RACE PREVIEW: CAROLE NASH CLASSIC SENIOR MGP

Paton has been the machine of choice in the historic 500cc class for over a decade, with of Ryan Farquhar, Olie Linsdell, Ian Lougher, Josh Brookes and John McGuinness all tasting victory on the green machines, but after Lee Johnston took his Yamaha to victory last year, a highly-competitive race is expected for the 2023 Carole Nash Classic Senior Manx Grand Prix.

Developed and run by the Davies Motorsport team, the 8-valve Yamaha TX500 proved to be a potent machine in the hands of the Ulsterman, taking the victory and setting the fastest lap of the race at 111.029mph. Although Johnston is sadly absent due to injury, Davies Motorsport will still be aiming for the top spot.

Indeed, it’s Dominic Herbertson who has the number 1 plate and will lead the field away on one of the Davies Motorsport machines. Dean Harrison was set to pilot an MV Agusta from the number 2 spot, but a late withdrawal means that John McGuinness is the next man away.

McGuinness is back once more on the Team Winfield Paton and after mechanical issues during qualifying meant he didn’t get to race in 2022, he’s aiming for a fourth victory after standing on the top step in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

After McGuinness, it’s the first single-cylinder machine with Jamie Coward – four times a podium finisher in the race – on the Craven Classic Racing Norton. He’s already lapped at more than 110mph on the machine so will be hoping for a repeat performance, but he’s in a race for fitness having sustained pelvis injuries in a cycling accident last month.

James Hillier goes at number 5 on the CSC Racing/IMS Yamaha and will be hoping for better luck this time around after dropping out of the podium positions last year when he ran out of fuel.

The single-cylinder Norton will again be in evidence at number 7 in the hands of last year’s third-place finisher, Mike Browne (Peter Grantham Lodge), whilst the first 500cc Hondas start from numbers 8 and 9 in the hands of the Alan Oversby (Ireland Racing) and Rob Hodson (Ruthless Racing).

Completing the top 10 is Michael Rutter on the second Davies Motorsport Yamaha, originally intended for Johnston. James Hind (Bass Tyre Services/NL Components, Norton) starts at number 12, ten seconds ahead of Michael Sweeney on the second SCS Racing/IMS Yamaha.

Derek Sheils (Greenall Racing) is the third Honda rider to get his race underway at number 14, and is followed by Frenchman Pierre-Yves Bian. The Carole Nash Supertwin TT podium finisher will make his debut in the class and could well be one to watch with his VAS Racing Paton.

The top 20 seeds are completed by Michael Russell (Izzard Racing, Norton), Hefyn Owen (Owen Racing, Seeley), Shaun Anderson (Peter Beugger Racing, Paton) and Gary Vines (WizNorton Racing), with Vines riding a rotary-engined DKW W2000 and the first 350cc machine to start.

The top 20 for the Carole Nash Classic Senior Race – scheduled to take place over 4-laps on Saturday 26th August at 14:40 – is as follows: