Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFIRMS 2014 ISLE OF MAN TT RACE SCHEDULE AS TICKETS GO ON SALE

   Posted on 12:27pm Friday 22nd Nov 2013

   The World's greatest road racers will again go head to head for honours at the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy and the Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development has confirmed an unchanged race schedule following the record breaking 2013 meeting.

   The 2013 meeting saw all of the solo lap and race records broken, except the Senior TT lap record from 2009, including a new outright lap record of 131.671mph by John McGuinness while Michael Dunlop claimed four stunning race wins at record pace as well as two new lap records.

   A number of other race winners are confirmed for 2014 including the returning Ian Hutchinson, Bruce Anstey, James Hillier, Gary Johnson and Michael Rutter while Conor Cummins, Guy Martin, William Dunlop and Dean Harrison will be looking to claim their maiden race wins. Josh Brookes, the event's fastest ever newcomer last year, also returns in 2014.

   In the Sure Sidecar Races, six former winners are expected to line up in 2013 including defending champions Tim Reeves and Daniel Sayle and the Birchall Brothers, Ben and Tom. 2012 Race winners John Holden and Andy Winkle will be looking to get back on the top step in 2014 while sixteen-time champion Dave Molyneux and his passenger Patrick Farrance will be looking to improve on their two podium finishes in 2013. The returning Ian Bell and his son Carl add further intrigue. Ian last competed in the TT in 2004 and was a race winner in 2003.

   The race schedule kicks off with the now traditional curtain raiser the Dainese Superbike Race and the first Sure Sidecar Race on Saturday 31st May and is followed by Monday's Monster Energy Supersport Race 1 and the RL360 Superstock Race. Wednesday's packed programme gets underway with the SES TT Zero, followed by the Monster Energy Supersport Race 2 and the Sure Sidecar Race 2.

   Friday - the climax of the meeting - opens with the Bikesocial.co.uk Lightweight Race and culminates with the PokerStars Senior TT Race - a race with guaranteed drama and thrills if previous years are anything to go by.

   Grandstand seating is available in four spectacular locations around the world-famous TT Mountain Course, each offering unrivalled views, dedicated parking, public conveniences, WiFi and live commentary. The TT Grandstand and Nobles Park Grandstand at the heart of the race paddock offer the unrivalled sight of the start/finish line and pit lane action while the course grandstands at Ballacrye and Creg Ny Baa have been chosen for their spectacular views. With food and drink also available to purchase, the Official TT Grandstands are the top vantage spots for 2014.

   Fans can get to the heart of the TT Races race with the exclusive TT VIP Club, which offers complimentary bar, plus breakfast and a gourmet buffet lunch. The package also offers reserved grandstand seating; easy access to the TT paddock, plus exclusive appearances by leading riders and special guests. The ultimate experience is also available with the Platinum VIP Package which offers full hospitality hosted by a TT Legend, plus access to the start line, winner’s enclosure and post race press conferences as well as a much coveted closed road lap of the course in the official course car.

   This year the TT VIP Club will feature the 'TT Preview Night' on Friday 30 May. Hosted by World Superbike legend Neil Hodgson, the ticket entitles you to a night of VIP Hospitality and a behind-the-scenes preview of the week’s racing. Tickets are priced at £60 and include a seat for that evening’s final qualifying session in the TT Grandstand, plus special access to the post-qualifying press conference as well as a buffet and autograph session.

   Neil Hodgson will also be hosting the 'Moto GP Mad Sunday Lunch' on 1 June with some very special guests for the day’s coverage of the Italian MotoGP. Tickets are priced at just £60 and include Sunday lunch, pre-race chat and a post race Q&A session.

   To book tickets visit shop.iomtt.com from 10am on Saturday 23rd.

2. MANX MOTOR CYCLE CLUB ANNOUNCES 2014 MANX GRAND PRIX RACE SCHEDULE

   Posted on 10:39am Thursday 21st Nov 2013

   The races form part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, which also includes the Classic TT, the Classic and Two Day Trials and the VMCC's Festival of Jurby.

   The 2014 Manx Grand Prix starts with a week of qualifying from Saturday 16th August. The race schedule kicks off with the MGP Newcomers races on Monday 25th August followed by the Junior MGP and SuperTwin/Lightweight MGP races on Wednesday 27th August and culminates with the Senior MGP race on Friday 29th August.

   2013 saw some thrilling racing culminating in Michael Sweeney's thrilling last lap Junior MGP Race win when James Cowton retired with less than a mile to go from the chequered flag. There were also race wins for Michael Russell (SuperTwins) and Alistair Howarth (Lightweight) while Chris Dixon, Callum Collister and Ben Rea took the honours in the Newcomers A, B and C races respectively.

   Commenting on the change to the 2013 schedule Harvey Garton, Chairman, Manx Motor Cycle Club said: "It makes sense to switch the Newcomers Race to Monday which gives newcomers the opportunity to compete in Wednesday's Junior Race. It will also take some pressure out of a crowded race schedule."

   He continued: "We were very unfortunate with the weather for this year's meeting which resulted in us cancelling the Senior MGP and I'm keen that we remind everyone that we have the option to race on Saturday if racing is unable to take place on Friday. Hopefully competitors, fans and marshals will bear this in mind when making their travel arrangements as the Club is determined to do everything we can to run our blue riband race next year including taking up the option of racing on Saturday if we have to."

   Tickets for all race days are available via Duke Marketing from 10am on Saturday 23rd. Call 01624 640000 or on-line at www.shop.iomtt.com

3. TT Stars Head to NEC for Motorcycle Live to promote Isle of Man's 2014 Motorcycling events

   Posted on 11:19am Tuesday 19th Nov 2013

   Leading TT stars are heading to Motorcycle Live to promote the Isle of Man's 2014 motorcycling events calendar including the TT Races, the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling and the Southern 100.

   20-times Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness and 2013’s big winner Michael Dunlop will be leading a star-studded line-up which also includes Manxman Conor Cummins, fan favourite Bruce Anstey, SES TT Zero winner Michael Rutter and rising star James Hillier, who won his first TT race this year.

   John Holden and Andy Winkle, Ben and Tom Birchall, Tim Reeves and Dan Sayle and sixteen-time TT champion Dave Molyneux along with his passenger Patrick Farrance will be representing the Sidecars.

   The riders will be signing autographs and meeting fans on the high profile TT Paddock Experience stand and taking part in daily Q&As with TT commentator James Whitham on the Black Horse Stage in the British Eurosport Entertainment Zone. On Sunday 1 December, the TT will take over the stage, with four Q&A sessions and a special TT-themed edition of Fast Bikes Question of Bikes hosted by Steve Parrish.

   The Department of Economic Development has again developed the TT paddock themed stand which will feature a display of fabulous racing machines from the TT and Classic TT including Michael Dunlop’s Dainese Superbike Race winning Honda Superbike and his Motorsport merchandise Formula 1 Classic TT Race winning Suzuki. The stand will also have the iconic Senior TT Trophy and will show 2013 race highlights on a large screen.

   Members of the Department of Economic Development Motorsport team, representatives of the Isle of Man TT Marshals Association and official TT Travel Agency Regency Travel who will be promoting travel and accommodation, grandstand and VIP hospitality packages, will be manning the stand.

   This year's Motorcycle Live features two days dedicated to the Isle of Man’s flagship road racing festivals. Sunday 24 November will celebrate heritage event the Classic TT, while Sunday 1 December - 'Mad Sunday – TT Day' - will be devoted to the world’s most famous road race, the Isle of Man TT.

4. WILLIAM DUNLOP SIGNS FOR TYCO SUZUKI FOR 2014 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES CAMPAIGN

   Posted on 11:24am Wednesday 13th Nov 2013

   Tyco Suzuki has confirmed the signing of talented Ballymoney road racer William Dunlop for the 2014 season. The 28-year-old will ride alongside Lincolnshire's Guy Martin in next season's Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as well as the other international road races - The North West 200, and The Ulster Grand Prix.

   Dunlop will also take in a selection of national road races during 2014, and will partner Guy Martin at the Southern 100 in July - aboard a full stable of GSX-R machinery decked out in Tyco Suzuki livery.

   Dunlop's 2013 TT campaign included joining the Superbike '130mph Club' at this year's and victory in the second Supersport race at the Ulster Grand Prix. He made his TT debut in 2006 and has two Monster Energy Supersport TT Race podiums, with third place finishes in 2012 and 2013.

   He is delighted at the prospect of joining his local Northern Ireland based team for 2014 and said "Now that I have it all signed off I'm pretty excited to be honest. I know how fast the Tyco Suzuki GSX-R600 is having followed Guy Martin this year at the Southern 100 and his results on the Superbike at the Ulster Grand Prix speak for themselves. I never expected to be riding for Hector and Philip this year but it just shows you what can happen in racing, and now that I am I can't wait to get started."

   Philip Neill - Team Manager: "We are very pleased to complete our road racing line-up for 2014. It was a fairly last minute agreement with William, but one that we are delighted to announce, and our goal is now to help him achieve his first Isle of Man TT victory in 2014. As well as the three internationals, we will also compete in a number of national events with him next season.

   "He's a very talented rider and I believe he's now at the right stage of his career to challenge for victories at all three internationals, and not just in the 600 class I might add, as he's also a very good Superbike rider."

   Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government commented: "William was one of the riders that we highlighted in our 2007 young guns advertising campaign and he's clearly now come of age as a rider. This deal represents the next stage of his TT career and next year's TT could well be the year when he finally achieves his potential and is the next Dunlop to stand on the top step at the TT. I'm sure that this news will already add to the anticipation around TT2014."

5. Former Winner Ian Bell to make sensational return to Sure Sidecar TT Races in 2014

   Posted on 5:58am Wednesday 13th Nov 2013

   Former Isle of Man TT Sidecar Race winner Ian Bell is set to make a sensational return to the Mountain Course with confirmation that he will contest the 2014 event, adding further quality to what’s already the world's leading Sidecar race.

   The Bedlington motorcycle dealer, who will be competing on Yamaha machinery, last raced at the TT in 2004, a year after he won the opening 3-lap race with passenger Neil Carpenter, but a heavy practice spill at Hillberry resulted in arm and hand injuries and led to him retiring from all competition. However, he was soon back in the driving seat, this time with son Carl in the chair and they will now contest the two races to be held next June with Carl making his debut around the 37 and ¾ mile course.

   A former Southern 100 solo champion, Bell made the switch to three wheels in the mid 1990s and was an instant success at the TT where, with Craig Hallam in the chair, stunning finishes of fifth and sixth in 1995 saw him a deserved winner of the Peter Chapman Newcomers Trophy.

   Two years later, Bell and Carpenter took their first podium finish with third in the second race of 1997 and they went one place better in 1999 with second behind Rob Fisher. Over the next four years, Bell and Carpenter regularly challenged the likes of Dave Molyneux and Fisher for the race wins and they finally got to stand on the top step of the podium in the first race of 2003. Although its 11 years since he last contested the TT, Bell’s best lap of 110.81mph still makes him the 16th fastest driver of all time.

   Since returning to the sport in 2007, Ian and Carl have been regular front runners in the British F2 Championship taking the title in 2012 as well as becoming the Southern 100 Champions in 2009, which was Ian’s third three-wheel title around the Billown course following his successes in 1999 and 2000. The pair have also been regular winners at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough.

   Speaking about his comeback to the TT, Ian said: “I’ve been giving a TT comeback some consideration for quite some time and now it feels right with my son Carl having gained enough experience in the passenger’s seat for us to go and do a decent job there. We’ll go with no expectations other than to have fun and to see how we get on.”