has bugged me since last year is that I wasn't able to get my final flying lap in the Senior Race, and on my previous lap I had just done my quickest time of the event."

"I am confident in Adrian and his team as he is coming off 18 years of racing experience as well as riding himself around the TT, and if there is one thing money can't buy, it's experience. I must say a big thank you to Paul Phillips and his whole team, Full Throttle Racing Accessories, Minopex, Wiesehof Coffee, Arai, Ultimate Fitness Centre and SBK Sunglasses for making it possible for me to travel halfway across the world to continue pursuing a dream of standing on that TT podium one day. If it was not for any of them, the TT would still just be a Playstation game."