Press Release | March 28, 2022
Superbike and Supersport top 20 start numbers have been announced.
This is a press release from Isle of Man TT Races…
Photos Courtesy of Isle of Man TT
2022 Superbike Start Numbers Revealed
Anticipation and excitement continues to build ahead of the 2022 Isle of Man TT Races, with the unveiling of the top 20 start numbers for the RST Superbike and Milwaukee Senior Races.
John McGuinness MBE will start at number 1 with the Morecambe man more than familiar with setting the pace from the front. The 23-time TT winner returns to the Honda Racing family with which he’s taken 11 TT victories, including his most recent, the 2015 Senior TT.
He’ll be followed at number 2 by 2019 Senior TT winner Dean Harrison onboard a new-look Kawasaki ZX-10RR after his Silicone Engineering team re-branded to DAO Racing Kawasaki. 7-time TT winner Michael Rutter will be the next rider away setting off at number 3 on the always eye-catching Bathams Ales BMW.
Ian Hutchinson goes off at his regular spot riding with number 4 for Milwaukee BMW Motorrad by TAS Racing, with James Hillier at 5 on the RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha YZF-R1.
All eyes will be on Michael Dunlop at number 6; the 19-time victor Dunlop aiming to give Ducati their first ever Superbike TT Race win on the exotic Panigale V4R, run by the PBM Ducati team.
2-time TT winner Gary Johnson is back at number 7 on the Specsavers/NL Motorcycles BMW, with Davey Todd featuring in the top 10 for the first time in the Superbike class, starting at number 8 on the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda.
Australian David Johnson starts at 9 on the second RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha, and ten seconds behind him will be the outright lap record holder, Peter Hickman, who takes his customary number 10 position. But whilst the number’s the same, the livery most certainly isn’t, with title sponsor Gas Monkey Garage adorning the FHO Racing BMW M1000RR.
The biggest change in the starting order comes at number 11 where local favourite Conor Cummins drops down the order, choosing to chase down his main rivals rather than be chased, having set off first at TT 2018 and 2019.
Jamie Coward will carry the number 12 plate on his KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Yamaha, whilst Lee Johnston returns to his regular number 13 on the Ashcourt Racing BMW.
Philip Crowe (Handtrans Haulage/Nigel Appleyard BMW) is at 14, ten seconds ahead of Sam West (The Street Diner BMW), with Dominic Herbertson (Haith BMW) at 16.
The Irish trio of Brian McCormack (FHO Racing BMW/The Roadhouse Macau BMW), Derek Sheils (The Roadhouse Macau BMW) and Shaun Anderson (Hawk Racing Suzuki) start at 17, 18 and 19 respectively with Craig Neve (Callmac Scaffolding BMW) completing the top 20.
Outside of the top 20, McGuinness’s Honda Racing stablemate Glenn Irwin will begin his TT career from number 22.
The complete top 20 for the RST Superbike and Milwaukee Senior TT races:
- John McGuinness – Honda Racing UK, Honda
- Dean Harrison – DAO Racing Kawasaki, Kawasaki
- Michael Rutter – Bathams Ales, BMW
- Ian Hutchinson – Milwaukee BMW Motorrad, BMW
- James Hillier – RICH Energy OMG Racing, Yamaha
- Michael Dunlop – PBM Ducati, Ducati
- Gary Johnson – Specsavers/NL Motorcycles, BMW
- Davey Todd – Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles, Honda
- David Johnson – RICH Energy OMG Racing, Yamaha
- Peter Hickman – Gas Monkey Garage by FHO Racing, BMW
- Conor Cummins – Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles, Honda
- Jamie Coward – KTS Racing powered by Steadplan, Yamaha
- Lee Johnston – Ashcourt Racing, BMW
- Philip Crowe – Handtrans Haulage/Nigel Appleyard, BMW
- Sam West – The Street Diner, BMW
- Dominic Herbertson – Haith, BMW
- Brian McCormack – FHO Racing BMW/The Roadhouse Macau, BMW
- Derek Sheils – The Roadhouse Macau, BMW
- Shaun Anderson – Hawk Racing Suzuki, Suzuki
- Craig Neve – Callmac Scaffolding, BMW
Top 20 Unveiled for Next Generation of Supersport
The Isle of Man TT Races will once again play host to two Monster Energy Supersport races and with 60 of the best road racers in the world contesting the four laps around the Mountain Course, it’s an entry not only packed with quality, but also with a number of potential race winners in 2022.
Arguably this year’s most wide-open category, the Supersport class will not only see the major contenders from the 1000cc races contesting for victory, but will also see a number of newer names and fresher faces – plus the odd Supersport specialist – looking to make their mark at the TT Races.
That being said, it’s very much experience that leads the way on the road at least, as John McGuinness MBE heads towards Bray Hill with the number 1 onboard his own SMT Racing/Blue Earth Construction Honda CBR600RR.
DAO Racing Kawasaki’s Dean Harrison – one of only two riders to lap at an average speed in excess of 129mph in the class – is away at number two and opts to run a 600cc ZX-6R despite the Next Generation rules permitting the use of the newer and larger-engined 636cc model.
Lee Johnston follows at number 3, and after backing-up his maiden TT win in the class in 2019 with strong showings in the intervening British Supersport Championships, will start as one of the favourites on his Ashcourt Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Ian Hutchinson takes up the number 4 spot onboard the Boyce Precision by Russell Racing Yamaha. Back to good fitness, the man who holds a record eight Supersport TT race wins will be another pre-race favourite for the two four-lap races.
The first of the two RICH Energy OMG Racing machines starts at number 5, with James Hillier riding a Yamaha for the first time after well over ten years with ‘Team Green’. Having taken five podiums in the class since 2016 and running Lee Johnston close in 2019, he’ll certainly be gunning for victory. Team mate David Johnson lines up at number 9.
The class’s lap record holder, Michael Dunlop, starts from number 6. Dunlop hasn’t won a Supersport TT since setting the new benchmark lap time in the first race of TT 2018, and will be keen to increase his tally of seven class victories in 2022 with his MD Racing Yamaha.
Gary Johnson starts out from number 7 onboard the Moto46/Specsavers Triumph 675. He’s followed by the Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda of Davey Todd, who takes up his first-ever top-ten starting position with the number 8.
Meanwhile, Peter Hickman is the first of the ‘big names’ to experiment with the new regulations, starting from his usual number 10 spot onboard a 765cc Triumph under the banner of K2 Trooper Beer by PHR Performance.
Conor Cummins goes off at number 11 on the second Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda and will have a great target ahead of him in Hickman, but a major threat behind in Jamie Coward. Fifth in 2019, he goes at number 12 on the KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Yamaha.
Behind the top 12, there are a few changes in relation to the 1000cc starting order, as although Sam West, Dominic Herbertson, Brian McCormack and Craig Neve retain their top twenty starting positions, four new names come in.
Michael Sweeney, Adam McLean – making a welcome return to the TT with Gortreagh Printing/McAdoo Kawasaki after injury ruled him out of the 2019 event – Paul Jordan, and former Manx GP winner Michael Evans are all rewarded for previous strong performances in the class, with the quartet getting their races underway at numbers 13, 14, 17 and 18 respectively.
Outside of the top twenty, Manx GP graduates include 2019 double race winner Nathan Harrison (27) and young star James Hind (31), whilst the race also sees debutantes Jamie Cringle (42), Joseph Loughlin (48) and Pikes Peak winner Rennie Scaysbrook (57) get their first taste of TT action.
The Top 20 for the Monster Energy Supersport Races
- John McGuinness – SMT Racing/Blue Earth Construction, Honda
- Dean Harrison – DAO Racing Kawasaki, Kawasaki
- Lee Johnston – Ashcourt Racing, Yamaha
- Ian Hutchinson – Boyce Precision by Russell Racing
- James Hillier – RICH Energy OMG Racing, Yamaha
- Michael Dunlop – MD Racing, Yamaha
- Gary Johnson – Moto46/Specsavers, Triumph
- Davey Todd – Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles, Honda
- David Johnson – RICH Energy OMG Racing, Yamaha
- Peter Hickman – K2 Trooper Beer by PHR Performance, Triumph
- Conor Cummins – Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles, Honda
- Jamie Coward – KTS Racing powered by Steadplan, Yamaha
- Michael Sweeney – EM Building, Yamaha
- Adam McLean – Gortreagh Printing/McAdoo Kawasaki, Kawasaki
- Sam West – Moto Hub, Ducati
- Dominic Herbertson – Cowton Racing, Kawasaki
- Paul Jordan – PreZ Racing, Yamaha
- Michael Evans – Heattech Racing, Yamaha
- Brian McCormack – Global Robots, Triumph
- Craig Neve – Alasdair Cowan Racing, Kawasaki
Qualifying for the 2022 IOM TT begins on May 29 and racing starts at noon on June 4.
For more information, visit www.iomttraces.com