By TT privateers championship 2013 preview
With the Isle of Man TT being only three months away one, the TT privateers championship for 2013 looks like being one of the most keenly contested events at this years Isle of Man TT. The championship was first won in 2010 by James Mcbride then in 2011 Ian Mackman took championship victory whilst most recently in 2012 Dan Stewart took the TT privateers championship.
Dan will once again be back at the TT this year riding for the Wilcock Consulting team on Honda machinery in the superbike, superstock, supersport and senior TT races. 2nd place finisher in the TT privateers championship in 2012 Dan Cooper is this year all set for his 4th Isle of Man TT competing once again for the experienced Centurion racing team. Dan’s also is a former 125 British champion and his experience on the smaller two stroke bikes will come in handy when competing for the first time this year in the lightweight TT race on a Kawasaki ER-6 super-twin.
One of the most innovative bikes at this years Isle of Man TT is the moto 2 prototype bike being built by students from Huddersfield university. Top 10 TT finisher Roy Richardson will be riding for the team in the senior TT race this year. Known most of all for his famous pink helmet popular road racer Davy Morgan is aiming for top results at the Isle of Man TT this year. Davy’s being close before to winning the TT privateers championship finishing 3rd in 2010 and in 2012 finishing 6th overall.
Rising road racing star Ivan Lintin is another rider who could be in the running to win this years TT privateers championship. Ivan will for this years TT be competing on Kawasaki machinery in the supersport and lightweight TT races. In the lightweight TT race this year Ivan is competing for the Mckinstry racing team on a Kawasaki ER6, Ivan will be aiming for at least a top 5 finish in the lightweight TT this year.
Having made his TT debut back in 2009 Ben Wylie is a fast rising star on roads circuits having last season achieved a debut podium finish at a road race circuit at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough at the Cock of the north road races. Ben for this years TT will be riding for the AFC motorsport team who themselves made their TT debut in 2012 competing in the lightweight TT. The Isle of Man is represented well in this years TT privateers championship.
One of the top road racers from the Isle of Man Dan Kneen will be aiming this year to win his first TT privateers championship. Dan is for this years TT riding for the Mark Blooms racing Suzuki team. Dan’s best TT result so far in his TT career has been a 5th place finish in the opening supersport TT race of 2010 finishing only marginally behind Keith Amor in 4th place. This year may well see Dan achieve a debut TT podium finish, even though it would not be Dan’s first time on top of the podium whilst competing in a race on the mountain course.
That came when Dan took two wins in the Manx grand prix of 2008 winning the newcomers C race whilst also taking an eye catching junior Manx grand prix win. 2008 also saw Dan’s brother Ryan Kneen take to the mountain course for the first time which saw Ryan take victory in the newcomers A race. 2013 will see for the first time Ryan competing at the TT. Ryan for this year will be competing in the two supersport TT races on Kawasaki machinery. Another rider who has competed in the Manx grand prix but not at the Isle of Man TT is Derek Shiels. But for 2013 Derek is for the first time entering the Isle of Man TT.
Derek will be riding for the CD racing team on Kawasaki machinery in the superbike, superstock and senior TT races. Derek is also at this years TT competing in the two supersport races riding for the T&M racing team this time on a Honda CBR-600 supersport bike. Having already proved he can mix it with the top riders at the international road races which has included a top six finish at the Scarborough gold cup in 2010, Derek Shiels is a rider many will be watching closely at the Isle of Man TT this year.
5th place finisher in the lightweight TT race last year Russ Mountford is back at the Isle of Man TT this year competing in all classes for the Northpoint racing team on a variety of different machinery. In the supersport TT races this year Russ is riding a Triumph 675 Daytona supersport bike, the bike having being previously rode by Christian Iddon in the British supersport championship will be fully up to speed. So with this it will be interesting to see how Russ does on the Triumph but in all classes as well as for this years TT he’s one of the favorite’s for the TT privateers championship.
