John Chapman Racing have announced their line up for the 2017 Classic TT. Dan Kneen and Ivan Lintin will contest the Lightweight TT Classic on RS250 Honda’s, and Welshman Ian Lougher will take on the Bennetts Senior TT Classic on board an MV Agusta.
Ten time TT winner Lougher was supposed to ride John Chapman’s 500cc MV triple in 2016, however problems during practice ruled him out. Lougher’s bike will be a perfect copy of the three cylinder MV Agusta GP 500, which last contested GP’s in 1974. Enrico Sironi from HRT was a member of MV’s technical team back then, and is still involved now as he helped build the 2016 Classic TT machinery.
Lougher won the Senior Classic TT race back in 2014 on Paton machinery, even though he was handed a pit lane speeding penalty. He took 2nd in 2015 after starting from 8th, and incurred a speeding penalty in that race too.
Lintin is no stranger to success on the roads, and in 2008 he rode Bill McKinstrey’s 250cc TZ Yamaha at the Manx Grand Prix, taking it to a respectable sixth place. His two-stroke experience could prove beneficial for Lintin at the Classic TT.
Kneen has worked with Chapman in the past, and rode one of his machines last year in the Lightweight Classic TT. He managed a podium at the TT in June, and is eager to continue that streak.
John Chapman: “The Classic TT is the main event of our year and we are coming with three great lads for 2017.”
“Ian Lougher is a legend and we have worked hard to rectify the problems we had with the MV Agusta last year and the bike is running really well. Dan and Ivan are two of the best young riders at the TT at the moment and will do a good job for us with the 250 Honda’s in the Lightweight Race.”
“With the three riders we have, we are looking towards podium finishes for all of them.”
