2019 Isle of Man Classic TT Rider Entry List
John McGuinness will once again head up the Bennetts Senior Classic TT rider list for the 2019 Classic TT, which is set for August 17-26 at the Isle of Man.
McGuinness will once again pilot the Team Winfield Paton. The 23-time Isle of Man TT winner has raced Roger Winfield’s twin-cylinder Paton every year since the Classic TT debuted in 2013 except in 2017, the year he had a devasting crash at the North West 200.
McGuinness won in 2016 and 2018, and begins 2019 as the favorite to take another victory. He will start with the #1 plate.
Starting with the #2 plate is Dean Harrison, who dominated this year’s Senior TT during 2019 Isle of Man TT aboard the Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja. Harrison will returns to the 500cc class after his absence in 2018 aboard the LSS Waste Management Norton for the first time, having previously won the 2015 encounter onboard an MV Agusta.
He’s followed by the experienced pairing of 2015 race winner Ian Lougher (John Chapman Racing/MV Agusta) and Michael Rutter (Ripley Land Racing/Matchless) at number 3 and number 4 respectively.
James Hillier starts from number 5 with his regular CSC Racing team on their Honda 500-4 and is set to be followed by Michael Dunlop at his customary number 6, but the four-time Classic TT race winner has yet to announce what machine he will ride.
Number 7 is Maria Costello onboard the Beugger Racing Paton. Costello finished third in the 2017 edition of the race and was battling for a podium position in 2018, before dropping down the order and retiring on the final lap.
Jamie Coward follows Costello at number 8, riding the Ted Woof/Craven Manx Norton on which he has taken three of his five previous Classic TT podiums. Coward has enjoyed a scintillating season so far, breaking the 130mph barrier for the first time at the Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, taking his first TT podium in the Bennetts Lightweight Race, and winning the 2019 TT Privateer’s Championship following a string of top ten results.
Dominic Herbertson, winner of the 2018 Locate.im Junior Classic TT, starts at number 8 for Davies Motorsport onboard the only Yamaha TX500 in the field. His team mate, Lee Johnston, is onboard a Honda 500-4 and is back to his usual start number of 13 having started from 11 for the TT Races in June.
The top 10 is completed by Chris Swallow on the Flitwick Motorcycles Royal Enfield, who finished less than four seconds off the podium in last year’s encounter.
Numbers 11 to 20 feature further classic racing talent in Alan Oversby (Ireland Honda/Honda) starting at number 11, the vastly experienced Bill Swallow onboard the only 500 Ducati for Gleve Racing/John Poyner at 14, and Michael Russell (Izzard Racing/Norton) starting from number 15.
Danny Webb (Dunnell Racing) makes a return to TT Mountain Course action having missed the TT Races earlier this year and starts from number 12. Honda Racing’s David Johnson is at number 14 but, like Dunlop, has yet to confirm what machine he will take to the start line on. Horst Saiger (Egli Motorradtechnik) and Derek Sheils (Greenhall Racing) start at 17 and 18, with Rob Hodson (Geoff Bates Racing) completing the top 20.
Joey Thompson makes a return to Road Racing onboard the second John Chapman Racing MV Agusta, and slots in at 19.
2019 Senior Classic TT Top 20 List:
- John McGuinness – Team Winfield, Paton
- Dean Harrison – LSS Waste Management, Norton
- Ian Lougher – John Chapman Racing, MV Agusta
- Michael Rutter – Ripley Land Racing, Matchless
- James Hillier – CSC Racing, Honda
- Michael Dunlop – TBC, TBC
- Maria Costello – Beugger Racing, Paton
- Jamie Coward – Ted Woof/Craven Manx Norton, Norton
- Dominic Herbertson – Davies Motorsport, Yamaha
- Chris Swalllow – Linsdell Enfield/Flitwick Motorcycles, Royal Enfield
- Alan Oversby – Ireland Honda, Honda
- Danny Webb – Dunnell Racing, Norton
- Lee Johnston – Davies Motorsport, Honda
- Bill Swallow – Gleve Racing/John Poyner, Ducati
- Michael Russell – Izzard Racing, Norton
- David Johnston – TBC, TBC
- Horst Saiger – Egli Motorradtechnik AG, Vincent
- Derek Sheils – Greenall Racing, Honda
- Joey Thompson – John Chapman Racing, MV Agusta
- Rob Hodson – Geoff Bates Racing, Honda
