THE ISLE OF MAN TT RACES 2006 – THE ULTIMATE ROAD RACE
18 January 2006 - Isle of Man

The Isle of Man TT Races continues to capture the imagination of race fans from around the world and the famous event can boast a bright and exciting future as the TT builds up to its centenary year.

TT 2006 promises to be one of the best and most competitive yet. The TT Co-ordinating Committee anticipates that all solo classes will be oversubscribed with the highest quality field in the event’s 99-year history. As in 2005, there will also be a number of highly talented newcomers who will pit their skills against the famous Mountain Circuit.

With the best line-up of sidecars anywhere in the world and a number of brand new festival events, TT 2006 is not to be missed!

2005 was a fantastic year for the TT with six different winners from seven races and an astonishing 13 different podium finishers, including four for the first time. TT 2005 also saw all four major Japanese manufacturers win around the TT Circuit in the same year for the first time. It was a terrific year for newcomers at the TT too, with many making a major impact on the result sheets.

Must see TV!

The TT also enjoyed considerable success elsewhere, not least on television, where it became ‘must see’ viewing for bike sport fans. BBC Grandstand aired a one hour highlights programme which became the third most viewed motor cycle sport programme in the UK during 2005 tripling the normal audience figure. In 2005 the TT was beamed into one billion households worldwide in over 140 countries with a total of 102 hours of footage being shown. In addition to these figures a total of 16 intercontinental airlines have shown TT highlights on their flights during the past year.

The success of TT 2005 is set to continue with this year’s exciting festival. For 2006, a new streamlined race format will again see all four Japanese manufacturers represented at the TT in an official capacity. Established teams from British Superbike and, for the first time, World Superbike will also be present.

TT 2006 will see an increased focus on the popular sidecar classes with the very best line up of sidecar teams anywhere on Earth. The three-wheelers will be doing battle for the world’s largest prize fund on the world’s most famous race circuit. The popular Classic Nostalgia Weekend also returns for the third year, and will once again bring the festival to a fitting climax.

In addition to the breath-taking action, there are a number of exciting new events for race fans. TT 2006 will also see more opportunities for fans to interact with their heroes, through events like the TT Chat Show, and the brand new Paddock Walkabout.

Another exciting development has seen the appointment of Signature Sponsorship to manage commercial and sponsorship contracts for the Isle of Man TT for a period of three years from 2006 to 2008. Signature Sponsorship will work closely with the Department of Tourism and Leisure setting up all commercial contracts and in the negotiation and account management of all TT sponsorship contracts. Signature will also play a key role in the development of the TT branding associated with the world renowned TT races.

Signature Sponsorship’s client portfolio is extensive and includes sponsorship, event and hospitality management in Formula 1 motorsport for both Shell and Foster’s – as well as extensive work in Moto GP and the Superbike World Championship with Ducati.

With more exciting developments on the way, fans of this great event can look forward to a great TT 2006 and beyond.

The TT Co-ordinating Committee is looking forward to welcoming back the thousands of TT fans to our unique Island for the World’s Ultimate Road Race.

Investing in the future

The TT Co-ordinating Committee has been working hard to ensure this year’s races are a great success. Focus has not only been on the high quality of racing, but also the event’s infrastructure and most importantly safety.

Significant investment is planned for TT 2006 and beyond with the regeneration of the grandstand and the implementation of the latest race technologies and safety products.

As with all motorsport, safety has to be of utmost importance for race organisers, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the Isle of Man TT Races. The TT Co-ordinating Committee is ensuring that everything that can be done is being done to improve safety around the famous circuit with improvements to the course and the marshalling of the races.

In the summer of 2005 an in-depth circuit study was carried out on behalf of the TT Co-ordinating Committee in conjunction with TT competitors and the Isle of Man Department of Transport. Following this study, a number of safety improvements will be made. These will include the relocation of some of the ‘roadside furniture’, the construction of run-off areas, and the introduction of the highly successful Recticel Safeguard barriers.

The overall aim of the circuit study will eventually see all straw bales replaced around the TT Circuit and the Safeguard barriers will also protect many new areas. This process is already underway, and a minimum of £30,000 worth of new barriers and pole protectors will be in place around the TT Circuit in time for TT 2006.

Marshalling matters

2006 will also see the improvement of marshalling standards around the TT Circuit. The organizers have been working closely with the TT Marshals Association and the ACU on a number of initiatives and to enable this to happen the overall budget for marshalling the TT circuit in 2006 has trebled on the 2005 figure. TT 2006 will see a further increase in the number of trained Marshals, Deputy Sector Marshals and Official Flag Marshals. There will also be an increase in the number of training days on and off Island with more training given prior to practicing. In addition, the employment of more TETRA radio systems and ‘Response Cars’ will further advance marshalling standards around the circuit.

The efforts of all marshals are greatly appreciated by the TT organisers and TT 2006 will see the introduction of more incentives, rewards and special prizes for everyone signing on. All marshals signing on for TT 2006 will receive free admission into a number of different events during the TT period. In addition to this all marshals names will be entered into a prize draw to win exclusive prizes.

World stars set to battle at TT06

With everything in place to ensure a safe and successful TT fortnight, attention can be switched to the outstanding entry list. Without doubt the overall entry for the 2006 TT Races will be the strongest ever to have been assembled, with 11 previous winners, two former World Champions and top riders from British Superbike, AMA Superbike and Irish Road Racing.

Heading the solo entry will be outright lap record holder and eight-time previous winner John McGuinness riding for the factory HM Plant Honda team. Joining John on Honda machinery will be Dubliner, Martin Finnegan, who will be in action for World Superbike team Klaffi Honda. Also Honda mounted will be seven- time winner, Ian Lougher, who will ride for Paul Bird’s Stobart Honda British Superbike team.

Suzuki will be represented by Ulster- based TAS Suzuki, who contest the British Supersport Championship. Armed with factory Superbike machines, they will be looking for success with four-time winner Bruce Anstey, and two-time winner Ryan Farquhar.

Yamaha will be represented by three more of the most talented TT racers. Guy Martin will ride for AIM Racing - winners of both Superbike races in 2005, Jason Griffiths will ride for Yamaha UK and three-time former winner, Adrian Archibald, will ride for Irish team, Team Racing.

Kawasaki return to the TT supporting Irish outfit, McAdoo Racing. Having already won a TT with previous rider Ryan Farquhar in 2004, McAdoo are back looking for further success with the highly rated Yorkshireman, Ian Hutchinson.

The 2006 TT will also play host to many other top road racing teams and riders. Uel Duncan Racing will bring back two of the most successful 2005 TT newcomers, Scotland’s Les Shand and Australian Cameron Donald. Fresh from Manx Grand Prix success, Seamus Greene will again ride for the Martin Bullock Raceteam. More riders chasing success are CD Racing’s Rob Frost, JD’s Raymond Porter, John Donnan, and Ken Doherty, and DMRR’s Davy Morgan and Keith Stewart. The quality entry list continues with many top privateers such as Jun Maeda, Nigel Beattie, Chris Palmer, Chris Heath, Mark Parrett, Gary Carswell, Paul Hunt and Ian Armstrong.

There will also be a whole host of newcomers who will be out to emulate the achievements of their predecessors of twelve months ago. Heading the list is AMA road racing star Mark Miller from California. Mark has been a regular top-ten finisher in AMA Superbike, Superstock and Formula Xtreme for the past decade and has previously beaten none other than TT record holder John McGuinness around the Macau GP Street Circuit.

2006 will also see the welcome return of the Dunlop name to the TT. Twenty-year-old William Dunlop, son of Robert and nephew of the late great Joey, is taking up the TT challenge. William is Ireland’s most promising young rider having already beaten many of the best.

Scottish rider Mark Buckley takes up the TT challenge in 2006 having already enjoyed success in the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. Mark is the protégé of TT legend Ian Lougher and will ride in a team managed by Ian in the colours of Blackhorse Motorcycle Finance.

Cheshire’s Tim Poole also makes his TT debut in 2006. Tim has already established himself as a fast and consistent road racer, taking wins at the Southern 100 – also held on the Isle of Man.

Dave Molyneux heads the sidecar entry in the colours of the official HM Plant Honda squad. The 11-time winner will face fellow locals and race winners, Nick Crowe and Darren Hope. Steve Norbury and Scott Parnell, Simon Neary and Stuart Bond, John Holden and John Winn, and Roy Hanks and Dave Wells will be amongst the other leading crews looking to do battle for a place on the rostrum.

In their third year at the TT, former World Champions Klaus Klaffenbock and Christian Parzer will be out to score their first podium finish with an all-new prototype LCR Honda machine.

The final word was left to Chairman of the TT Co-ordinating Committee David Cretney MHK:

“I am delighted with the progress being made ahead of TT 2006. Everything is in place to make it one of the best in recent history, with a superb entry, and significant improvements being made at all levels of the event, most notably with regards to safety. As we build up to our centenary event, the TT is in a strong position as a world renowned motorsport event, and with the significant investment being made into the events infrastructure, we can look forward to a long and successful future for the Isle of Man TT, well past TT 2007.”

TT 2006 is set to be one of the best ever, and with further exciting announcements to come, it is one race not to be missed! Keep up to date with all the news by logging on to www.visitisleofman.com or call 01624 686766.

Picture: Outright Lap Record Holder John McGuinness serves dinner to fellow TT aces Martin Finnegan, Ian Lougher, Adrian Archibald, Ian Hutchinson and Ryan Farquhar at Castle Rushen situated at the centre of Mann''s historic capital, Castletown, one of Europe''s most finely preserved medieval castles.

www.iomtt.com

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