Two of road racings finest ever competitors are teaming up for this year’s Classic TT presented by Bennetts with Eddie Laycock fielding Ian Lougher in the 4-lap Motorsport Merchandise Formula 2 Race.

Southern Ireland’s Laycock has teamed up with former sponsor Gerry Lawlor and has prepared a TZ250 Yamaha for Lougher to ride under the LayLaw Classic Racing banner. The Dubliner himself had a highly successful TT career, competing on the Mountain Course between 1982 and 1990, winning the 1987 Junior and 1989 Supersport 400cc Races.

In total, he stood on the rostrum on six occasions and won 13 silver replicas, also lapping at close to 118mph on a 500cc Honda two stroke. Laycock also enjoyed a successful Grand Prix career, finishing 12th overall in the 1991 500cc World Championship.

Lougher, himself a 10-times TT winner, was a 250cc rival of Laycock’s in the late 1980s, enjoying many a battle at the TT and North West 200. He won last year’s Motorsport Merchandise Formula 2 Classic TT Race by almost a minute.

Speaking about the deal Eddie Laycock commented:

“Both Gerry and I are delighted to have Ian riding for the team and are very much looking forward to this year’s Classic TT. It’s our first time competing at the event and having seen it grow rapidly we wanted to be involved. Ian was the obvious choice as rider and we’re confident of giving him the package to perform like he did in 2014.”

Ian Lougher added:

"I’m really looking forward to riding Gerry Lawlor's TZ 250 Yamaha in this year’s Classic TT and it’s such an honour to know that one of the best riders ever to come out of Ireland, Eddie Laycock, will be looking after the bike for me. Eddie and I stood on the rostrum alongside Steve Hislop when I won my first TT, in the record breaking 1990 250cc Junior Race and I’ve always been a fan of his.”

“With the combination of Gerry and Eddie's experience in road racing and putting together a fantastically prepared TZ Yamaha this year for me, I hope to repay them and repeat my win from last year’s Formula 2 Race this August.”