RACE PREVIEW: MYLCHREESTS GROUP SENIOR MGP

The Mylchreest Group Senior Manx Grand Prix bounced back in style last year when – running to Supersport regulations for the first time – a full grid saw Stephen Smith come out on top and whilst the Liverpudlian has since moved on to the TT, with great effect, those riders that finished directly behind him are all back for another go.

It was Dan Ingham who finished second to Smith twelve months ago and he’s assumed the number 1 plate this time around on the Russell Brook/Brook Built Yamaha R6. He defeated Jamie Williams by just 0.069s last year and the Manxman will get his race underway from number 4 on the NCE Racing Honda.

Sandwiched in between will be two of the other riders who were in the battle for the podium positions last year: Victor Lopez (Team ILR, Yamaha) and David McConnachy (Peter Dobson Racing, Triumph). The duo start at number 2 and 3 respectively although the latter’s participation may be in doubt after a recent spill in practice at the Southern 100.

Next to go at number 5 will be Chris Cook, who hails from Hawick, the hometown of TT greats Jimmy Guthrie and Steve Hislop. He rides a Kawasaki once more but has moved into the Alasdair Cowan Racing seat vacated by Smith.

Regular leaderboard man Andrew Fisher (Fisher Racing, Yamaha) starts at number 6 and will no doubt be looking to improve upon the seventh and ninth place finishes he’s taken in the last two races, whilst Irishman Damien Horan gets his race underway from number 7 riding the Horan Wood Flooring Suzuki.

Manxman Marc Colvin (CBG Contractors Ltd), James Reveley (PCN Racing, Yamaha) and Tom Robinson (Pete Stacey, Kawasaki) complete the top ten runners, with all three having 117mph+ laps under their belt.

Three young British riders will be next to get their Senior Manx Grand Prix race underway with Sam Johnson (VRS Racing, Honda), Samuel Mousley (Gwrhyd Specialist Stone Quarry, Yamaha), Jack Fowler (MC Services, Triumph) and Maurizio Bottalico (Younix/Virus Power/Imuoto, Honda) starting at numbers 11 to 14.

A gap at 15 leave the five remaining seeds in this year’s Senior Manx Grand Prix to Radley Hughes (RAF Motorsports, Kawasaki), Shaun Evans (Bee Mad Road Racing, Kawasaki), Frenchman Lancelot Unissart (Village Motos Nantes, Honda), Gaz Evans (K&D Evans, Honda) and Michael Rees (GT Superbikes, Kawasaki).

Outside of the seeded riders, the race has attracted no less than 15 newcomers with the Manx pairing of Joe Yeardsley (Spin Arena, Yamaha) and Marcus Simpson (JPS Racing Powered by Atherstone, Yamaha) and France’s Eddy Ferre, who took three top 15 finishes on his North West 200 debut earlier this year, expected to feature prominently.

The top 20 for the Mylchreest Group Senior Manx Grand Prix – scheduled to take place over 4 laps on Monday 28th August at 11:30 – is as follows: