The Barrow-based Wilcock Racing Team have signed a rider for the Classic TT, which starts tomorrow.

With the demise of their regular rider, Manxman Mikey Evans, who’s nursing a fractured collarbone following a training spill on a motocross machine last week, it looked like the team would not be contesting the Classic TT/ Manx Grand Prix this year.

Evans would have started as one of the favourites, having had some impressive results at the Southern 100 and some early season meetings here on mainland circuits.

Our other ‘Furness Favourite,’ Alistair Howarth from Silecroft, who would have been competing, is still recovering from serious leg injuries received from a heavy fall at the Skerries road races near Dublin in July.

However, Furness will continue to have a presence at the event after all, as Graham Wilcock has signed up-and-coming 20-year-old Yorkshireman Joey Thompson to race the ZXR750 Kawasaki on which Evans had many successes in the four-lap Superbike race next Monday. His riding number is six if you are spectating.

Joey, who hails from York, has had an impressive career to date. He took a break from racing after his close friend and rival fellow Yorkshireman James Cowton lost his life at the Southern 100 in July 2018, but now feels it’s time to resume his career.

All this of course is subject to the everchanging weather that decimated the TT schedule in June and the required number of marshals required to man the 37.75-mile course being available.

The weather curtailed last Saturday’s practicing, and Sunday’s schedule had to be cancelled too due to the lack of trained marshals.

Five hundred volunteers and two Air Ambulance helicopters are required to be in place around the Mountain Course before riders are given the signal to set off.

In previous years, many fallen riders remained undetected for several minutes as many points did not have a marshal stationed there. Nowadays, they are in sight of one another around the whole course.

Practice did get underway on Monday night and Joey soon adapted to the Wilcock Kawasaki with a lap of 118.29mph placing him sixth in the Superbike class.

Runner-up in last year’s Senior MGP, Kendal’s Stephen Parsons put South Cumbria on the map by leading both the junior and senior MGP classes.

Tuesday evening’s session was cancelled as well due to weather conditions.

Manx Radio broadcast the Classic TT races tomorrow and Monday from 10am on 1368am or 87.9fm They also broadcast the Manx Grand Prix races from Tuesday to Friday.

If you can`t get it on your radio, ITV 4 are screening it on next Tuesday and Wednesday with both programmes starting at 8pm.

*Barrow’s Steve Sewell has nearly completed his first full season of road racing with the EMRA Club at Mallory Park, using a 500cc Honda CB500.

First time out, he qualified tenth from a field of 32 riders after having to take to the grass to avoid a fallen rider at the notorious Edwina’s Chicane.

Undaunted, he lined up on the grid for the next event and crossed the line in sixth place but finished a creditable fourth overall in his class.

The last event of the day was held in damp and patchy conditions, making tyre choice difficult.

However, he achieved a top ten placing in this one and is now looking forward to the final round of the series at Mallory Park in September.

He’d like to thank local businesses Crooks Suzuki, John Wren Motorcycles, and MBR Racing for all their help and support.

*Ulverston drag bike racer Dave ‘Rocket’ Peters had a disappointing day at the STP Green Light Nationals drag race meeting at Santa Pod Raceway near Northampton last weekend.

Armed with the awesome 600bhp nitrous oxide-fuelled turbocharged Suzuki, he’d set his sights on regaining the ACU Funny Bike Championship he won in 2016.

Unfortunately, the gremlins which plagued him earlier in the season are still in residence.

With a third place in the opening qualifying run, things were looking good for the team, but as any motorsport competitor will tell you, things can all too often change for the worst.

Just after blasting off the line on his next run, the engine mysteriously cut out, effectively eliminating him from the competition.

Let’s hope the fault can be rectified soon and he can return to achieving the results I know Dave and the bike are capable of.

*This Monday, a Car and Motorcycle show is being held opposite the Clarkes Arms at Rampside.

Cars and motorcycles of all ages are on display from 10am and catering is available both on the show field and in the Clarkes Arms, with the admission free.

The last of this year’s Pennington Bike Nights takes place next Tuesday from 5pm. Neil McDougal’s catering unit will be providing coffee and snacks etc. Donations to the Air Ambulance Services are welcome.

The Vintage Japanese Club hold their next meeting on Thursday at the Newton Arms in Dalton at 8pm for enthusiasts with Japanese machines of over 15 years old.

My apologies if you turned up to the Charity Bikers Party Night at Ulverston Sports Club last Saturday.

Unfortunately, at the last minute, the group had to switch the gig to 100 Church Street here in Barrow.