By Just as in the RST Superbike, Royal London 360 Quantum Superstock and Pokerstars Senior races, Padgetts Racing’s Conor Cummins will hold the coveted number 1 plate, for the four lap Monster Energy Supersport races.
The Ramsey racer, whilst not largely touted as a Supersport specialist, is not to be underestimated within the middleweight category, which also applies to Quattro Plant/JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Hillier, who like Cummins retains the start number he will use for the 1000cc races, carrying the 2 plate.
In contrast to the big bike encounters, Lee Johnston’s 600 TT quest with Padgetts Racing will see him switch to the illustrious three plate, previously used by the two most successful TT riders of all time, John McGuinness and Joey Dunlop.
Places 4,5 and 6 six within the starting order respectively between them have 32 TT wins, Honda Racing’s Ian Hutchinson (4), Silicone Engineering Racing’s Dean Harrison (5) and class lap record holder Michael Dunlop (6).
The remainder of the scheduled first ten starters are Lee Hardy Racing’s 675 Daytona Triumph mounted Gary Johnson (7), Dan Kneen (8), William Dunlop (9) and the TROOPER backed Peter Hickman (10).
Josh Brookes (11) recently confirmed to pilot McAMS Yamaha’s Supersport machine is next away, Riders Motorcycles Martin Jessopp holds the 12 plate, whilst Bathams SMT Racing’s Michael Rutter, Australia’s quickest Mountain Course competitor David Johnson, respectively hold the 14 and 15 plates.
Next down Glencrutchery road behind Adelaide’s Johnson will be Hebden Bridge’s Jamie Coward, who’s set to pilot a high spec Yamaha for PreZ Racing.
Concluding the 20 seeded competitors are Steve Mercer (17), Dafabet Devitt Racing’s Ivan Lintin (18) and Cookstown Supersport winner, McAdoo Kawasaki’s James Cowton (19).
Outside of the seeded runners, added notable start numbers recently unveiled have included Duke Road Race Rankings Championship leader Derek McGee (27), Sam West (29), Kamil Holan (33), Adam McLean (34), Dan Cooper (37) and Team ILR’s Joe Thompson (51).
Full re cap of the first 20 starters, for the 2018 Monster Energy Supersport TT races, are as follows:
1 Conor Cummins
2 James Hillier
3 Lee Johnston
4 Ian Hutchinson
5 Dean Harrison
6 Michael Dunlop
7 Gary Johnson
8 Dan Kneen
9 William Dunlop
10 Peter Hickman
11 Josh Brookes
12 Martin Jessopp
13
14 Michael Rutter
15 David Johnson
16 Jamie Coward
17 Steve Mercer
18 Ivan Lintin
19 James Cowton
Words by Stevie Rial
