The Manx Grand Prix celebrates its 90th Anniversary this year, the first event having been run on Thursday 20th September 1923, Les Randles winning the five-lap race.
Part of the celebrations will be a PastWinners lap of Honour which will be held on Wednesday 28th August between the two Manx Grand Prix races scheduled for the first race day of the 2013 meeting.
No less than 71 past winners will be taking place in the parade lap, the earliest winner, 1958 Senior Manx Grand Prix victor ErnieWasher who is planning to ride a 500cc Norton from 1957.
Two winners from the 1960’s, Tom Dickie and FrankWhiteway who took the 1966 Senior and the 1968 Lightweight laurels will be mounted on Triumph and Suzuki machines, Frank riding the T20 Crooks Suzuki he won the 1968 race on.
The 1970’s decade is covered by 12 riders, Roger Sutcliffe, Steve Moynihan, Nigel Rollason, David Hughes, Paddy Reid, Eddie Roberts, Alan Jackson, Les Trotter, Rob Brew, David Ashton, Con Law and Roger Luckman. Machines being ridden include aManx Norton, Arter Matchless, Dugdale Maxton Yamaha and a Crook’s Suzuki.
Nineteen past winners from the 1980’s will include the Classic classes which were introduced as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and continued through to 2012. Mike Kneen, Kenny Shepherd, Dave East, Paul Barrett, Richard Fitzsimmons, Nick Jefferies, Lawrence Parris, Phil Armes, Gary Radcliffe, John Stephens, David Johnston, Alan ‘Bud’ Jackson, Ralph Sutcliffe winner of the 1986 Lightweight emulating his father Roger who won the 1970 Senior, becoming the first father and son to win a Manx Grand Prix. Jim Hunter, Grant Goodings, Ian Morris, Charles Morgan, Paul Hunt and David Montgomery.
Paul Orritt, DaveMilling, Andy Jackson, David O’Leary, Mark Baldwin, James Courtney, Russ Henley, Chris Moore, Paul Duckett, Gary Carswell, Howard Taylor and Martin Sharpe are winners from the 1990’s.
A further nineteen winners from the first decade of the new century will be reliving their ‘Manx’ successes, Keith Townsend, Glen English, Tony Duncan, Mick Skene, Nigel Beattie, Barry Davidson, Graham Burden, Mark Parrett, Norman Kneen, Brian Purdy, DerekWhalley, Gavin Bell, Paul Corrin, Craig Atkinson, Oliver Linsdell, Dan & Ryan Keen – with Mike & Norman – four members of the same family who have won the Manx Grand Prix. Adrian Kershaw and Carolynn Sells, so far the only female winner of theManx Grand Prix.
The present decade is represented by Michael Sweeney, Tim Venables, Simon Fulton, Gavin Lupton and Dave Madsen-Mygdal.
One winner missing from the above is Roy Richardson, who first raced in the Manx Grand Prix in 1986, winning his first ‘Manx’ the Junior of 1997 and has since gone on to win a total of ten. Roy from Blackpool will enjoy his parade lap on a TZ 250 Yamaha of 1990 vintage.
Phil Armes, winner of the 1984 Newcomers 250cc race will be last man away on a specially adapted machine. Bob Jackson will also complete a lap in the Course Car following the Parade.
Away from the Parade Lap these 71 winners, along with their machines will be in the Pit Lane Area of the Grandstand on Thursday 29th August between 11.00 and 15.00 and looking forward to meeting fans and supporters of theManx Grand Prix and no doubt recalling their ‘Manx’ experiences as if it were yesterday.
Other past winners who will be present at the Grandstand are Dave Arnold, Adam Barclay, George Costain,Wayne Dinham, Joe Dunphy (Guest of Honour 2012), Ryan Farquhar, Selwyn Griffiths, Jimmy Guthrie, Bob Heath, Ken Huggett, Bob Jackson, Griff Jenkins, Brian Mateer, Phillip
McCallen, Chris McGahan, Philip McGurk, Nigel Moore, Neil Tuxworth and Barry Wood.
Further details can be found on the Manx Grand Prix Official website www.manxgrandprix.org or the Festival of Motorcycling website www.www.iomfom.com and on Facebook: Manx Grand Prix –Official Fan page.
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