• Seven times Duke Road Race Rankings Champion Ryan Farquhar was officially inducted at last night’s Irish Motorcycle Awards into the Irish Motorcycling Hall of Fame.
• Peter Hickman, Michael Sweeney respectively received the International Road Racer, National Road Racer of the Year accolades at the Irish Motorcycle Awards evening.
Additionally it was great to see Wilson Craig’s huge contribution to racing recognised via the services to motorcycling accolade.
• 16 times TT winner Ian Hutchinson was spotted testing a Shaun Muir Racing supplied S1000RR BMW at Almeria. Others venturing to Spain to get track miles ahead of the new season included Michael Rutter and Honda Racing’s Glenn Irwin. A certain Guy Martin was also in attendance.
• Reigning Senior TT Champion Dean Harrison is set to pilot a Manx Norton in August’s Senior Classic TT.
Photo by Mark Corlett
• Furygan are confirmed to support Lee Johnston’s 2020 International roads campaign.
• Three roads circuits will host IHRO (International Historic Racing Organisation) rounds in 2020, Varsselring – Hengelo, Circuit De Chimay and Gedinne.
• Revealed by Jean Michel Prudon on the TT Supporters Club France website, the French trio of Xavier Denis, Timothee Monot and Jonathan Goetschy are all Manx shores bound for TT 2020.
• Others looking to compete at TT 2020, who have already placed entries in include America’s Pete Murray, Wigan’s Josh Daley, Richard Charlton, Justin Collins and Junior Manx GP runner-up Stephen Smith.
• This year’s East Coast Racing Festival is confirmed to take place from the 8th-9th of August, making it the first-time competitive action has taken place on the Killalane course in an alternative month to September.
• Congratulations to Irish roads 125/Moto 3 front runners Gary Dunlop and Melissa Kennedy on their recent engagement.
• Ilja Caljouw will continue to compete under the Performance Racing Achterhoek banner, for the 2020 IRRC Supersport season.
• 2018 Senior Manx GP winner Matt Stevenson is planning a second TT Races tenure, which will see him pilot S1000RR BMW machinery within the 1000cc races. Ripon’s Stevenson has secured sponsorship from Michelin for the season ahead.
Words by Stevie Rial