Quartet of top Manx riders ready themselves for TT challenge
The 2013 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy will see a strong group of local riders taking to the Mountain course.
Conor Cummins, riding for Shaun Muir’s factory-backed Milwaulkee Yamaha team, has a great chance of putting himself back on the podium.
The 26-year old was sidelined at last year’s TT by a hand injury he picked-up at the North West 200. Despite missing the year’s main event the ‘Ramsey Rocket’ put in a strong showing in the second half of the season, with podium results at the Ulster GP and Southern 100.
Anyone who doubts the quiet Manxman’s potential would do well to remember Cummins is the current Superbike race lap record holder at 131.511mph, set in 2010. That figure is also the fastest standing start lap in the event's history.
As well as the big bikes Conor will be making his debut in the Lightweight race on board one of Ryan Farquhar’s rapid KMR Kawasaki’s.
Dan Kneen’s switch to Suzuki power looked like it would give him his best ever result in last year’s opening Supersport race. He was making a strong challenge for a podium before he came off exiting Governor’s Bridge. The spill meant he missed the rest of the 2012 meeting. With more experience with the Suzukis, Kneen will be expected to again be pushing hard for top six results and to feature prominently in every race.
2013 will see the much anticipated debut for promising local Gavin Hunt, after impressing in the British Superstock 1000cc Championship where he’s been a regular points scorer since 2009. However, he’s also contested the North West 200 road races, taking a best finish of 15th in the Superstock race. He also took 16th in the Superbike race and recorded another impressive top twenty finish in the second Supersport race in 2010.
Son of former TT star and Senior Manx Grand Prix winner and current travelling marshal Paul Hunt, the Braddan rider will take on the Mountain Course onboard the JAR Kawasaki and will campaign the ZX-10R in the Dainese Superbike, Royal London 360º Superstock and Pokerstars Senior races. The 26-year old is sure to benefit from the experience of his father who competed at the TT between 1986 and 2008, taking a best finish of 4th in the 2005 Superstock race.
Completing the quartet is Dan Kneen's brother Ryan. Like his brother, Ryan began his TT Mountain Course career at the Manx Grand Prix and also, like his brother, won the newcomers race, taking the honours in the 'A' race in 2008. He also took podiums in the Senior and Senior Classic in 2009. After a year away, he'll be keen to get to grips with the challenge of racing on the Mountain Course again.
Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government commented: "It's great to see such a strong local representation at the TT races. Conor and Dan will both be challenging for honours but in Gavin and Ryan we have two future stars of the TT as well. It bodes really well for the Island to have such talented riders competing in the races."