Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. Steve Plater and Team Prime Factors Racing ready for Isle of Man TT and World Endurance Campaign

   Posted on 11:25am Wednesday 22nd Jul 2015

   Endurance racing specialists Prime Factors Racing has signed Steve Plater as Team Manager as they prepare for the Isle of Man TT, Roads and Endurance World Championship. Plater will start this new role from the World renowned Bol d'or event in September at the EWC finale, ready for a full assault in 2016!

   Having secured the 2014 British Endurance Championship, Prime Factors Racing stepped up to the Superstock class in the FIM Endurance World Championship for 2015, enjoying a point scoring finish in their opening race at the iconic Le Mans 24hr. Looking to take another massive step forward in 2016, the Surrey based team will be entering the blue riband Superbike class (including the Suzuka 8HR) as well as campaigning on the 'roads' - making their debut at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.

   Overseeing Prime Factors Racing's progression into these categories will be Steve Plater, who has signed as Team Manager. Plater is known for his wide experience having won races at British Superbike, Endurance, NW200 and Isle of Man TT events. The Lincolnshireman will be bringing his unrivalled knowledge to the team over the winter to ensure they arrive at the opening event in the best possible position.

   The team are now currently in discussions with various manufacturers, partners and riders for the 2016 season which will be unveiled in due course.

   Speaking after joining Prime Factors Racing, Team Manager Steve Plater said, "This is a really exciting opportunity. I'm looking forward to coming on-board with Prime Factors Racing and bringing my experience to this new chapter for the team. I've been involved in a managerial position with some various teams before, including the AIM team and Honda Racing, so I'm looking forward to working alongside Bruce - who will no doubt be busy enough on the retail side of Prime Factors!

   Despite being a relatively new team, Prime Factors Racing has already shown their credentials by winning the British Endurance Championship and getting a strong start to their 2015 World Endurance Championship at Le Mans.

   My first tasks will be to arrange our choice of machine, riders, tyres and the like for next year. We've got an idea of where we want to go so I'm looking forward to progressing this over the next few months. Then it will be my job to ensure we're shipshape for every race and keeping the staff happy, which is a vital part of ensuring that we achieve our goals for 2016."

   Team Principal of Prime Factors Racing, Bruce Charman is equally as excited to be welcoming Steve to the team "2015 has seen the team move up from National to International level racing, which has been a real learning curve and successful so far.

   Bringing Steve on to help prepare us for 2016 is another exciting step forward for the team and I'm positive it's going to see us achieve further success. It's a very big move as we'll not only be stepping up into the Superbike class of the World Endurance Championship but also taking on the challenges of the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT - something I'm particularly looking forward to having never been to either, despite working within motorcycling for many, many years!

   I'm really looking forward to working alongside someone with the skills, pedigree and success that Steve has. The step up is certainly going to be a challenge for the team but it's a very exciting time and one I'm sure we'll excel at."

   To complete the busy plans for the group, Prime Factors Motorcycles has recently opened to prepare and service bikes for track and road, all based out of their unit in Redhill, Surrey. The company is also a major distributor for BMW race equipment suppliers Alpha Racing.

   

2. Cummins joins Hillier at CSC Racing for Classic TT presented by Bennetts

   Posted on 8:03am Wednesday 22nd Jul 2015

   Two of the Isle of Man TT Races fastest ever riders will be in action in the Classic TT presented by Bennetts with James Hillier and Conor Cummins contesting the event for Somerset-based CSC Racing, firmly signalling the team's intentions for this year's event.

   Hillier, who took three podiums at this year's TT and lapped at 132.414mph to become the third fastest rider in the history of the event, has been a regular at the Classic TT on board the CSC Racing machines.

   The 30-year old took sixth in the 2013 Bennetts 500cc Classic TT Race with a 101mph+ lap and will line up this year on a new 500-4 cylinder for the team, which should see him high up on the leaderboard and he will also ride for the team in the Okells 350cc Classic TT on another Honda machine.

   Cummins, meanwhile, makes a welcome return to the Classic TT after missing last year's meeting and, like Hillier, the Honda Racing rider will contest the Bennetts 500cc Classic TT on a new 500-4 cylinder Honda machine. The Manxman failed to finish the race in 2013 when he was riding a Manx Norton for Dunnell Racing but he did take a good seventh in that year's Okells 350cc Classic TT.

   In addition to Hillier and Cummins, CSC Racing has further strength in depth with Alex Sinclair riding a 350cc Drixton Honda for the team in the Okells 350cc Classic TT. Sinclair was out of luck at the event twelve months ago but had an excellent ride into eighth in 2013 when he also lapped at an impressive 97.480mph

   CSC Racing team owner Steve Caffyn commented:

   "We have not only two of the fastest TT riders riding for our team, but also two of the nicest guys in the paddock to work with and we are really looking forward to the Classic TT, with two riders capable of finishing on the podium."

   "We are also delighted to be able to continue supporting Alex Sinclair who is one of the fastest young riders around racing Classic bikes and who we are sure will surprise a few people with his results this year."

   

3. MARTIN JESSOPP TO MAKE CLASSIC TT DEBUT WITH TEAM YORK SUZUKI

   Posted on 12:31pm Friday 17th Jul 2015

   
   Jessopp, like Johnson, will be having his first taste of the Classic TT as he looks to expand his knowledge of the Mountain Course and the Yeovil rider showed his capabilities at this year's TT Races when he took a best finish of 14th in the PokerStars Senior Race. Competing at the TT for just the second time, the 29-year old also lapped at 128.461mph to become the 23rd fastest rider of all time.

   Jessopp will campaign a TYS/CMB F1 750 for the team, a combination of Kevin Pearson's Team York Suzuki and Craig Brookes' CMB Motorsport. Brookes will be Jessopp's crew chief where he'll be assisted by new team member Rob Acomb and ex-Mark Buckley mechanic George Serc and newcomer to the team, Rob Acomb.

   With sponsorship from York Suzuki Centre, C&A Brack, The Old Ebor Pub, York Digital Image, Maxcestay York, Motul Oils, Maxton Suspension and Race Products Direct, the bike is built around a 1992 ZXR750 Kawasaki with assistance also coming from Mistral Racing. The machine will be one of the most competitive on the grid in the hands of Jessopp who is scheduled to test the bike later this month.

   Speaking about making his Classic TT debut Martin commented:

   "I have been really keen to get involved in the Classic TT for a number of reasons, not least for the extra track time it gives me whilst I am still learning the course. The TT went really well this year and I think we should not be too far away at the Classic TT on the Team York Suzuki bike. I'm very grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity to get involved and I am looking forward to getting back to the Island in August."

4. LEADING SUPERBIKE RIDERS HEAD FOR ITALY AFTER TT LAP EXPERIENCE

   Posted on 10:00am Friday 19th Jun 2015

   A number of high profile World Superbike riders are heading for the next round of the championship in Misano this weekend with their lap of the iconic TT Mountain Course still fresh in their memory.

   Four of the leading contenders, Chas Davies, Sylvain Guintoli, Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes, enjoyed a parade lap around the iconic 37¾ mile circuit in the break between races last Wednesday as part of the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   Following the lap 2014 WSBK Champion Sylvain Guintoli, whose varied career has also included MotoGP and British Championship campaigns said:

   "What an unbelievable feeling. That felt so fast. I had to push to follow the other riders. I looked down at one point at the speedometer and it said 170 and I thought that's not right and I even managed to outbreak myself at one point. What a track."

   Isle of Man resident Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki Racing teammate Tom Sykes were also on the lap. Jonathan Rea is no stranger to the track and has already enjoyed a closed road lap but it was a first time experience for Tom Sykes who said:

   "I can see why all these riders are so in love with the place. I've never been round it and suddenly looked down and I'm at 170mph as I go through a village. I would have liked to go behind Milky (TT Rider liaison officer Richard Quayle) the whole way round as I felt I was riding blind when I wasn't behind him and was really relaxed when I was. We had a fantastic reaction from the crowd and it was a great experience. I only wish I'd been able to do a few more laps."

   The Kawasaki pair will now resume their head to head at the top of the WSBK leader board in Italy. Rea has built up a lead of over a hundred points with race wins in every round but Sykes ended that run with double victory in the British round of the series at Donington Park.

   The fourth WSBK rider to experience the closed road lap Welshman Chas Davies, the 2011 World Supersport Champion, said:

   "There was so much to take in over one lap. It was like nothing else I've done. My respect levels for the road racers were really high before this but seeing this now, feeling the bumps they're gone through the roof. I'm currently on a safety commission for WSBK and we complain about a few bumps but it's fair to say my perspective has definitely changed."
   
   
   
   Tom Sykes, Jonathan Rea, Sylvain Guintoli and Chas Davies enjoy an ice-cream at the Isle of Man Mountain TT course. 
   

5. John McGuinness takes historic Senior TT win at the Isle of Man‏

   Posted on 9:00am Saturday 13th Jun 2015

   The 2015 Isle of Man TT races drew to a close yesterday with Honda Racing’s John McGuinness storming to victory in the Senior TT race aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP. Team-mate Conor Cummins crossed the line in sixth.

   The six-lap battle originally got underway in perfect conditions at 12.30, however a red flag incident on the second rotation meant the race was restarted at 14.45 and shortened to four laps of the 37.73-mile Mountain course.

   On a mission from the start, McGuinness had claimed the lead by the end of lap one and in a superb display of his renowned skill around the Isle of Man TT, he proceeded to increase the gap sector by sector. After a super-slick pit stop by his crew at the halfway point, McGuinness had opened his lead to 12 seconds.

   During the epic race, the ‘Morecambe Missile' broke the outright Senior TT lap record with a 132.701mph lap and was just a fraction off a sub 17-minute lap. He crossed the line in first place, 14.214 seconds ahead of James Hillier in second and Ian Hutchinson in third. The victory is McGuinness’s 23rd TT win and his seventh in the Senior TT.

   Honda Racing team-mate Cummins put in a solid performance following some adjustments to his machine before the re-start. After a tough start, the ‘Ramsey Rocket' found his rhythm by lap three and managed to catch up with the leading pack to finish sixth.

   It’s been another successful Isle of Man TT for Honda, with four race victories (in the Superbike, Senior and Sidecar races) secured on Honda machinery, taking the manufacturer's tally of TT wins to 176. Honda also received the manufacturer's trophy for another year.

   John McGuinness
   
   Today was a new day. I’ve been struggling a little this week, which is no-one's fault. I have been slow off the line and losing a bit of time, and I needed to find the form I had a few years ago.

   In the restart I didn’t want James Hillier to catch me, so off the start I gave it my all, got my head down and pushed as hard as I could. Lap two I really did give it everything I could and the reaction coming in to the pits was amazing – it felt like it did when I broke the first 130mph lap. My team got me through the pits perfectly and going into the third lap the reaction from the crowd was great and I did think I’d taken the outright lap record.

   I’d like to say a huge thanks to the marshals and the medics out there around the course, who do a fantastic job, and of course to my team and Honda for believing that it was still possible. Riding round the Isle of Man with a 17-second lead felt pretty special!
   
   Conor Cummins
   
   I had a better race today and it’s safe to say it was an electric pace over the four laps. We made an adjustment to the Fireblade after the red flag, which made things a lot better, but it took me some time to adjust and the pace was so fast. I did my best and my team put a lot of work in to make things better for me out there. The last two laps I started to pick up my pace and was making up time. I’m happy with my race and huge congratulations to John for his win - he rode a great race. Also, thanks to Honda for giving me a great bike to ride around here.

   Neil Tuxworth
   
   What a great day for John, the team and of course Honda to win what I suppose is the most iconic race of the week, the Senior TT. John rode superbly and, as I told him, he’s still the man who holds the race record round here on that bike and I knew he had the ability to win the race if he set his mind to it. It was obvious he was in the right mindset today. On lap one when he got to Glen Helen we knew he was fighting for a win and I’m just so pleased for him. He’s been a bit down on himself this week and lost a bit of confidence, which he didn’t need to do, as he’s very strong, along with the CBR and the team. Our lads did an excellent job in the pits and pulled about 10-seconds back. We're so pleased it was a superb performance an d we’re over the moon for him.

   Conor started off a little bit slow but became very strong towards the end and was making up time. A sixth place is very good, the pace was very hot in that race and his average speed was nearly 130mph and he finished in front of some very good riders. To have both machines come home is fantastic.