Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. Norton to race Bennetts Lightweight TT in British Motorcycle Manufacturing Academy Partnership

   Posted on 12:31pm Thursday 23rd Apr 2015

   Not only will Norton compete in the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races at the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, but they will also be taking on the competitive Bennetts Lightweight class in partnership with The British Motorcycle Manufacturing Academy.  MCN's Senior Road Tester and TT racer Adam 'Chad' Child will be at the helm.

   Students on the BMMA's apprenticeship programme at Norton HQ at Donington Park will primarily run the project. It is a unique opportunity for the students who will not only build the exciting new bike, but a lucky select few will travel with the Norton team to the TT to work on the lightweight bike alongside the factory team.

   The project will use a proven Kawasaki ER-6 motor, in line with the majority of the field. Ohlins have already produced some bespoke suspension for the project; the BMMA race team are expected to start testing in the next few weeks.

   Stuart Garner commented: "It's a great opportunity for the students who will work alongside the Norton race team. Chad will be on hand giving feedback developing the bike and the team, he's obviously got extensive bike testing experience and knowledge of Lightweight class."

   Chad, who will be competing in his fourth TT, and has competed in every Lightweight race at the TT since the new class was introduced in 2012, is looking forward to the new project.

   "It's going to be really interesting to work with the students, together we have steep learning curve; the TT is the ultimate test. They have bags of enthusiasm and it's going to an exciting few weeks; it will be great to see young faces in the paddock actually working on the race bike."

2. CARL FOGARTY CONFIRMED AS VIP GUEST FOR ISLE OF MAN TT RACES

   Posted on 8:10am Monday 20th Apr 2015

   Carl Fogarty, who recently added the ITV 'I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' title to his TT Races and World Superbike Championship wins, will be the guest of honour in the TT VIP Club for race day on Wednesday 10th June.

   Carl, the most successful World Superbike rider of all time with 59 race wins and four outright titles in 1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999 will join Platinum Package guests at their table and will be sharing his experiences of racing around the TT Mountain Course as well as his recent exploits in the jungle.

   Carl's TT career included race wins in the '89 750 Production Race and a Formula 1 and Senior double in 1990 and he also took part in what is widely recognised, and was voted by fans, as the greatest TT Race when he and Steve Hislop duelled over six thrilling laps in the 1992 Senior TT.

   He said:

   "I'm really looking forward to getting back to the Isle of Man and seeing what's going to be a brilliant race day. I'm still incredibly proud of my TT wins and they mean the most to me out of all of my race victories. It's great to see the resurgence in the event and that a TT win has to be earned again and Wednesday's packed race day looks brilliant with three races in a packed programme. The food will also be much better than I had in the jungle as well!"

   The Platinum TT VIP hospitality package will take you and your guests deeper into the famous races than ever before, with exclusive 'access all areas' passes putting the holder on the start line, winners' enclosure and behind the scenes at the post race press conferences. Carl will also join you at your platinum table and personally present you with a limited edition souvenir. Platinum Ticket holders will also experience a much-coveted closed-roads lap of the TT Course in the official course car.

   Places can be purchased on an individual basis or complete tables of eight at £1000 + VAT per person. There are only a limited number of platinum places available for Wednesday's race day which includes the second Monster Energy Supersport Race, the SES TT Zero and the Sure Sidecar Race 2. To reserve places visit www.iomtt.com where tickets can be booked on line, or alternatively contact Regency Travel on 01624 694456 or Duke Marketing on 01624 640000.

3. IVAN LINTIN CONFIRMED FOR CLASSIC TT DEBUT IN 2015

   Posted on 12:28pm Wednesday 8th Apr 2015

   Ivan Lintin is the latest top-flight rider to confirm his appearance at the 2015 Bennetts Classic TT with the Lincolnshire rider contesting the Bennetts 500cc Classic TT.

   It will be the 30-year old's first time at the Classic TT but Lintin, who will ride for RC Express Racing during the International road race season, has secured a ride with one of the sport's finest, lining up for Brian Richards Racing on one of Andy Molnar's special 4 valve G50 Seeley's.

   The venture, a joint one between Richards and Molnar, will see a purpose-built bike constructed purely for the longer road circuits and as such is being designed to cope with the rigorous demands of the TT Mountain Course. It will have a Seeley MK4 frame with assistance also coming from MV Agusta specialists, Mark and Dave Kay, who will provide the forks while the twin disc front wheel is to be supplied the Seeley disc rear wheel.

   Maxton Engineering have modified the forks, and will also provide rear shocks, with Bill Simpson having built the frame, and tanks. Molnar Precision are supplying the engine as parts for Richards to build himself and the whole project is fuelled by the burning desire to prepare the first single cylinder classic bike to lap the TT course at over 110 mph.

   Richards knows all about the rigours of the Mountain Course having competed at the Manx Grand Prix and TT over a period of 32 years, from 1961 to 1992, before going on to sponsor several well-known riders, including, Bob Jackson, Bill Horsman and Bill Swallow. His riders won the Senior Classic MGP with Swallow's lap of 108 02 mph in the 1999 Singles TT being, until last year's Classic TT, the fastest by a single cylinder classic bike.

   Commenting on his Classic TT debut Ivan Lintin said:

   "It will be great to have another run round the Mountain Course and this is a really interesting project with all the right people involved. We've got a proper target with the first 110 lap for a single and it would really be something to be proud of if we could achieve that. I've followed the Classic TT meeting for a couple of years so it will good to get the chance to be part of it."

4. Team Collins and Russell confirm talented line up for 2015 Isle of Man Classic TT debut

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 8th Apr 2015

   Having provided numerous machines for recent displays and parade laps, Team Collins & Russell will make their debut on the grid at the 2015 Classic TT presented by Bennetts with Jamie Hamilton, James Neesom and Billy Redmayne lining up for the experienced outfit.

   Northern Ireland's Hamilton will spearhead the team, run by long term road racing supporters Des Collins and Ronnie Russell, riding a specially built ZX750K in the Motorsport Merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race.  The machine is a joint venture with Alasdair Cowan and Hamilton will be hoping to see the chequered flag this year having been forced to retire from sixth place in the corresponding race last year when riding the Mistral Racing Kawasaki.

   Joining him in the Formula 1 Race will be last year's Lightweight Manx Grand Prix winner James Neesom who gets his first taste of the Classic TT.  The Bempton- based rider will be on board Nigel Fitzimmons' ZXR750RR for the four lap race.

   TCR are also entering the Motorsport Merchandise Formula 2 TT where they will be running a KR1S 250 Kawasaki.  They have secured the services of top local rider Billy Redmayne who won last year's Newcomers Manx Grand Prix and placed 2nd in the Junior MGP Race, where he also set the fastest lap at a superb 119.062mph.

   Once again TCR will have an extensive marquee at the Classic TT where they'll be displaying and parading a lot of new and interesting machines from Europe, the UK and the Isle of Man.

   In addition, TCR will run New Zealand rider Michael Moulai in the Manx Grand Prix where he will ride ZX6R 600 and ZX7RR 750 machines. The kiwi placed second in last year's Senior MGP.

5. Hillier to return to Classic TT with Greenall Racing

   Posted on 5:23pm Thursday 2nd Apr 2015

   Isle of Man TT race winner James Hillier will return to the 2015 Bennetts Classic TT where he will once again ride for Greenall Racing.

   The 2013 Lightweight TT winner will ride the Greenall Racing ZXR750K Kawasaki in the four-lap Motorsport Merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race and will be aiming to go one better than last year when he took a strong second place behind Bruce Anstey.

   The Ringwood-based rider lapped at an impressive 121.469mph on his way to the runners-up spot and won the Joey Dunlop trophy for the first 750cc Formula 1 bike home and he was also the fastest bike through the Sulby speed trap at 174mph.

   The ZXR 750 that Hillier will be riding has been built by Greenall Racing and has been extensively updated to compete at this year's Classic TT. The team is well established within road racing circles as they were originally formed over 30 years ago and since then have had many successes on the Mountain Course and the Irish roads with riders including Bill Ingham, Geoff Johnson, Steve Hazlett, Bob Jackson, Jim Hodson and Jim Moodie.

   They also prepared the 926cc Ducati for the late Simon Beck, which he rode when finishing 3rd in the 1995 Formula 1 race, splitting the 4 factory Hondas as well as building the popular Lancastrian's factory ZX7RR Kawasaki's.

   Commenting on his return to the Classic TT, James said:

   "I had loads of fun last year at the Classic TT with the team and I'm really pleased to be going back again to hopefully go one better than last year.  Even though the meeting is fairly informal, everyone is still gunning for a win and it's really competitive between the riders. Classic racing on the Isle of Man is definitely a different experience to racing at the TT but the course is still the same and no one will be more pleased than me if I can get the ZXR onto the top step."

   As in previous years, Greenall Racing is also thankful to be supported at the Classic TT by Jackson Racing.