| | Biker News - Regularly updated
Category: IOM TT - Manx Grand Prix
-
Team Birchall - TT sidecar winners and lap record holders - travelled to Andorra last Sunday to attend the 2017 FIM Awards ceremony. The Mitchells of Mansfield supported riders joined the other FIM World Champions at the event held at the Andorra Park Hotel in the Pyrenean Principality.
The Birchalls, along with team-members James Brindley and Tom Mitchell, rubbed shoulders with 35 fellow FIM World Champions and members from the FIM Team World Championships. Swapping their leathers for dinner jackets, the boys enjoyed an evening to remember relaxing and sharing stories with motorcycling royalty such as Marc Marquez, Toni Cairoli and Jonathan Rea.
Earlier in the day, the team had attended a fan signing session with the other world champions at the Centre de Congressos in Andorra before heading to the red-carpet and the awards ceremony where they picked up their medals for the 2017 FIM World Sidecar Championships.
The ceremony capped an outstanding year that also saw the brothers win both Sidecar races at the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, breaking the outright sidecar lap record in the process.
Ben Birchall: “What an amazing experience – I’m absolutely blown away by the whole weekend and how we were treated by the FIM during our time in Andorra. The country is incredible, its love for motorcycling is obvious and the awards couldn’t have been held in a more beautiful location. To attend such a prestigious event, surrounded by other world champions is something I’ll never forget. I feel honoured to be a world champion myself and the whole experience has only strengthened my desire to defend our title in the 2018 season.”
Tom Birchall: “What an incredible event held in such a beautiful country. I want to say a massive thank you to the FIM for including us in the celebrations. It was awesome to be there with other riders such as Marc Marquez and Jonny Rea – as bike fans ourselves it was an honour and a privilege to be included in such company.
“With the capacity changes over the past couple of years in the Sidecar World Championships, I really think the FIM have made the right decisions and the championship is stronger than ever - we’ll be back next year to hopefully retain the crown. I want to say a massive thank you to all our sponsors, friends, family and supporters, without whom this wouldn’t be possible. 2017 was our best yet, but lets see if we can go even better next year.”
-
The Manx Motor Cycle Club, organisers of the Manx Grand Prix, are pleased to announce an additional race to the 2018 Race Programme with a second Lightweight Race added to the traditional schedule on the last race day and expected to quickly become an integral part of the event.
Practising for this year’s event will commence on Saturday 18 August with the MGP Races starting on Monday 27 August when the four lap Newcomers Race will signal the start of the five race programme. Wednesday 29 August features the Junior Race in the morning followed by the first Lightweight MGP Race later in the day.
Friday 31 August will see the second Lightweight Race open proceedings followed by the Blue Riband Senior Manx Grand Prix.
Club Chairman, Harvey Garton, commented:
“Following feedback from the 2017 races, it was acknowledged that the event would benefit from two races on the final day and the club felt the best way forward was to incorporate a second Lightweight Race to complement the very popular Senior Manx Grand Prix.”
There's good news for fans wanting to experience the Manx Grand Prix in person. Information on travel and accommodation options as well as grandstand seats can be obtained from the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling’s authorised Travel Partners - iomtt travel - by calling +44 (0) 1624 640 011.
-
Named this week by the Daily Telegraph as ‘one of the best biking events on the planet’, the 2017 Classic TT presented by Bennetts, part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motor Cycling, sealed its reputation as a nostalgia inspired, forward thinking sports and lifestyle event to rival any in the annual worldwide Motorcycling calendar. 
The event saw the best motorcycle racers tackle the TT Mountain Course on machines rooted in the Isle of Man’s rich heritage, interspersed with a packed schedule of sold out events that supported the high quality entertainment.
The Classic TT centres round a four-day programme of entertainment across the August Bank Holiday weekend, which sees some of the world’s most valuable motorcycles being raced around the 37 and ¾ mile TT Mountain Course.
Stand out performances included a brace of lap records for the evergreen Bruce Anstey from New Zealand. Anstey smashed the previous best speeds in both the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Race where he finished runner up to Bradford’s Dean Harrison, and the Dunlop Lightweight Race, which he won convincingly including the first 120mph lap of the Mountain Course on a 250cc machine. 2015 British Superbike Champion Josh Brookes won the Bennetts Senior Race on his Classic TT debut while TT veteran Michael Rutter took the honours in the Sure Junior event, a race he had previously won back in 2015.
For 2017 the entertainment on track also included a recreation of Bob McIntyre’s first 100mph Mountain Course lap by leading current TT racer Michael Dunlop on an exact replica of the Gilera machine McIntyre used 60 years previously as well as an appearance from one of the most technically advanced machines ever to race in the TT – the priceless ‘Honda 6’ owned by New York based Team Obsolete and demonstrated by former Honda TT factory rider Steve Plater.
Away from the race track this year’s entertainment included the now traditional Classic TT Paddock Carnival which drew large crowds, a vintage car and motorcycle Concours d’Elegance competition, an outdoor cinema screening iconic motorcycle themed films, live music from the award winning '50s act the Bluejays, stunt shows from the iconic Purple Helmets and the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s Festival of Jurby with thousands of fans visiting the event at Jurby Aerodrome.
This year there were sold out notices posted for the grandstand seats for all of the Classic TT Races while tickets for the Classic TT Party and RST Heroes Dinner also both sold out in advance.
The Department of Economic Development, promoter of the Classic TT, has commissioned a visitor survey to review the economic contribution that the event makes with the results expected to be available in October. The early indications suggest another significant increase in the number of air and ferry visitors, with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company reporting a 5.6% increase in the number of motorcycles carried for the Festival of Motorcycling this year.
TV highlights of the Classic TT will be aired on ITV4 this Thursday at 9pm featuring highlights of the four races as well as coverage of the Festival of Jurby. The programme will also go behind the scenes and look in depth at some of the bikes making the headlines at this year’s event. A number of international broadcasters are also expected to carry the programme.
Vince Chaney, Managing Director, commented:
“Bennetts have proudly title sponsored the Classic TT since its inception in 2013 and have enjoyed watching it grow at a rapid pace in such a short period of time. The event offers fans a unique blend of high-speed racing and a varied mix of off track entertainment whilst drawing in the most wide-ranging mix of classic and vintage motorcycles you will find anywhere in the world. The Classic TT is a great platform for us to engage with our customers and we look forward to seeing it develop and grow in the years to come.”
Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Economic Development added:
“We believe that the Classic TT has reached a tipping point in terms of awareness and interest and is now firmly established in the eyes of classic and vintage motorcycle fans around the world as the premier event in its genre after just five years. We will continue to build on this interest to grow the event’s contribution to the Island’s economy through increased visitors and spend as well as maximising the significant commercial opportunities and growing the media profile of the event.”
The Festival of Motorcycling also includes the Manx Grand Prix which concludes this week with the Senior MGP on Friday after three exciting race days including some stand out performances from newcomers to the TT Mountain Course in Monday’s Newcomers race and Wednesday’s Junior and Lightweight MGP Races.
Rob Callister, Isle of Man Government Political Member with Responsibility for Tourism and Motorsport commented:
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone that has supported the Festival of Motorcycling including all of the volunteers, the dedicated marshals and medics and officials of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, the organisers of the event who have helped us to established a really vibrant two week festival.”
-
Bruce Anstey shattered a number of records on his way to repeating last year’s victory in this afternoon’s Dunlop Lightweight Classic TT Race, the second race in the 2017 Isle of Man Classic TT Races presented by Bennetts. 
The flying Kiwi started by breaking the outright 250cc lap record on his opening lap, becoming the first rider to do a 250cc lap under 19 minutes which he followed up by becoming the first 250cc rider to post a 120mph lap on his second lap and he also broke his own race record by over a minute.
In the winners enclosure Anstey revealed that the team had been specifically targeting the 120mph lap;
“Clive [Padgett] ’s done brilliantly getting the bike up to spec over the winter. We have been targeting the 120mph lap so it’s great to get it in the bag. I used Ian as a bit of a target and went flat out for the first two laps.”
In a day when the clock was turned back on the Isle of Man it was clearly a day for the veterans with the top three riders – Anstey, Michael Rutter and Ian Lougher - all having made their Mountain Course debuts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Lougher on the Laylaw Racing Yamaha was first away and the Welshman lead on the road at Glen Helen at the opening checkpoint but Anstey had already taken 9 seconds out of him on the clock with Dan Sayle riding the Steelcote Solutions Yamaha the Kiwi’s nearest challenger, four seconds behind the race leader at Glen Helen.
Anstey moved in front on the road at Ballaugh on the opening lap and extended his race lead over the Mountain section before posting an opening lap of 119.888mph/ 18:52.960, the fastest ever lap by a 250 machine, and the first under the 19 minute barrier – all the more remarkable as it was set from a standing start.
Behind the Kiwi Dan Sayle was trying to give the Padgetts Motorcycles rider some competition but the Manx rider was already 25 seconds down with his opening lap of 117.225 with Michael Rutter on the Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati, a tribute to his father Tony, completing the top three in 116.903. Lougher (116.657) was maintaining a podium challenge just over two seconds behind Rutter with Ivan Lintin (114.950) completing the top five.
That remained the order on lap 2 with Anstey breaking his own lap one record with a lap of 120.475/ 18:47.438, the first 120mph 250cc lap in the history of the Mountain Course with the New Zealander slowing down for his pit stop.
Anstey’s record breaking opening two laps gave him a lead of over fifty seconds from Dan Sayle (117.740) with Michael Rutter maintaining his podium challenge only five seconds behind Sayle. Lougher and Ivan Lintin held fourth and fifth places respectively going into the third lap.
Dan Sayle was reported as a retirement at Garey Ford near Kerrowmoar which saw Michael Rutter move into second place at Ramsey with Lougher slotting into the final podium position but Anstey’s lead at the end of lap three after a lap of 113.233mph was a decisive seventy seconds ahead of Rutter with Lougher (111.580) a further thirteen seconds back in third place.
That remained the top three at the finish with Anstey taking the race in a new record time of / 117.853/ 1:16:50.072. Rutter’s final lap of 116.662 saw him finish in the runner-up up slot in 115.723/ 1:18.14.929 with fellow veteran Ian Lougher third in 115.665 1:18.17.289. Stuart Hall riding for Martyn Nelson Yamaha (109.416/ 1:22:45.565) was the leading privateer in eighth place.
-
The Classic TT presented by Bennetts is set to burst into life on Friday 25th August with the now traditional ‘Paddock Carnival’ at the TT Grandstand ahead of the evening’s final qualifying session and the two race days on Saturday 26th and Monday 28th August.
Eight time TT Race winner Charlie Williams will be the host for the day, which will feature upbeat music from local Jazz combo the Manx Jazz Aces and fifties tribute band ‘The Blue Jays’, who will be performing two shows on the purpose built stage behind the grandstand.
The packed line up, which is free to attend, will also include regular appearances throughout the day from Graeme Hardy who will be performing his uncanny George Formby tribute, complete with ‘Shuttleworth Snap’.
The stage behind the grandstand will also play host to a series of chat shows with motorcycling legends who will be on the Island for the Classic TT including twenty three time TT race winner John McGuinness who will be updating fans on his recovery from injury earlier in the year.
The Team Obsolete crew and Steve Plater will be talking about their upcoming Honda 6 parade lap, while a man inextricably linked to the Honda 6 – six time world champion Jim Redman MBE, will be on hand to share his experiences of racing the bike.
Other notable guests appearing include Stuart Graham, the 1967 50cc TT race winner, who also raced the Honda 6 as a teammate of Mike Hailwood.Current TT stars Dean Harrison, James Hillier, Josh Brookes, Lee Johnston and Michael Dunlop will also be appearing in the chat show during the day, previewing their Classic TT Races ahead of Saturday’s first race day.
The Purple Helmets stunt show will be bringing their riotous antics to pit lane with their heady mixture of the spectacular and farcical while Bruce Anstey has been known to join their ranks for guest appearances.
Visitors to the Classic TT celebrations will have the chance to enjoy the spectacular Concours d’Elegance, which will be held in Nobles Park, with both cars and bikes on display.
Categories include ‘Best Racing Motorcycle and Best Classic and Vintage Road Motorcycle as well as three categories for cars - pre 1946, 1946-68 and 1969-86). Anyone wishing to enter should bring their machine to the grandstand from 12 noon on Friday.The evening’s entertainment will be winding down with an outdoor screening of TT3D: Closer to the Edge in the paddock at the ‘Sundown Cinema.’
|
