Honda have made their intentions clear for TT 2005 by returning with a full works team under the Team DMRR/Honda banner. The riders for the team; which will contest the NW200, TT and Ulster Grand Prix; are 6 times TT winner Ian lougher and Richard Britton, whose best finish was second. They will be using CBR1000RR Superbike Fireblades, CBR1000RR Superstock Fireblades and CBR600 Supersport machines at the TT.
Ian will continue to be sponsored by Blackhorse Finance in the Superstock (previously the Production race) races. He will continue to race 125cc (Mannin Collections) and 250cc machines at events other than the TT where the two stroke machines are no longer raced. Both are highly experienced riders at the TT; Ian having made his circuit debut in 1983 at the MGP; quickly showed that he was a star in the making by finishing second in the Historic TT of 1984. Richard won his class in the Newcomers MGP in 1997. He is the fastest true privateer around the TT circuit with a lap at 124.32mph.
Irish Road Racing Champion for 2004; 24 years old Martin Finnegan from Lusk will be another with pukka raceware from Honda. He will be riding under the Vitrans / Ten Kate banner in the British Superstock Championship and the major road races, including the TT. Martin will continue to enjoy support from Round Tower Racing, his main sponsor for the past two years. Martin made his TT Course debut in 2000, winning his class in the Newcomers MGP. He has made rapid progress at the TT, with his best lap being at 122.95mph. Mechanical failures robbed of leader board finishes at TT 2004.
Honda will also continue to provide support for Sidecar lap record holder and ten times winner Dave Molyneux; who with passenger Daniel Sayle; will be a firm favourite for another double in 2005.
John McGuiness is expected to announce shortly what team he will be riding for at TT 2005; no matter what team it is he will be very much the man to beat.
With less than six months to the event much activity is going on behind the scenes, with road improvements being scheduled and marshals training courses much in evidence both on and off the island. The tetra radio system will be used around the circuit following successful tests at the TT and MGP last year. Having used it, I can vouch for how good it is.
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