When the TT Legends three-race series starts in January next year there will be more famous names than ever before visiting our big name national circuits. Mick Grant has already signed up a bigger and better visiting team of racing TT Legends all set to demonstrate famous Grand Prix bikes from a forgotten era.
Alan Walker is bringing over a MV Agusta 500cc machine and there will be a host of two-stroke Suzuki and Honda Grand Prix racing motorcycles. Former TT race record holder, Steve Plater will also be a part of the line-up, and eight-time world champion Phil Read, who's still sprightly and in his mid-seventies, has great plans for the three-race series as well. In the visiting line-up will be the Isle of Man best female competitor at the TT races, Maria Costello.
The Sunshine Series will kick off its schedule on the 22nd of January at the scenic East London Grand Prix Circuit and is set to run over that weekend.
After travelling up to the Highveld one week later, Zwartkops will become the scene of the racing action on the specialist Castrol Day of the Champions Racing Series to be held over a full three days from Friday 28 January to 30 January.
Organiser for the racing series, Clive Strugnell says with this big racing entourage the compact programme means the visiting sunshine refugees will see and enjoy some of the wildlife and culture of the country at a somewhat fast pace. However, like last year, they will miss the often serene European Winter freeze up.
The final leg of the TT Legends programme is set to take place on the tarmac of the Killarney Race Track over the weekend of the 5th and 6th of February 2011.
To back up the all-star international race card, other famous names like Jim Redman, six-time World Champion, Paddy Driver, Jimmie Guthrie, Peter Labuschagne and former racing local champions such as Keith Zeeman, Kevin Hellyer, Les van Breda and Dave Petersen among others, will also be part of the two-wheeled action over the three race legs that are planned.
The National Historic Racing Museum in Deneysville, run by John Boswell, also have some new and famous machines from "Team Incomplete" which will feature Nortons and AJS Matchless - names from the mid sixties.
These old clunkers represent former golden era grand prix machines that will make a wall of sound for the series. That's what spectators come to see and hear - bikes that present a unique and noisy sound trail on the track.
All in all, the scheduled race programme will hopefully deliver some spectacular sights and sounds and the chance to see and talk to some TT Legends racers from yesteryear. All of this will take you on magical step back in motor cycle racing time.