By Loading, loading, loading, the 2026 Classic TT Races, nears as each minute, hour, day passes by.
More enterprising pre-event news has been issued this morning, principally on Historic Senior Classic contest seeds.
Same as last year, twenty-three times TT winner John McGuinness MBE holds the No.1 plate.
Three times category victor, the Morecambe road-race great is again astride immaculately prepared Team Winfield Paton tackle.
Reigning class conqueror, Armoy ‘Race of Legends’ winner Michael Browne (Peter Lodge Racing – ES2 Norton) follows ten seconds later.
2026 Superbike and Senior TT race winner Dean Harrison (Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof – Manx Norton) is next away, then its’ team-mate, fellow Yorkshireman Jamie Coward.
Class winner in 2024, Banbridge ace Shaun Anderson (Peter Beugger Racing – BIC 500 Paton) goes next.
Then it is the turn of 144 times Irish road race winner, TT wins record-holder Michael Dunlop MBE, who joins forces with the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV crew, riding 500 Royal Enfield equipment.
Eight, nine, ten plate holders are Joe Yeardsley (switches to Ruthless Racing – CB500/4 Honda), Ulster Road Race Supersport Champion Paul Jordan (Davies Motorsport – T500 Suzuki) and TT Privateers Champion, Martin Ireland Racing’s Barry Furber.
Scheduled, eleventh competitor to power down Bray Hill is twelve times top three TT finisher, Conor Cummins, jockeying Steadplan Racing Honda apparatus.
‘Davo’ David Johnson with Hercock Racing New Zealand’s Manx Norton occupies the 12-plate whilst plate numbers fourteen, fifteen and sixteen have been assigned to MV Agusta exotica propelled, John Chapman Racing’s Dan Sayle, CSC Racing/IMS Ltd backed Michael Sweeney and Classics racing specialist, Minnovation Racing’s MK2 Seeley mounted Will Loder.
Rounding out the seeded starters are new IMS/CSC Racing signing Maurizio Bottalico, 2024 Junior Classics Manx Grand Prix winner Harley Rushton (G50 Matchless apparated, jointly sponsored by Chris Hughes Racing and Ted Woof), Dutch rider Desmo 500 Ducati vaulted Jeffrey Vermeulen and K&L (Kennedy & Louden) Racing/John M Patterson Ltd supported Andy Hornby.
2026 Historic Senior Classic TT – First Twenty Starters Re-Cap:
1 – John McGuinness MBE
2 – Michael Browne
3 – Dean Harrison
4 – Jamie Coward
5 – Shaun Anderson
6 – Michael Dunlop MBE
7 – No starter at present
8 – Joe Yeardsley
9 – Paul Jordan
10 – Barry Furber
11 – Conor Cummins
12 – David Johnson
13 – No starter at present
14 – Dan Sayle
15 – Michael Sweeney
16 – Will Loder
17 – Maurizio Bottalico
18 – Harley Rushton
19 – Jeffrey Vermeulen
20 – Andy Hornby
Photo credit: Nick Wheeler
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
