Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix

1. TR3OC to celebrate triple motorcycles 50th anniversary at 2018 Isle of Man Classic TT Races

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 16th Feb 2018

   The Trident & Rocket 3 Owners Club (TR3OC) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic Triumph and BSA triple motorcycles at the 2018 Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. TR3OC is organising a spectacular display of both road and racing triples together with associated memorabilia.

   Tridents are the most successful production racer ever at the TT, winning five consecutive production classes on the Island.

   Visitors to the Isle of Man during the Classic TT will be able to see a comprehensive collection of motorcycles including the rebuilt ‘Slippery Sam' courtesy of the National Motorcycle Museum as well as the first Triumph Trident to be raced around the famous Mountain course in 1969 - the Hughes Triumph that was ridden by Martin Carney.

   A dozen more notable race bikes will also be displayed as well as a selection of artist John Hancox’s pen and ink drawings. John is a Technical Illustrator whose work can be seen every time a Triumph Trident's parts manual is opened.

   Along with the racing legends, the display will feature a definitive collection of road bikes. Starting with a 1969 Aquamarine T150 together with UK and US examples of various bikes, including Hurricane, Rocket 3s T150Vs and T160s.

   The Trident model that completed a 24 hour sponsored ride around the TT Course for the Manx Grand Prix Helicopter Fund will be on show together with the obligatory collecting buckets as well as a replica Travelling Marshal’s Trident and an original Marshal's bike that was ridden by Travelling Marshal Des Evans. The Martin Russell Parallelogram will also be on display.

   There will be a closed road parade around the TT Course on Saturday 25th August with many of the display bikes taking part. The lap will see Des Evans reunited with his Travelling Marshal’s Trident for a lap of the 37 ¾ miles while Ian Martin - TT star Guy’s father - will be riding his BSA Rocket 3.

   On the morning of Sunday, 26th August, the display will temporarily de-camp to Jurby Motodrome where the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s Isle of Man section host their annual Festival of Jurby event. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the world’s greatest display of Vintage and Classic motorcycles - not only on their paddock stands but also spreading the instantly recognisable aroma of Castrol R on the Jurby racetrack.
   
   Commenting on the anniversary TR3OC event co-ordinator Ian Bradshaw said:

   “None of the above would have been possible had it not been for the input of the Isle of Man Government, Department for Enterprise’s Motorsport Team and the Isle of Man section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club as well as everyone who has allowed their bikes and memorabilia to be displayed. I hope everyone interested in Motorcycles takes the opportunity to enjoy what is the display of a lifetime.”

2. Official 2018 Isle of Man TT Races launch set for 21st March

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 10th Feb 2018

   The Official Launch of the 2018 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy will take place on Wednesday 21^st March at the Villa Marina.
   
   The most famous names in TT racing will be in attendance at the event to talk about their preparations and ambitions ahead of the 2018 event.
   
   The star studded evening will see the latest news on all of the action on track announced, as well as details of new additions to the off track schedule. All of which will be set against a backdrop of some of the amazing machines being ridden this year along with the iconic TT trophies and a non -stop collection of awe inspiring TT video clips.
   
   Doors open at 7.00pm for a 730pm start with tickets priced at £5 available from the Villa Marina box office at www.villagaiety.com
   
   If you can’t be on the Island, you will be able to watch the proceedings live via the Official Isle of Man TT Races website - iomtt.com

    

   

3. Norton signs John McGuinness for 2018 Isle of Man TT Races

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 8th Feb 2018

   23-time TT Race winner John McGuinness has signed to ride for the Norton factory team in the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races at the 2018 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy. 
   
   McGuinness joins 2015 British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes in a two-man team using the latest specification Norton ‘SG7’ machines, derived from the firm’s flagship V4 RR road bike.
   
   McGuinness last won a Superbike class race in 2015, winning the PokerStars Senior TT, which also saw him breaking the outright lap record with a lap of 132.701, which remains his fastest lap around the Mountain Course. He achieved podiums in both the 2016 RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT but missed last year’s TT race meeting due to serious injuries sustained in the North West 200, which he is still recovering from. However, he expects to be back to full fitness in time for his TT debut with Norton this June.
   
   McGuinness has enjoyed a remarkable TT career and is second only to Joey Dunlop in outright TT victories and is rightly considered as one of the all-time TT greats.  In a career that has now stretched over twenty years, he first announced himself to the road-racing world in 1996, finishing the highest placed and fastest newcomer in the 250cc TT Race and his name has since become synonymous with the Isle of Man Mountain Course.
   
   He has stood on the Isle of Man TT podium a record 46 times from 78 race finishes and is confident that more success is just around the corner now he has teamed up with this iconic British brand.
   
   Talking about the news of his Norton signing John McGuinness commented:
   
   “I didn’t want to end my career due to an injury, but the truth is I didn’t know whether I would be able to come back as I didn’t know how fit I was going to be. Right now, things are going well. I feel a lot sharper and my head is in gear and ready to go. The plan is to get the external fixator cage off my leg by the end of this month and after that we can start working towards getting bike fit and testing.”  
   
   “I’m definitely ready for a change of manufacturer. I needed an injection of enthusiasm and I’ve found it with Norton. From the first time I met with Stuart (Garner) the vibe was there and the passion. I watched Steve Hislop win the TT on the Norton in 1992 and it was massive. Everyone remembers that! We can’t get carried away, it’s going to be a big job but I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos of the bike in action, I watched the bike out on track last year and it’s clearly a very fast and capable bike and I can tell you there are worse handling bikes out there too, so there’s no reason we can’t do the business if the stars line up right.”
   
   Norton Motorcycles CEO Stuart Garner added:
   
   “We’ve been talking to John for a year or more, he’s the talent. He’s the man at the TT with the total experience, the results and the pedigree. We have the ambition to win the TT and to go on to develop a really strong team in years to come. We’d got John in our sights for a long time.”
   
   “To get John in the Norton team with his experience and knowledge available is fabulous.  Norton will seize the opportunity to get John involved in all aspects of the bike – he’s a huge asset to Norton. Everyone in the factory has got a huge buzz. It’s pretty special.  We’re all looking forward to the TT but we’ve not set any targets and take nothing for granted. Putting John McGuiness and Norton together is a dream team, but we know all results at the TT are hard earned whatever your name.”
   

4. Danny Webb remains with Penz13 BMW Motorrad Motorsport for 2018 Isle of Man TT Races

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 22nd Dec 2017

   Former Moto3 GP racer Danny Webb will be representing the German Penz13 BMW Motorrad Motorsport team at the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy for the third consecutive year in 2018.
   
   Webb joined the Penz13 team back in 2016. Prior to that the young Brit established his reputation on 125cc and Moto3 bikes at world championship level. Despite Webb’s unknown ability on the more powerful 1000cc BMW machinery, Penzkofer took the risk to sign him and in his first year. Danny repaid this trust with top five results in the IRRC in Joey Dunlop Open in Frohburg and some credible 120mph+ lap times at the TT Races.
   
   In 2017 he showed his true potential and achieved positive results which began with his appearance in Horice for the 300 Corner of Gustav Havel, where he was able to follow the locals in his debut at the challenging track in Czech Republic.
   
   Unfortunately, the Isle of Man TT campaign was curtailed after a crash in practice week that took him nearly two months to fully recover, returning to the Mountain Course compete in the Classic TT in the same year.
   
   In the same year - and convinced by his potential – the Penz13 squad selected him for the 24 Hour Endurance World Championship round at Bol d’Or with Markus Reiterberger and Alessandro Polita. Despite neither through the dark, or in a 24 Hour race, his fastest lap in Le Castellete was just a fraction slower than Reiterberger. The team finished on the podium and currently stand in second position overall in the championship.
   
   Just a week later he put up another tremendous performance at the Joey Dunlop Open event in Germany, winning the IRRC Superbike and Supersport Races with new lap and race records. He wrapped up his season in style with a Top 10 finish at the Macau GP and the team and Webb are both excited to be extending their partnership for another year with the TT and various appearances in the IRRC planned for next season.
   
   Danny Webb:
   
   ”To be honest, in the last two years I wasn’t really focused on racing and wasn’t even sure if I wanted to continue. It is probably most riders’ dream to race at World Championship level and around the TT and I have done both. But things really changed for me during the year with Penz. The season did not start the way I wanted and it took me a while to recover from that stupid crash at the Isle of Man. But when the team called me up for their EWC round in France I was over the moon and can’t thank them enough for giving me that chance. I always knew I had it in me, so I want to prove that I can be as fast on big bikes. With the success in Frohburg the following week I felt like I was rebooted and knew immediately that I want to continue and invest everything I have. I haven’t felt that confident for a long time and there was no question in my mind about staying with these guys.” 
   
   Rico Penzkofer:
   
   ”I am aware that keeping Danny in the future might become more challenging as I’m sure that other teams are watching him closely. But I am sure there aren’t many other teams that give him what he needs and make him feel like part of the family. So I couldn’t be happier to continue with him for another year and conquer the upcoming challenges.”

5. Horst Saiger switches to Yamaha for Isle of Man TT Races campaign

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 14th Dec 2017

   Horst Saiger and the Saiger Racing team will switch to Yamaha to compete in the 2018 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy and the other international Road Racing meetings, after Saiger reached an agreement with the Swiss Yamaha Importer ‘Hostettler.’
   
   Saiger will ride Yamaha R6, R1 Superbike and R1 Superstock machinery prepared by Mandy Kainz from the Yamaha Austria Racing Team (‘YART’) with whom Saiger has a long racing history. 2018 will be an anniversary season as Hostettler will be celebrating 50 years of bringing Yamaha motorbikes to Switzerland.
   
   Hostettler have a long and outstanding history not only in Switzerland but racing generally. Names to have represented the company include Rodney Gould who, in addition to the 1970 250cc World Championship, secured two runner up places in the Isle of Man TT Races in 1970 and 1972. Other names who have raced in the Hostettler colours include Michael Frutschi, Jacque Cornu, Roland Freymond, Bruno Kneubühler and sidecar competitors Rolf Biland / Kurt Waltisperger.
   
   Saiger made his TT Mountain Course debut in 2013, finishing the second fastest newcomer behind Josh Brookes and he achieved his highest placed finish of tenth in the 2017 RL360 Quantum Superstock TT Race.
   
   The team will launch the bikes at the Swiss Moto Zurich show (22nd - 25th February 2018).
   
   Saiger will also be returning to his roots, having spent 10 years riding Yamaha machinery in the past.
   
   "I rode as an instructor at the Yamaha Riding Academy of Hostettler and was able to get a first glimpse of the Yamaha YZF-R1 at the race track of Aragon. I was immediately convinced by the unique engine concept as well as the super sporty R1 in general – I fell heavily in love with this motorbike, when returning to home.”
   
   He continued:
   
   “I am now looking forward to my 2018 season, which will start with the NW200. Further confirmed dates are the Isle of Man TT, which is my main highlight, and Macau. Unfortunately the Terlicko Road Racing meeting clashes with the Endurance World Championship at Oschersleben and I wont be able to compete there. But I am still hoping to make my return to the Ulster GP and I am considering a detour to Frohburg as well.”