Joe Akroyd and Tom Weeden to Team Classic Suzuki
Classic TT specialists Team Classic Suzuki will make their first visit to the Isle of Man TT Races later this year, fielding youngsters Joe Akroyd and Tom Weeden.
The duo will contest the RST Superbike and Senior TT Races on Suzuki machinery, with Yorkshire’s Akroyd riding the ex-Hawk Racing factory Suzuki GSX-R1000R that Richard Cooper rode at last year’s International North West 200 road races.
Weeden, meanwhile, will ride the 2016 factory Suzuki as used in that year’s British Superbike Championship by Ryuichi Kiyonari and Tommy Bridewell.
Both riders made their name at the Manx Grand Prix, with Weeden taking first and second place respectively in the 2016 Senior and Junior races, with Akroyd joining him on the podium by taking two third place positions.
The duo moved up to the TT the following year but Akroyd suffered multiple injuries after a heavy crash at Glentramman during qualifying. It meant the former 125cc British Championship points scorer had to miss the 2018 meeting as he continued his recovery, but he was back in action last year where he more than impressed.
The 30-year old got quicker as the week wore on and after 22nd and 32nd place finishes in the second Monster Energy Supersport and RL360 Superstock Races respectively, he saved the best until last with an excellent ride into 18th place in the six lap Senior Race. Akroyd won a bronze replica in each of the three races with his final lap in the Senior seeing him post a lap at an impressive average speed of 124.115mph.
Meanwhile, Weeden has made steady progression in his three years at the TT with his best finish coming in last year’s second Supersport Race when he took 24th place. Indeed, last year’s event saw the 26-year old also pick up three bronze replicas and improve his personal best lap to 122.890mph whilst riding for the Burrows Engineering with RK Racing team.
The duo will also contest the Supersport and Superstock Races with their own respective teams.
Steve Wheatman – Team Classic Suzuki’s Principal
“Our aim is to provide Joe and Tom, two up and coming riders, with reliable and competitive Superbike machinery which will allow them to concentrate with their own teams on the Supersport and Superstock classes. We will have our support team headed up by Nathan Colombi along with having valuable advice throughout the event from Hawk Racing. The bikes will run in our usual Team Classic Suzuki colours and we are fortunate to have a good number of spares and options for these machines.”
Team Classic Suzuki have been staunch supporters of the Classic TT presented by Bennetts since its inception in 2013 and, experts in their field, have won the RST Classic Superbike Race on three occasions with Michael Dunlop. Other riders to have benefited from their immaculately prepared machinery at the event include Conor Cummins, Lee Johnston, Danny Webb, Phil Crowe and Nick Jefferies.
