"Team America" set for barnstorming Classic TT
There’s fifty days to go until the start of the first Classic TT but for some competitors the build-up is already well underway. Racers, and their machines, are coming from all over the world to take part in the three races over the weekend of the 23rd to 26th August.
Team Blackheart Racing are making one of the longest trips to the Isle of Man as they head over the Atlantic from Los Angeles, California. With over a month to go until the start of practices they’ve got plenty of time to get their passports in order and check their plane tickets.
The same can’t be said for their bikes, however. In order to get the team’s RC30 to the Isle of Man in time they had to pack it into a shipping container along with all their spares, plus nine other bikes from fellow ‘Team America’ riders and all their spares as well.
The container left the USA in June and is currently making its way to Europe via the Panama Canal.
This sort of dedication to racing is in the blood for father and son team Jim and Russ Granger. Blackheart Racing’s origins go back nearly 100 years to James Earl and Clema Granger who raced highly modified war planes throughout the United States.
Ever since those pioneering days Grangers have continued the quest for speed and Jim and Russ are no exception. The Los Angeles duo are bringing their 1987 Honda V4 race bike, the "Blackheart RC30" to the Isle of Man this year to test the bike in its natural habitat: the Mountain Course.
Isle of Man Mountain Course newcomer Russ says the chance to race on the hallowed 37.73 mile course couldn’t be missed: ‘The announcement of the Classic TT and the Formula 1 TT class rekindled our memories of watching Duke's videos of Joey Dunlop and Steve Hislop and leagues of privateers blasting record after record, year after year onboard their RC30s,’ adding ‘We're honoured to have the chance to close up our shop for a few weeks and, with the other six riders making up "Team America", join you all at the Island to make more history.’
The American contingent has really taken the idea of the Classic TT to heart with no fewer than five riders making the trip to the home of real road racing.
Alongside Russ in the F1 Classic will be James McKay on a Kawasaki Z1, and returning riders Wade Boyd and Dave Crussell. Dave, who made his MGP debut in 2011 will be campaigning a fearsome Yamaha TZ750. Scott Fabbro’s set to compete in the Formula Classic with a smart looking Norton 750, while England’s Mark Parrett will ride Ron Halem’s USA-based Goldstar.
The sixth member of the American posse, Bill Blythe, is making the trip across the pond to take part in the Manx Grand Prix’s Supertwin race.