A North West 200, Southern 100, Classic TT podium finisher, third within the inaugural Super Twins MGP from 2011, Goole roads favourite Phil Harvey is the next racer to take part in Road Racing News, rising in popularity Manx GP Top 6 series.
Harvey who has secured no less than 24 TT replica finishes, answers to the Mountain Course themed set of questions are as follows:
Q1: When you first competed at the Manx, what was your first initial thought of the Mountain Course?
“I was very late going to the Manx because in 1995 when my time came to race on the Mountain Course they didn’t do the 125cc machines which was my class, so 2009 was my first MGP after missing a few TT’s to be eligible. So my first initial thoughts were very different to most.”
Q2: Most memorable Manx GP bike?
“My 250cc Honda that I bought brand new in 2007 and is still my favourite machine and my pride and joy.”
Photo by Nick Wheeler
Q3: Most treasured memory from the Manx?
“I only did the 3 years in the MGP races and it was in my final year competing in 2011, when I had the podium finishing in 3rd place after leading for most of that race.
It was the very first Super-Twin race that was run on the Mountain Course before it was launched at the TT, I knew they needed a Super-Twin to win that year!
Q4: Is there one specific Manx GP competitor that you look up to?
“It will always be the late Dean Silvester who rode and won on a range of bikes for my great friends Steve & Chris Caffyn of CSC Racing.
He was so unassuming and you would never associate him as a racer at the time and he amazed me how he could just pull the pin straight out the gate.”
Q5: Describe the Manx GP in one word?
“Distinctive”
Q6: Finally, if you could race one machine from any series, championship around the Mountain Course, what would it be?
“I would love to ride the 500cc Suter two-stroke or any of the 500cc machines from the two stroke GP era.”
Words by Stevie Rial