Road race rivals John McGuinness and Ian Hutchinson look set to enter into some verbal sparring early next year in Belfast.

The occasion is the annual Adelaide Motorcycle Festival which runs for three days starting on Friday, 10 February at the King’s Hall complex.

“Chat-shows are now an integral part of the Festival,” said organiser Billy Nutt on behalf of Nutt Promotions. “We are fortunate in securing such high profile names as McGuinness and Hutchinson.”

“We are currently in negotiations with other celebrities.”

Affectionately dubbed the Morecambe Missile, 39-year-old McGuinness was previously a brick layer but his speciality now is the Isle of Man TT where he has notched-up 17 wins.

A former 250 cc British champion, Supermac is expected to ride Hondas again in 2012.

So far as 32-year-old Hutchinson is concerned, he too is a TT specialist scoring an unprecedented five wins in one week in 2010.

But that particular season when he also had three Ulster Grand Prix wins ended in near tragedy for the Bingley Bullet who crashed on the opening lap of a Silverstone race where he was clipped by another machine and air-lifted to hospital.

During his period of recovery he had 16 operations and several skin grafts. His future as a road racer looked bleak.

But Hutchy has bounced back in style with a third place on his Swan-Yamaha at the recent Macau Grand Prix.

“So far as the exhibitors are concerned all the major manufacturers will be represented,” according to Nutt who is embarking on his 17th Show.

“We will have Honda, Yamaha, Triumph, KTM, Ducati and Harley Davidson,” added Nutt. “Several of the road race teams will be launched during the Show.”

“Clothing specialists Clinton Enterprises will no doubt attract a lot of interest along with the Auto-Jumble which continues to grow each year. We want to build on our outside activities and that includes the Trialstar team which performs daring stunts verging on the impossible!”

“The 2011 Festival was hailed by exhibitors and visitors as the best motorcycle festival ever. Exhibitors reported doing brisk business and many visitors came back for a second day. So far as next year is concerned, the response so far from local dealers has been very encouraging. What with 15,000 through the doors last February this is an opportunity not to be missed by both dealers and the biking public.”

“In fact there will be something for everyone, it’s that sort of Festival with the widest possible appeal.”

Adelaide Insurance is back as the title sponsor for the eighth successive year which is in fact the third year of a three-year sponsorship deal.

Make a note of the Festival dates: Friday February 10, Saturday February 11 and Sunday February 12 - just the ideal build-up to St Valentine’s Day!

For further information contact Billy or Marty at Nutt Promotions on 028 7035 1199 or email billy@nutttravel.com or visit the promoters’ website www.nutttravel.com and click on Motorcycle Festival.

Meanwhile, Alistair Seeley’s future team for a Superbike ride still isn’t clear!

Earlier this week he tested with the Crescent Suzuki team at Portimao in Portugal which also attracted Eugene Laverty and his Aprilia team-mate Max Biaggi.

“Alistair is still under contract to us,” said the TAS Suzuki boss Hector Neill. “However, we did give him permission for him to deputise for the injured John Hopkins in Portugal.

“Alistair won the British Supersport championship for us this year and we would like to keep him on board. I know that he has been speaking to other teams but it will probably be next week before we can announce a partner for Josh Brookes.”

Incidentally, Biaggi and Laverty were fourth and fifth fastest respectively after the first day of testing which was topped by Leon Haslam.

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