Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. HUTCHINSON AND BROOKES CONFIRMED FOR 2014 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES CAMPAIGN WITH MILWAUKEE YAMAHA SUPERBIKE TEAM

   Posted on 9:40am Friday 28th Feb 2014

   Milwaukee Yamaha Superbike Team riders Ian Hutchinson and Josh Brookes will compete in the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

   The Yamaha duo have both entered the Dainese Superbike TT, two Monster Energy Supersport TT Races and the PokerStars Senior TT.

   'Bingley Bullet' Ian Hutchinson's TT career has included his historic five race wins in a week in 2010, and eight wins in total, while Australian Brookes made a stunning TT Races debut in 2013, recording the fastest ever lap by a newcomer of 127.726mph. He capped his impressive debut with a top ten finish in the Dainese Superbike Race although he was denied the chance to improve later in the week when he was forced to retire from the PokerStars Senior TT.

   Hutchinson's recent TT career has been beset by injury since his 2010 accident at Silverstone. After missing the 2011 TT Races he defied medical expectation by competing in the 2012 meeting, which included top ten finishes in both Supersport Races and the Dainese Superbike Race, before again missing out in 2013 through injury. He will also compete in the 2014 BSB Championship, representing the FFX Yamaha team. He has already shown his potential with a stunning comeback victory at the 2013 Macau Grand Prix.

   Both Hutchinson and Brookes will campaign R6 Yamaha Supersport machines alongside the Yamaha R1s that they will race in the Superbike and Senior TT Races.

   Former World Supersport race winner Brookes is looking forward to a full race schedule at the 2014 TT as he explained: “The fans in the UK probably only associate me with the Superbike class as that’s where they are used to seeing me race, but I’ve a lot of history in the Supersport class. I’ve won a couple of Australian titles and two races in World Supersport, and although I’ve never ridden the R6 before, the team has a decent testing schedule planned before the TT and North West 200.”

   He's also delighted to be returning to the Isle of Man, commenting: "I was pretty frustrated when it looked like I wouldn't be able to go back to the Isle of Man this year. As soon as last year's race was over I was already working out how to improve on the Mountain Course. I'm delighted that the team will be there and the hard work really starts now preparing to improve on last year's lap times. Last week I was happy to find out that I'd be riding a specially built R6 Milwaukee Yamaha at the North West 200, but the TT is the big one for me in terms of road racing."

   Ian Hutchinson clearly feels that he is ready to compete again for race wins on the Mountain Course and said: "This is the first year since my accident in 2010 that I really feel 100% fit and ready to compete on the Mountain Course again. If I'm honest I wasn't right in 2012 and although it was a really difficult decision not to compete last year I had to get properly sorted. The Yamaha's will be really well set up and I'm confident that I can get in among the front runners again at the TT. Pole, fastest race lap and the win at Macau signalled to the world that I was back."

   Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government, commented: "The confirmation that the Milwaukee Yamaha Superbike Team will compete at the TT in 2014 means that we've got one of the highest quality line ups in living memory with more potential race winners, and most of the leading manufacturers competitively represented on the grid."

   He continued: "I'm particularly pleased that both of these riders will be appearing in 2014. Ian has shown incredible courage in battling back from his injury to take his place in the starting line up while it will be great to have Josh, one of the leading contenders for the BSB championship this year, racing on the Isle of Man again."

2. BELGIAN ACE VICK DE COOREMETER IN LINE FOR TT DEBUT

   Posted on 9:40am Thursday 27th Feb 2014

   Leading Belgian road racer Vick De Cooremeter will make his debut at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, with entries in all three 1000cc races.

   The 28-year old will ride a BMW S1000RR for the Okidoki Racing Team in the Dainese Superbike, RL 360⁰ Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT Races and fulfill a racing ambition as he tackles the Mountain Course for the first time.

   The former Belgian Junior Supersport Champion is no stranger to road racing, having been a regular in the International Road Race Championships in recent seasons, and 2013 saw him have his most successful season to date when he placed third overall in the Superbike category behind dominant Champion Didier Grams and fellow Belgian Nicky De Wit.

   Hailing from Laarne, Ghent, De Cooremeter had a steady start to the Championship but, after placing fourth at Oostende, came into his own in the second half of the season taking second and third at Chimay and then two more thirds at the final round at Frohburg. By season’s end, he had finished inside the top ten in nine out of the ten races held, only a DNF in the third race at Chimay preventing a 100% finishing record.

   De Cooremeter has also excelled in the Belgium Endurance Championship, winning the title in 2011 alongside Gregory Fastre. At the 6 Hour Endurance race at Spa-Francorchamps, the duo won the event with former Grand Prix rider and World Superbike race winner Stephane Mertens whilst the trio also won the 500km of Zolder, a feat De Cooremeter repeated in 2013 with fellow Belgian Wim Bieseman.

   De Cooremeter also had the tremendous experience of racing alongside Belgian greats Didier de Radigues and Mertens in the 6 Hours of Spa of 2010 when they finished eighth.

   Speaking ahead of his TT debut Vick commented: “Competing in the TT is a dream for me and having built up my racing credentials on the European road race scene, I now feel ready to tackle the Mountain Course for the first time. I have been working hard learning the circuit using on board footage and I recently travelled to the Island to spend time with the organisers. I plan to make a further trip as part of my preparations but already I am feeling more comfortable with my circuit knowledge. I’m under no pressure to get results for now, and I’m really looking forward to getting out there and experiencing the event for the first time.”

3. ICE VALLEY BY MOTORSAVE ADD EUROPEAN FEEL TO THEIR TT 2014 LINE UP

   Posted on 8:39am Tuesday 25th Feb 2014

   Laurent Hoffmann and Franck Petricola will make their debut at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as part of the experienced Ice Valley by Motorsave team.

   Double International Road Race Supersport Champion Hoffmann will step up to the 1000cc class and ride a BMW S1000R in the Dainese Superbike, RL 360⁰ Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT Races and he will also contest the two Monster Energy Supersport races on a Honda CBR600RR.

   Having taken his first title in 2012, the Belgian rider dominated the 2013 IRRC Supersport 600cc Championship on his ZX-6R Kawasaki, never finishing lower than second. He opened his account for the year with a win at the opening round at Hengelo before taking double victories at both Oostende and Chimay and of the ten races held during the season, the 30-year old won five and took second in four others. Indeed, only a retirement in the final race of the season at Frohburg spoilt his 100% podium record.

   In what was a very successful season, he – along with team-mates Nico Hautekiet and Jan van Steelandt – also finished second in the 600cc class of the Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hour Endurance Race. A former Belgian Supersport Champion, Hoffmann has also enjoyed success on the road circuits in the Czech Republic, taking a hat-trick of victories at Terlicko in 2012 and is eagerly looking forward to making his Mountain Course debut.

   Petricola will also be BMW-mounted for the 1000cc races and will compete in the 3-lap Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT on an ER6 650cc Kawasaki. The 30-year old is another regular in the IRRC Championship and enjoyed his best season last year with 11th overall in the Superbike category. His best result, sixth, came at Chimay and he ended the year strongly with six successive top ten finishes and took a brace of thirds in the Lightweight Races at Horice and Terlicko.

   Team owner Paul Shoesmith commented: “I’ve seen just how good Laurent and Franck are up close having raced alongside them in the International Road Race Championship across Europe so I am delighted to be welcoming them to our team for this year’s TT Races. I'm sure they will both give a good account of themselves. They are both working hard on their circuit knowledge using on board footage and they both gained a lot from a recent visit to the Island. They are putting everything into getting themselves ready for their debut this June.”

4. CUMMINS SIGNS WITH JACKSON RACING FOR 2014 SUPERSPORT CAMPAIGN

   Posted on 8:51am Friday 21st Feb 2014

   Isle of Man road racer Conor Cummins has signed with Jackson Racing for his 2014 Supersport campaign. The Manxman will compete in the two '600' Races at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as well as the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. Solway Slate & Tile, W.A. Corless, CMS and Motul Oil are backing the team for their 2014 campaign.

   Jackson Racing has been a continuous presence in motorcycling paddocks since the 1970's when Alan Jackson Senior won three consecutive World Formula Two Championships between 1977 and 1979, also taking four victories at the Isle of Man TT during that period.

   Sons Alan Junior and Andy continued the racing dynasty with Alan setting the Manx Grand Prix outright lap record, 122.208mph, in 2005 - a record that still stands today.

   Cummins has the fastest ever 'standing start' Mountain Course lap at 131.511mph, which he set in the 2010 Dainese Superbike TT, which is also the third fastest lap of all time. His four TT podiums include third place in last year's bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT. He also has third placed finishes in the 2009 Supersport Race, his highest finish in the class, and the 2010 Superstock Race while his highest placed TT finish remains the runner up spot he took in the 2009 PokerStars Senior TT.

   Alan Jackson commented: "Conor is a talented rider who has shown incredible determination to put himself back at the front of the field. He will be one of the frontrunners in every class he competes in and we are delighted to have him on board for the Supersport races where I think he can give a good account of himself. "

   "I'm really looking forward to representing Jackson Racing in the 2014 season," said Conor Cummins. "What the Jackson family don't know about road racing isn't worth knowing. I've always enjoyed racing the 600's and I'm confident that we can challenge for honours in the class."

5. JAMIE HAMILTON TO SPEARHEAD WILSON CRAIG RACING’S TT CAMPAIGN

   Posted on 1:16pm Thursday 20th Feb 2014

   Exciting youngster Jamie Hamilton has confirmed his participation at the 2014 Isle of Man TT races fuelled by Monster Energy, and will ride for Wilson Craig Racing in the 600cc and 1000cc Races.

   The Northern Ireland based businessman will run 23-year old Hamilton in five of the six solo races with the Ballymena rider contesting the Dainese Superbike, PokerStars Senior, RL360º Superstock and Monster Energy Supersport Races on Honda machinery. He will again contest the Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight TT on board a 650cc ER6 Kawasaki for Stewart Smith Racing.

   Hamilton, a former British Junior Superstock Champion, is a prodigious talent and, like his fellow countryman Lee Johnston, has the potential to become a major TT star. Indeed, since he made his debut on the roads for Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki team towards the end of the 2011 season, he has been a revelation.

   After a strong debut year at the TT in 2012, which saw him win the Newcomers Trophy for tenth place in the Lightweight Race, he made great progress around the Mountain Course in 2013. The highlight was fifth place in the Lightweight, only 12 seconds off the podium, but he also impressed in the other classes, taking a brace of 12th’s in the two Supersport races and lapping at almost 124mph on his way to 16th in the Superbike Race.

   He also proved his road racing credentials at the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix with podiums at both and winning the Irish National Road Race Supersport and Supertwin Championships, dominating both classes by winning all the races he competed in. He also enjoyed considerable success at the Southern 100 and Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough.

   Having parted amicably with Farquhar over the winter months, Hamilton had been scheduled to ride for John Duggan in the Supersport class but the new tie-up will see him ride for Wilson Craig Racing throughout the season although John Duggan will continue to support his 600 campaign. Wilson Craig has enjoyed great success at the TT, backing numerous well-known riders including Keith Amor, Guy Martin, Cameron Donald and William Dunlop.

   Speaking about the news, Jamie Hamilton said: "For me it is a dream come true riding for Wilson Craig Racing. When I was a kid starting racing I would look at teams like Wilson Craig’s’ and think that I would love to be a part of that that setup and can now proudly say I am. I have on my helmet a logo DBA, dream it, believe it and achieve it and so far it seems to be working for me."

   He continued: "You can see over recent years Wilson has put out fast reliable bikes capable of winning, it’s great to have the opportunity and his support following the likes of Cameron Donald, William Dunlop and Guy Martin. I cannot thank Wilson and his team enough for giving me this opportunity and I hope for a very successful 2014."