Motourage

Guy Martin will make a welcome return to pure road racing this week at the Southern 100 ‘friendly races’ on the Isle of Man in the UK with the Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing Team.

The Lincolnshire rider is a former Solo champion at the 4.25-mile Billown Circuit on the south of the Island, and after a successful Isle of Man TT – where he scored four podiums from five races on GSX-R machinery – Martin will be gunning for glory at what he calls his favorite meeting of the year.

Guy Martin:
“This is one proper meeting I love attending: It’s run the way a road race should be and the organizers and fans make it a special week for all the riders. I missed last year through injury, but it’s great to be back. It’s a mega circuit with some great corners: real road racing corners. The entry list is pretty strong this year but I’m sure we can be at the sharp-end fighting for some silverware on the Relentless Suzukis. It’ll be a busy but enjoyable week.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“The Southern 100 is a race we’ve not been able to attend as much as I’d have liked over the years. It has great history and from what the riders tell me, the event is run like clockwork. We know Guy is a big fan of the place and with the likes of Ryan, Cameron, Conor and the Dunlop boys there; it’s going to be like a mini-TT week. The weather forecast is good, which is important; so let’s hope Guy can put our GSX-R machinery on the top step. It would be a nice way to get the ball rolling on the run into the Ulster Grand Prix next month.”

Southern 100 Race Schedule:

Tuesday 12th July:
8.05pm – Corlett’s Trophies 600/1000cc Race [8 Laps]

Wednesday 13th July:
6.20pm – Total Oils Senior Race [8 Laps]
8.00pm – Radcliffe Butchers’ 600cc Race [8 Laps]

Thursday 14th July:
11.10am – S&S Motors’ 600cc Race [8 Laps]
3.00pm – Manx Gas Solo Championship Race [9 Laps]
8.30pm – Open Air Presentation in Castletown Market Square.

Maria Costello is determined to once again become the fastest woman around the Isle of Man TT course. The Northamptonshire racer lost the title to Jenny Tinmouth last year, but, speaking in the latest TT Newsletter, Costello says she is looking to regain the honor in 2010. Tinmouth, from Cheshire, took the top spot on lap four of the 2009 Senior TT when she completed the circuit at an average speed of 116.835mph.

Maria Costello hopes to regain her title as Fastest Woman on the Isle of Man

Costello, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honors in 2009, told the TT Newsletter she wants the crown back this year.
“I can’t wait to race at the TT again in 2010,” said Costello. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of trying to become the fastest women around the course again.”

She will have a battle on her hands to regain the title as Tinmouth, also speaking in the TT Newsletter, has confirmed she will be lining up for action at the 2010 TT as well.
“I’m already looking forward to coming back next year for some more racing between the hedges.”

Download the January 2010 Isle of Man TT Newsletter HERE.

After a big welcome-back weekend for MotoGP and World Superbikes, it’s another slow racing weekend with the British Superbike Series being the only major series seeing any action.  Leon Camier has already sealed up the Superbike championship, but the battle for the Supersport crown is still going strong, as Steve Plater and Billy McConnell are separated by just 11 points going onto the final round at Oulton Park.  On US television, if you’re looking for a reason to take the day off on Tuesday, there’s plenty of racing action throughout the day on Discovery HD Theater and the Speed Channel.

At the track:

Oct 9-11
British Superbike – Rd12 Oulton Park
Oulton Park, Little Budworth, Cheshire, England

On TV:

Monday, October 5:
9-10pm: Isle of Man TT, Dainese Superbike TT Race – Discovery HD Theater
10-11pm: FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Prague, Czech Republic – Discovery HD Theater

Tuesday, October 6:
Midnight-1am: Isle of Man TT, Dainese Superbike TT Race – Discovery HD Theater
1-2am: FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Prague, Czech Republic – Discovery HD Theater
3-4am: MotoGP Round 15, Estoril, Portugal, 250cc Race – SPEED
4-5am: MotoGP Round 15, Estoril, Portugal, 800cc Race – SPEED
4-5am: Isle of Man TT, Dainese Superbike TT Race – Discovery HD Theater
5-6am: FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Prague, Czech Republic – Discovery HD Theater
Noon-1pm: World Superbike Round 12, Magny Cours, France Race 1 – SPEED
1-2pm: World Superbike Round 12, Magny Cours, France Race 2 –SPEED
2-3pm: Isle of Man TT, Dainese Superbike TT Race – Discovery HD Theater

It’s a slow week in the motorcycle world, with AMA, BSB, WSBK and MotoGP all taking the weekend off.  There’s still some racing action to be found, both at the track and on TV.  Here’s where you can get your racing fix this week:

Aug 22-Aug 23
Calgary Motorcycle Road Racing Association Round 4
Race City – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
CMRA: http://www.roadracing.org
Race City Motorsports Park: http://www.racecity.com
Official Race Day Program: http://www.roadracing.org/upload/media_element/19/11/cmra_2009_round4_web.pdf

Aug 22-Aug23
CSS/ASRA Champions Cup Series
Blackhawk Farms Raceway – Rockton, IL, USA
CCS/ASRA: http://www.ccsracing.us
Event Schedule: http://www.ccsracing.us/schedules/2009/mamwse/bhf%20aug%20schedule.pdf

ON TV

Mon, Aug 17
9-10pm
Isle of Man TT, Sidecar TT race #2 – Discovery HD Theater

Tue, Aug 18
12-1am
4-5am
2-3pm
Isle of Man TT, Sidecar TT race #2 – Discovery HD Theater

12-1pm
MotoGP 250 race from Brno, Czech Republic – Speed

Sat, Aug 22
3-4pm
AMA Pro Motocross 450 from Mechanicsville, MD – NBC

It’s no secret that we here at Motourage are huge fans of motorcycle sidecar racing, especially that which takes place every year during the Isle of Man TT.  It is therefore with sorrow that we report on the death of sidecar driver Phil Dongworth from injuries sustained during a crash during last night’s Southern 100 qualifying session at Ballanoris, Isle of Man.  Phil was 43 years old.  Phil’s passenger Stuart Castles was also taken to the hospital with injuries but he is expected to make a full recovery.

Phil Dongworth, originally from Stamford Bridge, York, was an experienced competitor who, along with passenger Gary Partridge, raced to a second-place finish at this year’s Isle of Man TT.

Motourage celebrates the life of one of our racing brothers, and we take comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved most, racing motorcycles.

Original report from BikeSportNews.com.

This weekend’s motorcycle event schedule

July 12-14
CSS /ASRA Champions Cup Series
86th Annual Loudon Classic
New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH, USA
Event website

July 11-12
Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association
Spokane County Raceway, Spokane, WA, USA
Event website

July 14
Canadian Motorcycle Association Dirt Track/Speedway
Niagara Regional Raceway, Welland, ON, Canada
Event website

On TV:
July 13, 9-10PM
Isle of Man Superbike TT Race
Discovery HD Theatre
Complete USA Isle of Man TT television schedule