The Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Motorcycles team will be making a two pronged attack on this year's Classic TT races presented by Bennetts with Dan Kneen joining last year's race winner Bruce Anstey in contesting the Motorsport Merchandise Formula One race for the Batley based outfit.

Anstey led last year's corresponding race from start to finish when he rode the team's 1992 YZR500 Grand Prix Yamaha machine and having set a new lap record of 123.894mph, which he recorded from a standing start, few would bet against him delivering a repeat performance this time around.

The team opted for a conservative set up with the lightweight GP bike to ensure it withstood the rigours of the Mountain Course and completed the race but with a year's experience under their belt, they're expecting to improve their performance this time around. Indeed, Anstey believes the bike is more than capable of matching the fastest Supersport lap speeds of 127-128mph.

Manxman Kneen, meanwhile, is experiencing his first year with the team and has enjoyed success at all of the International road races, achieving a number of top eight finishes. Having missed last year's event due to injury, he's relishing the chance to ride another of the team's machines at the Classic TT.

Kneen will be riding a 1989 750cc Yamaha OW01 for Clive Padgett's team with the bike having considerable pedigree. Former TT winner Rob McElnea rode for the team in the early part of the 1989 season and took the OW01 to third and fourth in the Hungarian round of that year's World Superbike Championship.

He was well placed to add similar results at subsequent rounds but was called up by the Cabin Honda team to replace the injured Bubba Shobert in that year's 500cc World Championship.

With the Padgetts team having a phenomenal track record around the Mountain Course, with TT wins in recent years by Anstey, Ian Hutchinson and John McGuinness, their presence at the Classic TT once more confirms their commitment to the event and their desire to succeed and put on the finest show possible.

Dan Kneen, who will be riding a Yamaha FZR750 OW01, and team mate Bruce Anstey
with the Valvoline Racing by Padgett's Motorcycles Yamaha YZR500 that won on in 2014

Clive Padgett (centre) with Dan Kneen (left) and Bruce Anstey
and the YZR500 the team will campaign at the Classic TT