Kneens aim to make Manx Grand Prix history
UNDER STARTER'S ORDERS: The Manx Grand Prix gets under way on Saturday

By JOHN WATTERSON
Sports editor
BRADDAN'S Ryan and Dan Kneen could achieve the meritorious distinction of becoming the first brothers to each win a Manx Grand Prix race in the same year - indeed classes of the same race on the same day — if pre-meeting form goes to plan.
Ryan, 19, rides a Honda 600 at start number three in the 750cc class of the Group 4 Securicor-sponsored Newcomers race on Monday week, August 25, while his apprentice plumber brother Dan, 21, will start 3 min 20 sec behind him at No44 in Class C, limited to 400cc.

There are 30 entries for Class A, but just 10 in Class C. There is no Class B (600).

The total entry of 40 has raised calls in some areas that the race should be scrapped and moves could be afoot to do just that, but I personally feel there is a place for the Newcomers event, introduced 30 years ago in 1978.

The Kneen brothers are continuing a family dynasty stretching back to 1977 when their uncle Mike Kneen, who won the Junior race in 1980, made his debut.

He was followed a year later by brothers Kenny and Norman (six times a podium finisher in the Manx, Lightweight 250 winner in 2003 and Classic Lightweight winner in 2004), then eldest brother Phil in 1982 the same year as Dan and Ryan's father Richard Kneen finished runner-up to the late Ian Ogden in Senior Newcomers on a 350 Yamaha.

I would place Dan, who has produced some impressive rides in the 600cc class of the British Superstock series this year, as the clear favourite for honours in the smaller class (he could even go on to claim a possible double in the Ultra-Lightweight proper), but feel that first man away in the combined field, Lincoln's Ivan Lintin, could be the man to look out for in Class A.

Despite being in only his second season of racing, the 23-year-old former spannerman for Guy Martin has already won the 2007 Junior Support Irish Road Race Championship when he also finished runner-up in the Senior category.

Other locals to keep an eye on in the Newcomers include Richard Bregazzi of Union Mills, son of former Sidecar TT regular Eric, Peter Creer of Onchan, Adam Jones of Ramsey and Dave Bosendorfer of Douglas on the 675 Triumph.

There are two females in the field of 40, namely Andrea Cherubini of Milan and Shelley Pike of Bath.

Dan Kneen could well emulate Chris Dowling, Stuart Sturrock and Olie Linsdell by scoring a Newcomers/Ultra-Lightweight double, if not Tim Sayers, Joe Phillips, Dan Sayle and Ross Johnson are the ones to watch along with leading females Maria Costello and Carolynn Sells who could well have a handbags at 40 paces contest to make it onto the podium (only joking girls!).

Lightweight 250 winner 12 months ago, Sam Dunlop is making the most of relaxed rules to bounce straight back into the race this year.

Local sponsor Terry Gilmour of Peel has got his hands on a slightly more up-to-date 250 Honda in attempt to give him the edge again but fellow Ulsterman Brian Mateer has upgraded to an even newer mount and should pose a major threat along with last year's runner-up Neil Kent and Stoke veteran Brian Spooner. Local man Tony Cawte is a non-starter for the 2008 MGP.

In the absence of last year's one-two Derek Brien and Mats Nilsson, Andrew Neill is effectively the pre-even favourite for the Junior race on Wednesday, August 27.

Third last year, the Dungannon man again rides for Martin Bullock alongside fellow Ulsterman James McCullagh who qualified on pole for the Senior race that never was.

I would put these two as joint favourites for the Junior/Senior this time (both have 600 Hondas for the Junior and 750 Suzukis for the Senior), but close on their heels will be Philip McGurk, Adam Barclay, last year's Newcomers winner Andrew Brady, local man Simon Fulton and Duleek's Ryan McCay.

But what about outright MGP lap record holder Alan Jackson who has come back from horrendous injuries suffered during practice for the 2006 event to race again?

I would not put the Preston ace on race-winning pace, but he will be in with a shout of a top-six and what a result that would be for him.

2008 marks the 25th anniversary of the ever-popular Classic MGP races and what a line-up there is for the first event on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.

There has been some controversy regarding the new influx of replica Italian multis, especially from Fred Walmsley who has withdrawn his G50s and Manx Nortons in protest, but you cannot disguise the excitement there would be if last year's winner Ryan Farquhar on the Paton twin or, for that matter, new TT ace Gary Johnson on the MV-3, were to lap at 110mph plus - which they probably will if it is dry and they are pushing one another.

The best of the singles ready to pick up the pieces if they fail (Steve Linsdell is also Paton mounted and likely to be on a similar pace) should be Alan Oversby, Allan Brew, Mark Parrett and comeback man Bill Swallow, but look out for the incredible John Goodall - the winner of the first Classic 500 race back in 1983 and still ultra-competitive - indeed lapping quicker than ever before at the age of 66 last year!!

Goodall will also be thereabouts in the 350 class where Roy Richardson should just have the edge over Oversby, Farquhar, Paul Coward and Chris McGahan in what is likely to be a Honda K4 benefit, though it is interesting to see Chris Palmer with an entry on a Ripley Land AJS 7R. Father and son Bill and Chris Swallow will also be right up there in what should be a very good race.

Of the 250s, lasty year's winner Ewan Hamilton, Davy Morgan, Bud Jackson, Peter Wakefield, Dave Smith, Peter Symes and local man Roger Hurst are the likely leaderboard men.

There will be a Classic Masters Parade of past classic winners after the Senior MGP on the Friday afternoon of August 29.

Roads close at 6pm for the practice sessions each evening (excluding Sunday) between this Saturday, Aug 16 and Saturday, Aug 23. The first bikes are scheduled to leave the Grandstand at 6.20 and roads are due to re-open no later than 9pm.

On race day mornings, (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Aug 25/27/29) roads close at 9.30am for a 10.15am start).

* There will be a memorial service for former race commentator and MGP media officer Geoff Cannell at the Grandstand this Sunday, at 2pm. Geoff died suddenly three weeks after last year's Manx at the age of 65.
Everyone is invited to attend.

(From iomtoday.com)