Latest news with #ManTT
Belfast Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Deflated' Davey Todd reveals frustration with lacklustre preparation going into Isle of Man TT
Senior TT winner Davey Todd hasn't had the preparation he was hoping for going into the 2025 event with new team 8TEN Racing. Todd, who clinched his first victories at the Isle of Man TT in 2024 with wins in the Superstock and Senior races, co-owns the team along with 14-time TT winner Peter Hickman.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Browne joins KTS Racing for TT after Coward ruled out
Republic of Ireland rider Mike Browne is to ride for KTS Racing in the 1000cc classes at the Isle of Man TT after the team's regular rider Jamie Coward was ruled out of the event through injury. Coward confirmed earlier this week that he was withdrawing from the TT because of injuries sustained in a crash at the recent North West 200 international road races in Northern Ireland. Browne will now be on board Honda machinery for the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races. The Cork rider had been scheduled to ride BMW bikes for the MLav Racing outfit, for whom he competed at the North West. Browne will retain his Yamaha ride with BPE by Russell Racing for the Supersport races and his KMR Kawasaki machine for the Supertwins outings. The 34-year-old made his TT debut in 2019 and has achieved two podium finishes to date, along with a personal best lap of 130.872mph. "Firstly, I would like to wish Jamie a speedy recovery. I am very keen to get going with the KTS Racing team and have high hopes to better the results of last year," said Browne. Meanwhile, KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Team Owner, Kevin Watret added: "We are all gutted to have Jamie injured following his off at the North West 200 and wish him a speedy recovery. "We welcome Mike on board with KTS. Let's see if we can get him some good results."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dunlop takes NW200 Supersport and Superstock double
Michael Dunlop secured a win double in the Supersport and Superstock classes in Thursday night's racing at the North West 200. The victories were the Northern Ireland rider's first at the event since 2016 and took his overall career tally of North West successes to seven. Dunlop clinched a dramatic win in the opening Supersport race by blasting past eventual runner-up Richard Cooper on the run to Mather's Cross on the final lap and went on to win by a margin of just 0.378 seconds. For the 36-year-old, it was only his second victory in the class at the North West, although he has dominated the middleweight category at the Isle of Man TT, where he has won a record 13 Supersport races. The Northern Ireland rider was having his first outing at an international road race on a V2 Ducati, having previously campaigned Yamaha machinery in the category. Dunlop set a new lap record on his final circuit at 118.65mph, with Davey Todd taking third behind Cooper, and Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman and Jamie Coward making up the top six leaderboard. The top five had been involved in a thrilling battle throughout, with just tenths of a second separating them during the four-lap race. Dunlop was fifth after lap one, fourth after the second lap and third after lap three, before making up ground and executing his decisive move. "It's nice to win back in Northern Ireland, especially at international level," a delighted Dunlop told BBC Sport NI after the race. "I got myself into the right place at the right time and thought that it was time to get my finger out. "I really enjoyed it and knew I always had it in me to ride well here." The Ballymoney man made light of suffering the after-effects of a spill in Superstock qualifying earlier on Thursday by occupying the top spot on the podium. "I damaged the shoulder a wee bit and struggled to brake a bit. It's not 100% but I can't complain. I'll keep the head down." Todd races to first North West 200 Superbike win Dunlop claimed his second win of the night by sealing his second NW200 Superstock triumph of his career. The county Antrim man was back in fourth after the opening circuit, with polesitter Todd establishing a substantial advantage of 2.1 seconds over Ian Hutchinson and Harrison. A second-lap charge by Dunlop moved him up to second, within 0.58 seconds of the leader, and by the end of lap three he led Harrison by 0.8 seconds. The BMW rider had hit the front on the fast run to University as his rival Todd lost significant ground when he went straight on at the same section of the course. Dunlop put in the fastest lap of the race on his final circuit for good measure, his speed of 124.392mph marginally outside Hickman's two-year-old Supersport benchmark. "I've proved I'm still fast. I knew the Superstock race was going to be hot and heavy," Dunlop told BBC Sport NI afterwards. "It's been a long time since I came here fully fit and after my spill earlier on Thursday I thought 'here we go again' but I've overcome it and won two races." Harrison was second, Hutchinson finished third, Todd took fourth and Hickman fifth, his chances of a higher placing scuppered by going straight on at the Magherabuoy chicane on lap one. 1 Michael Dunlop (NI, Ducati) 2 Richard Cooper (Eng, Yamaha) 3 Davey Todd (Eng, Honda) 4 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda) 5 Peter Hickman (Eng, Triumph) 6 Jamie Coward (Eng, Triumph) 7 Mike Browne (RoI, Yamaha) 8 Adam McLean (NI, Yamaha) 1 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW) 2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda) 3 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW) 4 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW) 5 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW) 6 Josh Brookes (Aus, BMW) 7 Conor Cummins (IOM, BMW) 8 Michael Evans (IOM, Honda)
Scoop
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Rees Heads To Isle Of Man
Recently crowned New Zealand superbike champion Mitch Rees is about to fulfil a long-held ambition – to compete at the Isle of Man TT. The TT, which begins on May 26, will be the culmination of a busy few weeks in the United Kingdom for the 32-year-old Whakatane motorcycle dealer and wife Mihi. Rees is also competing beforehand in two rounds of the British Superbike Championship as well as the famed Northwest 200 in Northern Ireland. He admits the TT is a "bucket list" item. "It's probably something I've always wanted to do," Rees says. "I went there and watched it last year and knew I wanted to race there." Rees will be the latest in a line of Kiwis who have taken up the challenge of the 60.7km island road circuit. A handful have succeeded in winning a coveted TT race, including four times world champion Hugh Anderson (twice), and more recently three-time winner Graeme Crosby and Bruce Anstey, whose 12 wins sets him among the TT greats. Other New Zealand winners are Paul Williams (2), Rod Coleman (1), Dennis Ireland (1) and Brett Richmond (1). Rees will be riding a Honda CB1000RR-R for Anstey's former team, Padgetts – a prized ride with one of the event's most successful entrants. However, the three-time New Zealand champion is under no illusions about the enormity of the task. "The biggest thing is to spend time there and learn it," Rees says. "I have to take my time because it is so long and so fast ... so fast. "It requires a completely different mindset compared with a New Zealand short circuit race track." Rees is quick to point to the support and advice he is receiving from close friend and two-time TT winner Yorkshireman Davey Todd. "Davey and I get on like a house on fire and he has guided me and his memories of being a TT newcomer are still quite fresh." Rees recently spent four days on the island, completed many laps – on four wheels – and undertook familiarisation and induction sessions with race authorities. "I'm following advice and doing it right. "I'm doing my homework and we'll be living with Davey so I'll be spending every minute listening and learning from him. "It's an exciting new challenge." Rees will be contesting both superbike and superstock classes, making changes to his Honda to suit class regulations. Before then, he will compete in the superstock class in rounds of the BSB at Oulton Park and Donington Park, and crossing the Irish Sea for the Northwest 200, a traditional warm-up to the TT. "It's all a steep learning curve but we have test days scheduled, including at Oulton and Donington." While reluctant to quote a cost for his UK race programme, Rees says he has secured a very good deal, but still has expenses that have to be met, including tyres – "so all sponsors welcome." "Yes, I do feel privileged to be in this situation, but I think I have earned it. "I have come off one of the best season's I have ever had; probably one of the best any New Zealand rider has had." Rees said the planning for the UK racing venture began about five months ago and he had welcomed the chance to pit himself against Todd and fellow Briton Peter Hickman when they contested the Suzuki Series in New Zealand late last year. "I gave Davey and Peter a bit of a tune-up; we were all trying, breaking records and pushing hard – and crashing, too." Rees has no plans for more UK events after the TT, though the door remains open. "Team boss Clive Padgett has talked about an extension to our agreement, but I will have taken so much time off away from the business that it will already be a case of re-introducing myself to the staff." To help fund his racing, Rees and his wife have organised a raffle, where his New Zealand sponsors have contributed to a big prize pool. "Honda have given a bike worth about $3500, plus there is product from Snap-on, Motul, Alpinestars and we're also adding two Isle of Man TT viewer passes from their app. "Keep an eye open for details – it's $50 a ticket – and we thank everyone who supports it." While Rees says he has no hang-ups or superstitions about race numbers, he has adopted No.92 as his preferred choice on his bikes. It was the number used by his late brother Damon, who died in 2023 from a sudden unexpected medical condition while pursing a racing career in the UK. "Clive Padgett has entered me under that number for the BSB and Northwest, which is neat. "The TT organisers also asked me if I had any superstitions about race numbers and they subsequently told me my start and race number would be 29, which is 92 backwards, Damo's number." Rees is one of several New Zealand motorcycle racers competing internationally this year. Cormac Buchanan recently made his World Championship debut in the Moto3 class, where he has already scored points. Avalon Lewis and Billee Fuller have begun their Women's World Championship campaign in Europe, while Shane Richardson and Morgan McLaren-Wood are contesting support classes in the British Superbike Championship. Jean Turner is dividing his time between racing in Europe and Japan. Haydn Fordyce is racing in Asia and Tyler King, Nixon Frost, Hunter Charlett and Alvin Wu are competing in Australia.
