AT CLASSIC TT RACES PRESENTED BY BENNETTS

Eleven time TT Race winner Michael Dunlop is set to ride his father Robert's Rotary Norton in the 'Joey Dunlop Road Racing Legends - The Rivals Parade Lap sponsored by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

The parade, a tribute to twenty-six time TT Race winner Joey Dunlop, takes place on the Isle of Man on Saturday 23rd August as part of the Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts.

The Ballymoney man, who won four TT Races this year riding BMW's including the historic PokerStars Senior TT Race seventy five years after George Meier's victory, will represent his late father Robert in a tribute lap that has been created to recognise some of his Uncle Joey's greatest rivals across his road and circuit racing career.

The bike, the brainchild of ex-Norton employee Brian Crighton, is currently on display at the National Motorcycle Museum. Crighton has overhauled the bike, which hasn't run for many years, in preparation for its return to the Isle of Man Mountain Course. As well as participating in Saturday's parade, the bike will also be on display in the race paddock behind the grandstand during the Classic TT Race meeting.

"I am very keen to showcase and celebrate the Museum and our collection in live action events and display our bikes as they were meant to be viewed and the Classic TT Races certainly fits with that objective", said James Hewing, the director of the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. "The parade will not only represent a tribute to both Joey and Robert Dunlop but also the engineering achievement that the Rotary Norton represents."

Norton's Rotary Racing campaign was one of British sport's great giant-killing stories. Starting out in 1987 with little more than a promising engine and the backing of the company's new owner, Norton returned to racing after many years' absence to score devastating success against the world's biggest marques.

The first Rotary racer was the red, silver and blue RC588 with an air-cooled twin-rotor engine. Simon Buckmaster and Trevor Nation raced a scaled up version in 1988 to great success in the British Formula One Championship. The John Player Special sponsorship in 1989, which saw Steve Spray scoop the F1 Championship that year, evoked Player Norton days of the Seventies and saw the new liquid-cooled RCW588 in its iconic black, grey and gold livery.

The machine Michael will ride will be the same machine his father rode in 1990, notching a Norton double in the North West 200 and also finishing third in the F1 TT of that year. Michael will complete the tribute to his father by wearing specially created replica leathers and helmet.

The bike will also appear at the VMCC's Festival Of Jurby on the Isle of Man on Sunday 24th August.

Tickets are now on sale and selling fast for the 2014 Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. VIP experiences, Grandstand tickets, Classic TT Heroes Dinner and Classic TT Party tickets can be purchased from www.iomtt.com or by phoning 00 44 (0)1624 640000.

Travel and accommodation packages to suit all budgets and requirements are available from Official Classic TT Travel Agency Regency Travel

www.iomttbreaks.com

There should be greater use of intelligence-led policing to catch drink drivers who repeatedly and excessively flout the law, according to road safety charity Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The call from the IAM comes as new figures published today by the Department for Transport show the number of fatal accidents involving drink drivers last year falling by five per cent, from 220 in 2011 to 210 in 2012*.

In the same period, the number of people killed in drink drive accidents decreased by four per cent, from 240 to 230.

The fall follows a year where the number of fatal accidents and killed casualties remained static over 2010.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “No doubt the lack of progress in reducing drink drive related deaths will once again spark debate on lowering the limit.

“A new limit will reinforce the message that drink driving is anti-social but it is not clear how it will impact on those who ignore the current limit and who are responsible for the most serious crashes. Intelligence led policing targeting the criminal minority does seem to be delivering and must be enhanced in the future.

“Reducing the limit further may give people a reassurance, but for some that won’t stop them. Knowing there is a greater chance of getting caught, that the police are specifically targeting the persistent few and there is no hiding place for them, is the real answer to taking the long-term risk takers off the roads for good.”

Seven times World Champion Carl Fogarty MBE has confirmed he will be attending the 2014 Classic TT presented by Bennetts with the road racing legend riding a Honda RC30 in the 'Joey Dunlop Road Racing Legend - The Rivals' Parade Lap' sponsored by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and also a Ducati in the Classic Racer Magazine Classic TT Lap of Honour.

Having won the Newcomers Manx Grand Prix in 1985, the Blackburn racer was a star turn at the Isle of Man TT Races between 1986 and 1992 taking three wins and seven podiums as well as the outright lap record in 1992, his speed of 122.61mph remaining unbroken for seven years.

It was his rides in the World Formula One Championship that initially made his name, battling with Joey Dunlop in each of his World Championship winning years, with wins at the TT coming in the 1989 750cc Production, 1990 Formula One and 1990 Senior Races. It's perhaps his runner-up spot to Steve Hislop in the 1992 Senior Race, voted the greatest TT race of all time, that he's most fondly remembered for however.

That race saw Foggy swap the lead with Hislop throughout the six-lap race and although he eventually had to settle for second, just 4.4s behind the Scot, he did have the consolation of claiming the outright lap record on the final lap.

Fogarty, of course, went on to become the most successful World Superbike rider of all time with 4 world titles and 59 world championship race wins before injury ended his career early in 2000 but he's always maintained his relationship with the island, not only stating his love for the Mountain Course but also how his race wins remain the most special out of all his successes.

Speaking ahead of his return to the Island for the Classic TT, Carl commented:

"The Isle of Man holds a special place in my heart and I have said many times before that it was that part of my career which I look back on with the most happiness and pride. I can't wait to see the new Classic TT event for myself after hearing good things about last year's first event and I am particularly excited to be part of the tribute to Joey Dunlop. Joey was a special rider and someone I looked up to and wanted to beat in those early World Championship years."

Carl will also be attending the Classic TT VIP Hospitality events and RST Heroes Dinner. You can join Carl at these events and tickets can be purchased from www.iomtt.com or by phoning 00 44 (0)1624 640000.

14th Annual Stockport Bike Show. 

Bike show, live bands, trade stalls, face painting, bouncy castle, Rodeo Bull, tombola, raffle, Roughleys Bar and more…  All welcome, including bikes, trikes and scooters. Fundraising for NABD, Rainbow Family Trust and The Together trust.

venue: Heaton Lane car park, Stockport, (near Manchester) Cheshire, SK4 1HJ. Midday until 10pm. No drinks to be brought on site. Under 14’s to be off site by 8pm. 
price: £2

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NEW YOUTH SERIES BEING EVALUATED AT OULTON PARK BSB THIS WEEKEND

• KTM looking to bring RC 390 Cup series to support British Superbikes in 2015
• Cost effective youth series likely to be open to riders aged 12-17
• Cup version of RC 390 fitted with track-focused KTM PowerParts
• Static and dynamic display of RC 390 Cup at Oulton Park BSB

KTM UK and MSVR are evaluating the possibilities of creating a UK ‘KTM RC 390 Cup’ to run at selected MCE British Superbike (BSB) rounds throughout 2015.

With MSVR’s expertise and to encourage youth participation in affordable, production based racing
at the most visible level, KTM are fortunate to be in the position to deliver an exciting and colourful motorcycle to feature in a race series that will highlight young talent, alongside the world’s premier domestic series, the MCE British Superbike Championship.

A similar series, powered by the imminent KTM RC 390 production bike, is currently being run very successfully by the German ADAC organization, with a grid of over 30 young riders battling out at selected rounds of the IDM championship and was also a support race for the recent German round of MotoGP at Sachsenring.

The RC 390 is an exciting, light and practical sports bike with a 44hp, 375cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine housed in a steel trellis chassis and fitted with top-level components. The Cup version takes this already energetic machine and focuses it for track use solely, using a whole host of official KTM PowerParts that will also be publically available.

The fully adjustable suspension package not only allows for individual set up for each race; it is also a valuable learning tool
for suspension setups. The bike has adjustable foot pegs and handlebar levers to create personalised ergonomics, making it ideal for young racers that are still growing.

KTM UK will be present at the Oulton Park round of the British Superbike championship this weekend on August 9-10 with one of the ADAC KTM Junior Cup series bikes. Staff will be there to talk to riders and companies interested in getting involved with this potential one-make series in 2015.

KTM UK Marketing Manager, Simon Belton, said:“KTM is a ‘Ready to Race’ company that is also committed to developing future talent, such as with the Red Bull Rookies MotoGP Cup. A UK version of the RC 390 Cup will allow MSVR to provide a very cost effective and competitive youth series along with offering KTM UK a very exciting platform to introduce the production version of the RC 390.

“The intention for this UK series is to follow the rules and formula from the ADAC championship, with details such as age restrictions yet to be set, but likely to be open to riders aged 12-17 years old. Our presence at Oulton Park should hopefully give us the opportunity to talk to potential riders and partners for the series in order to make a full announcement very soon.”

There will also be a dynamic display of the bike over the course of the weekend with Motostar championship contender, Joe Irving, taking the bike around Oulton’s swooping ribbon of tarmac. The bike is the only one in the country and Joe has already had the opportunity to ride it around Snetterton.

Joe Irving, 17, said: “To be honest I wasn’t expecting the RC 390 Cup bike to be as good as it is. I could really ride it hard and the quality of the suspension and brakes is at a really good level. The choice of tyres will be a big factor for this series but I think it will make a great feeder class for series such as Motostar.”

If you have an interest in participating in the
proposed RC 390 Cup series next year, please email [email protected], in the subject line put RC 390 Cup 2015 and include your name, address, post code, age, riding experience and preferred KTM dealer. We will then 
send you details when they have been confirmed.