TOP LINE-UP FOR CLASSIC TT

Davies Motorsport, long-time supporter of the Classic TT, will once again field regular riders William Dunlop and Alan Oversby, who will be joined by risingtt circuit star Dominic Herbertson, in contesting the Bennetts Senior Classictt and Sure Junior Classic. In the five years the team have supported the Classic TT they have enjoyed three podiums.team owner John Davies, who enjoyed his own successful Manx Grand Prix career, said: “The Classictt has become the big event of the year for classic racing and we are coming with an increased rider line-up. We want to be challenging for the podium in both the Senior and Junior races and we have the machinery and the riders to be able to do just that.” Five-timett winner Michael Rutter has confirmed he’ll contest a full programme at this year’s Classictt Races. He will ride the 1200cc Red Fox Grinta Racing Ducati, which is similar in appearance to the factory Ducatis that his fathertony rode in the 1980s. Rutter will also contest the Dunlop Lightweight Classictt Race on a 750cc Ducati for the same team. Speaking about the deal, Michael Rutter said: “I love the Classic TT and I am delighted to be teaming up with the Red Fox Grinta guys again to race their immaculate Ducatis. They are bikes that stand out from the crowd and the guys do an amazing job. They are passionate about everything they do, and hopefully we can put on a good show for the fans and come away with two strong results.” Teamyork Suzuki/big Dog Classic Racing makes its annual pilgrimage to the Classic TT Races with riders David and Gary Johnson, (no relation) to contest the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Classic TT. David, the fastest Australian around the Mountain Course, and two-timett winner Gary, ride a pair of identically prepared XR-69 1000cc Suzukis for Kevin Pearson’syork-based team. David Johnson enjoyed a great debut with the team in 2015, finishing fifth with a lap of 122.914mph. He missed the 2016 Classic because of injuries sustained in the Ulster GP. Turner Racing, owned by Rogerturner, is to make a two-pronged attack on the Dunlop Lightweight Classic TT, with the formidable duo of Michael Dunlop and Dan Cooper, ridingyamahatz 250s. Both riders have two-stroke backgrounds, with Dunlop’s emotion charged North West 200 win being the most memorable. Cooper has a vast amount of two-stroke experience, having won the 2006 125cc British Championship on the KRP Honda. Dunlop, now 15 times ATT winner and outright lap record holder, will compete in all four Classictt races, riding for Black Eagle Racing in the Senior and Junior aboard MV Agusta andteam Classic Suzuki in the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike. Sports Motorcycles, now based in New Zealand, returns to the Island to race 39 years since the legendary Mike Hailwood comeback on the Bologna twin. Long-time friend of Sports Motorcycles’ Steve Wynne, Nz-basedyorkshireman Glyn Robinson is keeping the name alive and returns to the Island with fellow Yorkshireman Chris Swallow. Chris, who has already made his own mark on classic racing, with two podiums in the Classic TT, is the son of Bill Swallow, one of the most renowned classic racers in Manx history. Chris Swallow commented: “When I head off down Glencrutchery Road it will be the proudest moment of my relatively shorttt Mountain Course career. We tested the bike at Pukekohe in New Zealand recently; the attention to detail is simply brilliant, it’s quick and it handles very well.” Regularsteam Classic Suzuki will have a three-rider assault, with team owner Steve Wheatman fielding Michael Dunlop, Lee Johnston and Danny Webb in the Motorsport Merchandise Superbike Classictt Race. All three riders will ride GSXR1100 Suzuki-powered XR69S. Steve Wheatman commented: “The Classictt has quickly turned into a prestigious event with a high quality entry, so we expect a very hard challenge. In Michael we have a consistent race winner and he will be looking to add to his win tally.” Popular Lincolnshire sponsor John Chapman will have a large presence at the 2017 Classictt Races. He fields his fellow county rider Ivan Linton and Manxman Dan Kneen on RS250 Hondas in the Dunlop Lightweight, and Welsh veteran Ian Lougher on an MV Agusta in the Bennetts Seniortt Classic Race.the bike Lougher will ride is a perfect copy of the three-cylinder MV Agusta GP 500 that last contested GPS in 1974. Team owner John Chapman said: “The Classictt is the main event of our year and we are coming with three great lads for 2017. Ian Lougher is a legend and we have worked hard to rectify the problems we had with the MV Agusta last year. Dan and Ivan are two of the best young riders at thett and will do a good job for us with the 250 Hondas. We are looking towards podium finishes for all of them.”