ClassicRacer 15
Davies Motorsport, long-time supporter of the Classic
TT, willonce againfield regularridersWilliam Dunlop and
Alan Oversby,who willbejoined by risingTTcircuit star
DominicHerbertson, in contesting theBennetts Senior
ClassicTTand Sure Junior Classic.
In the fiveyearsthe team have supported theClassic
TTtheyhave enjoyedthreepodiums.Team owner John
Davies,who enjoyedhis ownsuccessfulManx Grand
Prix career,said: “The ClassicTThas becomethe big
event of the year forclassic racing and we arecoming
with an increased rider line-up.We want to be challenging
forthe podium in both the Seniorand Juniorraces and
we have themachineryand the riderstobeabletodo
just that.”
Five-timeTTwinnerMichael Rutter has confirmed he’ll
contest afull programmeatthis year’s ClassicTTRaces.
He will ride the1200cc RedFox GrintaRacingDucati,
whichissimilarinappearance to the factoryDucatis that
hisfatherTony rode in the 1980s. Rutter will alsocontest
theDunlopLightweight ClassicTTRace on a750cc Ducati
forthe same team.
Speakingaboutthe deal,Michael Rutter said: “I love
theClassicTTand Iamdelightedto be teamingup with
theRed FoxGrintaguys againtoracetheir immaculate
Ducatis.They are bikes thatstand outfromthe crowd
and the guys do an amazing job.They are passionate
abouteverything theydo, and hopefullywecan put
on agood showfor thefansand comeawaywithtwo
strong results.”
TeamYork Suzuki/Big Dog Classic Racing makes its
annual pilgrimagetothe ClassicTT Races withriders
David and GaryJohnson, (no relation) to contestthe
MotorsportMerchandise SuperbikeClassicTT.
David, the fastest Australianaroundthe Mountain
Course,and two-timeTTwinnerGary, ride apair of
identicallyprepared XR-69 1000cc Suzukisfor Kevin
Pearson’sYork-basedteam.DavidJohnson enjoyeda
great debutwith theteam in 2015,finishing fifth withalap
of 122.914mph.Hemissed the 2016 Classic becauseof
injuries sustainedinthe Ulster GP.
Turner Racing, owned by RogerTurner,istomakea
two-pronged attack on the Dunlop LightweightClassic
TT, withthe formidable duo of Michael Dunlopand Dan
Cooper,ridingYamahaTZ 250s. Both ridershave
two-strokebackgrounds, with Dunlop’semotion charged
NorthWest 200win beingthe mostmemorable.Cooper
has avast amount of two-stroke experience, havingwonthe 2006 125cc British Championshiponthe KRP Honda.
Dunlop, now15timesaTTwinnerand outright lap
recordholder,will compete in all four ClassicTTraces,
ridingfor BlackEagle Racinginthe Seniorand Junior
aboard MV AgustaandTeam Classic Suzukiinthe
Motorsport MerchandiseSuperbike.
Sports Motorcycles, nowbased in NewZealand,
returns to the Islandto race 39 years sincethe
legendaryMikeHailwoodcomebackonthe Bologna
twin. Long-time friend of SportsMotorcycles’ Steve
Wynne, NZ-basedYorkshireman Glyn Robinson is
keeping thename aliveand returns to theIslandwith
fellowYorkshiremanChrisSwallow. Chris,who has
alreadymade his ownmark on classicracing, with two
podiumsinthe ClassicTT,isthe son of Bill Swallow, one
of themost renowned classicracersinManx history.
Chris Swallowcommented:“WhenIhead offdown
Glencrutchery Road it will be theproudest moment of my
relatively shortTTMountain Coursecareer.Wetested the
bikeatPukekoheinNew Zealand recently; the attentionto
detail is simply brilliant,it’squick and it handles very well.”
RegularsTeam ClassicSuzuki will have athree-rider
assault, withteam owner Steve Wheatman fielding
Michael Dunlop,LeeJohnston and DannyWebbinthe
Motorsport Merchandise SuperbikeClassicTTRace.All
threeriders will ride GSXR1100Suzuki-powered XR69s.
Steve Wheatmancommented:“The ClassicTThas
quicklyturnedintoaprestigious event with ahighquality
entry, so we expect averyhard challenge. In Michael we
have aconsistentrace winnerand he will be lookingto
add to his win tally.”
PopularLincolnshire sponsor John Chapmanwill have a
large presenceatthe 2017 ClassicTTRaces.Hefieldshis
fellow countyrider Ivan Linton and ManxmanDan Kneen
on RS250 Hondasin the DunlopLightweight, andWelsh
veteranIan Lougher on an MV Agustainthe Bennetts
SeniorTTClassic Race.ThebikeLougher willride is a
perfect copyofthe three-cylinder MV AgustaGP500 that
last contested GPsin1974.
Team ownerJohn Chapmansaid: “The ClassicTTis
the mainevent of our year and we are coming with three
greatlads for2017. IanLougherisalegendand we have
worked hard to rectifythe problems we had withthe MV
Agustalast year.Dan and Ivan are twoofthe best young
riders at theTTand willdoagood job foruswith the 250
Hondas.Weare looking towards podiumfinishes forall
of them.”Steve
Spencer
Theman who finishedthird
in thefamous1967 SeniorTT,
ridingaSteve Lancefield Norton,
passedaway in May2017, just
before the 50th anniversaryof
his superbachievement.
Spencer’s efffffort is evenmore
impressivewhen it is recognised
that it wasthe year of hisTT
debut. Duringthe courseof his
ride, it is reckoned he became
the only man to lap at upwards
of 100mphon aManx Norton
withafour-speedgearbox.
Spencerhad madehis Senior
ManxGP debut in 1964, when
he retired, thenfinished fifth in
1965 andthird in 1966, before
hisTT bow. He endedhis career
in 1970, with aProductionTT
seventh and aSeniorTT 10th,
beforemakingacomeback in
the 1991 Classic Manx GP.He
qualified aNorton twin on his
first lap, but it expiredearly on
in the race.
In the 1967 races,Spencer
alsofinishedeighth in the
Junior race, on another
Lancefield Norton, despite
being beaten up fromcrashing
out of third place in the
ProductionTT on aTriumph
Bonneville –atthe time he
wasemployedasatester by
Triumph.His 1967 Senior/Junior
efforts wonhim theJoe Craig
Trophy,forbest aggregate
performancebyaBritishrider
onaBritishmachine.
SteveSpencer’sfuneralwas
heldintheWarwickshirevillage
ofPiccadilly,onJune 6 , 2017 ,
10 daysbeforethehalf-century
anniversaryofhismost
gloriousride.TOP LINE-UPFOR CLASSIC TT
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