Fresh from a sensational 20th TT victory when he won Friday’s epic Pokerstars Senior TT, the legend that is John McGuinness will be in action at Knockhill this forthcoming weekend (June 14/16).
Picture Credit: Mark Walters
The 41-year-old from Morecambe upped the outright lap record to 131.671mph in the previous week’s Dainese Superbike TT in which he finished third on the Joey Dunlop-tribute liveried Honda Fireblade and went on to record podium finishes in the Royal London 360 Superstock TT, the second Monster Energy Supersport TT and came very close to winning the SES TT Zero Challenge TT also.
In addition, John set a new race record in the Senior TT and bettered Giacomo Agostini’s five wins in the Senior TT. His podium tally now stands at an unbelievable 41 which makes him the most successful rider in TT history in terms of podium finishes.
McGuinness will ride the 1000cc Padgetts Honda at round five of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship at the Fife track and sees him hold 12th place in the standings. He led for most of the opening race at Brands Hatch before settling for a podium placing and backed that up with solid points scoring rides at both Thruxton and Oulton Park. He had to miss the previous round at Donington Park as it clashed with the opening day of TT practice.
However McGuinness isn’t the only TT winner who will be in action at the Steve Hislop Knockhill Round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this weekend as two others who lifted the laurels in the Isle of Man will also be racing.
The man who beat McGuinness to wrest victory in the SES Zero Challenge TT was Michael Rutter who took his tally to four TT victories when he clinched the class for the unique electric-powered bikes for a third year running, setting a new race and lap record in the process. Rutter will be back on board his 1000cc Bathams Honda in both MCE BSB races around the tight and twisty 1.27-mile circuit near Dunfermline.
And leading the Eastern Airways British Sidecar Championship is four-times World Champion Tim Reeves who took his maiden Isle of Man TT victory in the first Sure Sidecar races. Like McGuinness, he sat out the previous round at Donington Park but held a sufficient lead to maintain the series lead so after taking the TT honours with local ace Dan Sayle on their 600cc SMT Honda, brother Tristan is back in the chair as the 1000cc outfit is wheeled out in a bid to add to their four victories already this year.
The TT stars compliment an array of home-grown and international talent at Scotland’s biggest biking event which will see battle recommence over two, 30-lap races for the MCE British Superbikes as well as a full supporting schedule featuring many local riders. This year’s meeting also pays tribute to Steve Hislop who died ten years ago and various static and on track displays are planned over the weekend.
Advance tickets are still available on our BSB event page or by phoning 01383 723337. Action starts at 8.40am on Saturday and 8.45am on Sunday.
Finally just to get fans in the mood, John McGuinness will feature in a chat show at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline on Wednesday 12th June and tickets are available from the Knockhill website.