STRONGEST FIELD YET FOR 2026 HISTORIC SENIOR CLASSIC TT

The Historic Senior Classic TT race is again set to be a close-run affair later this month with the multi-cylinder Patons again expected to do battle with the single cylinder Manx Nortons and Royal Enfields, whilst the varied entry will also see Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki, MV Agusta, Matchless and BSA machinery well to the fore.

The rider entry is equally varied with John McGuinness MBE leading the field away from the number one position on the Winfield Paton. McGuinness has three victories in the class to his name, in 2016, 2018 and 2019, whilst he’s held the lap record for a decade now having lapped at 113.342mph on his way to his maiden victory in 2016.

Recent years have seen him do battle with Mike Browne, Dean Harrison and Shaun Anderson and all three return this year, the trio having been victorious in the last three years, Browne winning the race twelve months ago.

Riding the Peter Lodge Racing Norton, Browne lapped at 110.737mph last year as he just edged out the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Royal Enfield of Adam McLean by 0.2s although a lap of 112.984mph in qualifying showed there’s more to come from the single cylinder machine.

He starts at number two, just behind McGuinness and just ahead of Harrison who returns to the Classic TT on the Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof Norton. He finished third last year but won on his previous visit in 2023 when he recorded the fastest official lap by a British-built single cylinder machine at 111.395mph.

Jamie Coward returns on the Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof Manx Norton

Jamie Coward, a perennial visit to the rostrum between 2013 and 2019, rides an identical Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof Manx Norton at number four, ten seconds ahead of the second Paton of Anderson. Riding the Peter Beugger Racing machine, Anderson defeated McGuinness in another close finish in 2024 for his first Mountain Course victory and will be eyeing more of the same this time around.

McLean is sadly missing from the entry list this year, but the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Royal Enfield isn’t, and it starts from number six in the hands of none other than Michael Dunlop MBE. The 36-time TT winner competed in the race between 2013 and 2017 but although he hasn’t contested the race since, the combination has the undoubted potential to be a race-winning package.

Michael Dunlop returns aboard the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Royal Enfield

Joe Yeardsley starts at number eight on the Ruthless Racing Honda whilst ten seconds later it’s the turn of last year’s Historic Junior race winner Paul Jordan. He continues with leading Classic race exponents Davies Motorsport, but this time rides the Suzuki T500 machine.

More Honda CB500-4 riders can be found at numbers ten and 11, Barry Furber (Martin Ireland Racing) and Conor Cummins (Steadplan Racing) whilst another Manx Norton will start at number 12, this time in the hands of Australia’s David Johnson for the New Zealand Hercock Racing team.

With no one at 13, Dan Sayle will be next to go at number 14 on the John Chapman Racing MV Agusta 500-3, and he’ll quickly be followed by Michael Sweeney (IMS/CSC Racing Yamaha TX500), Will Loder (Minnovation Racing Seeley Mk2), Maurizio Bottalico (IMS/CSC Racing Honda), Harley Rushton (Chris Hughes Racing with Ted Woof Matchless G50) and impressive newcomer from last year Jeffrey Vermeulen (Van Giersbergen Motorenrevisie Ducati Desmo).

Andy Hornby (K&L Racing/John M Patterson Ltd Yamaha) is the last of the 20 seeded riders whilst other entries have been received from Rhys Hardisty (Team NZ Velocette), Paul Cassidy (Island Fuels Honda), the returning Phil McGurk (Hughes/McGurk Racing BSA Gold Star) and Jorge Halliday (Stanford Racing Yamaha).