CLASSIC TT 2026: CELEBRATING THE 30 YEAR TT CAREER OF JOHN MCGUINNESS MBE

The Classic TT returns next year, running from Wednesday 19th to Friday 28th August. After this year’s heartfelt tribute to Joey Dunlop’s famous 2000 treble, the spotlight will shift to another giant of the sport — John McGuinness MBE — as the ‘Morecambe Missile’ marks 30 years of racing on his beloved TT Mountain Course.

FROM SCHOOLBOY DREAM TO TT LEGEND

When an 11-year-old skips school, hops on a Steam Packet ferry with his BMX, and heads to the Isle of Man to watch the TT, you know his passion runs deep. That’s exactly what a young John McGuinness did, and, from the moment he first saw the races, he knew the Mountain Course would shape his future.

Dreams don’t always become reality, but McGuinness turned his into history. He didn’t just become a TT racer, he became one of its greatest icons. With 23 victories, he stands behind only Michael Dunlop (33) and his boyhood hero Joey Dunlop (26).

Yet statistics only tell part of the story. McGuinness has become a global ambassador for the TT and for the Isle of Man itself, recognised formally in 2022 when he was awarded an MBE for services to motorcycle racing.

A MODERN-DAY MASTER

McGuinness’s career is not simply about speed, but about versatility — echoing the adaptability of Joey Dunlop before him. Over three decades he has claimed victories across almost every class: Lightweight 250, Singles, Lightweight 400, Supersport, Superstock, Superbike, and even the pioneering TT Zero. His 23rd and final win came in the 2015 Senior TT, where he sealed victory with a record-breaking ride.

It has been a decade since that triumph, yet his name remains one of the first fans search for on the entry list. Not because he is part of the furniture, but because, like Joey, he is part of the event’s DNA.

McGuinness’s TT story mirrors the event’s evolution, as he carried increasing numbers of fans from one era to the next. He won on two-stroke and electric machinery, triumphed in the last-ever Singles TT and final 400cc race, closed the era of Formula One TTs, and ushered in the Superbike era by winning its inaugural running in 2005.

The ‘Morecambe Missile’ dominated the following decade, inspiring a new generation of want-to-be riders, but his most iconic moment wasn’t a win — it was history’s first 130mph lap.

Fans watching from the hedgerows during the TT’s centenary year will never forget it: McGuinness blasting through 37.73 miles faster than anyone believed possible. Even the legendary commentator Murray Walker OBE, who greeted him at the finish, understood instantly the magnitude of the feat — though McGuinness himself remains characteristically modest.

That lap eclipsed the victory itself, and nearly twenty years on it still defines the TT. The “130 Club” remains one of racing’s most exclusive honours; hundreds more people have travelled into space than have lapped the Mountain Course at that speed.

RELIVE THE MOMENT, CELEBRATE THE MAN

At the 2026 Classic TT, McGuinness will recreate that magical centenary moment with a special parade lap — riding the very same machine, in the very same leathers, gloves, and helmet he wore in 2007, transporting fans back to perhaps the most spectacular highlight of the modern era.

Beyond the Course, the 2026 Classic TT will also host a unique exhibition, showcasing the motorcycles, memorabilia, and memories from McGuinness’s remarkable 30-year career. Because as we’ve seen, the story of John McGuinness isn’t just about victories — it’s about how he helped shape the TT itself.

Relive the moment. Celebrate the man. Classic TT 2026 — we’ll see you there.