More than 20 countries represented at the 2009 Isle of Man TT
Thursday 02 April 2009
TT
More than 20 countries will be represented at the 2009 Isle of Man TT.
Registration for the event has closed, and numbers are up on 2008 – with all the main solo classes oversubscribed. Each of the five solo races has a complete grid of 80 riders with further reserves in place
The biggest stars in road racing are among the riders confirmed for TT 2009, including 14-times winner John McGuinness, Bruce Anstey, Cameron Donald, Ian Lougher and Michael Rutter. There are also a number of rising stars back for another taste of the Mountain Circuit as well as several exciting newscomers.
England has the most representatives, with 77 riders entered across the Solo and Sidecar classes, while Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man have the second highest number with 12 each. Scotland is next with nine, followed by the Republic of Ireland with six.
Wales has five riders, including seven-time TT winner Ian Lougher, who will be competing in his 100th TT race during the fortnight.
There are 21 riders from other European countries, with Italy leading the way with six participants. France has five riders, with four from Germany and two Spanish competitors.
Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria and Sweden each have one representative.
The growing popularity of the TT races in the USA is reflected by the fact there will be six American riders this year.
Mark Miller is the nation’s fastest rider, with a TT lap record of 121.756mph, and former AMA Superstock Champion Jimmy Moore, the second fastest American around the Mountain circuit, will be out to challenge Miller’s US lap record.
Team Blackhorse Motorcycle Finance will field Japanese rider Yoshinari Matsushita and Argentina’s David Parades.
The TT continues to attract world-class teams, including 13 outfits from the British championships and two FIM World Endurance Championship teams.
Among the 20 solo newcomers debuting at the 2009 TT are riders with experience in the British Superbike, Superstock and Supersport championships, Macau GP, World Supersport, AMA Superbike and Irish, Scottish, Czech Republic, Italian and Japanese championships.
Plus, 13 former Manx Grand Prix winners will be appearing in the TT, with triple champion Manxman Dan Kneen eager to prove his mettle after his record-breaking feats in 2008.
The solo field includes nine former champions, with a total of 41 wins between them, including Steve Plater, Ryan Farquhar, Chris Palmer, Adrian Archibald and Ian Hutchinson.
The lap record holders from all five classes will also be returning to improve their times. In all, 40 riders who have lapped faster than 120mph will be reappearing in 2009.
There are 53 crews lining up for the 2009 Sure Mobile Sidecar Races including, 12 sidecar drivers who have already recorded laps of 110mph+ on the Mountain Course. There are three former sidecar winners – Dave Molyneux, Nick Crowe and Roy Hanks, who have a total of 19 TT victories between them. Former FIM World Sidecar Champions Klaus Klaffenböck and Tim Reeves are back, eager to add their names to the roll of honour, and the Birchall brothers, Ben and Tom, who achieved their first world championship race win in Croatia last year, will make their TT debuts.
Tourism and Leisure Minister Martyn Quayle said:
‘This reflects upon some great work by the TT Festival and Motorsport Arrangements Group and the TT Rider Liaison Officers who have worked really hard throughout the winter months on scouting and recruiting riders to compete.’
‘It’s also proof of the TT’s enduring popularity that even in tough economic times the TT is able to attract an international field of such high quality teams and riders.’
Entries have also closed for the 2009 Billown TT Races with large fields entered in both the 125cc Ultra Lightweight and 250cc Lightweight Races. A detailed announcement regarding the entry will follow in the next week.