John McGuinness set for return to Classic TT in 2014John McGuinness will return to compete at the Classic TT this year for Team Winfield alongside the returning Ryan Farquhar and Gary Johnson.
McGuinness, who took his tally of Isle of Man TT victories to 20 with a stunning success in the Senior event last year, will ride in the Bennetts 500cc Classic Race.
The Morecambe ace and Ulsterman Farquhar, who will come out of retirement this year to contest the Lightweight Supertwin class at the TT plus the Classic meeting on the Mountain Course, will ride identical 500cc Patons.
McGuinness will be aiming to make amends after an electrical issue ruled him out of the 500cc race on Winfield's machine in the early stages at the inaugural Classic TT in 2013.
Farquhar – who will also run Keith Amor on a Supertwin machine in the Lightweight TT in June – has won the 500cc race at the Manx Grand Prix five times between 2007 and 2012.
The 37-year-old and Brigg man Johnson, meanwhile, will also ride F1 Harris Yamaha machines for Winfield in the Motorsport Merchandise F1 Classic TT event.
Farquhar and Winfield also have previous form in the Classic Superbike category, having won the corresponding race at the Manx Grand Prix in 2009 and 2011.
Team owner Winfield said: “We are delighted with our riders for the Classic TT. We really enjoyed the first event last year despite not having much luck in the races themselves.
“But that is racing and we intend to come back stronger. I really felt for John who was desperate to win the 500cc Race last year. He'll be the man to beat going back this time, but we have made his job a little bit harder by recruiting Ryan to ride the other bike and his results on it in the past are there for all to see,” he added.
“Gary did a superb job for us last year on the Yamaha. We have developed that bike significantly over the winter and both Gary and Ryan will have a race-winning package for the F1 Race.”
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