By Three times New Zealand Superbike Champion Mitch Rees is primed for a first TT Races expedition.
Rees, son of NZ street racing legend Tony Rees, TT 2025 tenure, sees him compete for Clive Padgett’s fabled Milenco by Padgetts squad, on CBR 1000RR Fireblade Honda apparatus.
2022, 2023, 2024 Cemetery Circuit Races, Robert Holden Memorial Feature Race winner, the Whakatane rider also boasts the lap-record at the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘Isle of Man’.
Set to be New Zealand’s first solo TT competitor since Jay Lawrence, the good friend of reigning Senior race winner Davey Todd, stated enthusiastically about upcoming Mountain Course explorations:
“I’ve always enjoyed riding on the roads back home and so the TT has always been on my radar. It’s obviously difficult to do being from on the other side of the world and we relied on Bruce (Anstey) to fly the flag for us for many years.
But having met the likes of Davey (Todd) and Hicky (Peter Hickman) when they’ve come over to race in the NZ Suzuki Series, I started to discuss the TT with them more.
I made it over to the Island for nine days last year and loved everything about it. I did a couple of laps with Davey and going over the Mountain for the first time was pretty mind blowing especially considering the speeds that they do!”
Rees continued:
“Since then, I’ve been doing my homework, doing laps on the Play-station game and Milky Quayle’s on-board DVD to get used to the course as much as possible.
I’ll be heading to the UK in April so will head straight over to the Isle of Man to get in plenty of laps with Rider Liaison Officers Milky and Johnny Barton.
The main goal for 2025 is to be safe, learn the course and enjoy it. And with the Padgetts boys, I couldn’t ask to be with a better team.
Clive and his crew are so well known, and so successful. and if you’re going to do something, it’s best to do the job properly.”
Quotes courtesy of TT Races press team.
Photo courtesy of TT Races press team.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
