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The Manx Motor Cycle Club, organisers of the Manx Grand Prix, has announced the 2014 Race schedule for the event, which will be the 91st year since the race meeting's inception in 1923.
The races form part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, which also includes the Classic TT, the Classic and Two Day Trials and the VMCC's Festival of Jurby.
The 2014 Manx Grand Prix starts with a week of qualifying from Saturday 16th August. The race schedule kicks off with the MGP Newcomers races on Monday 25th August followed by the Junior MGP and SuperTwin/Lightweight MGP races on Wednesday 27th August and culminates with the Senior MGP race on Friday 29th August.
2013 saw some thrilling racing culminating in Michael Sweeney's thrilling last lap Junior MGP Race win when James Cowton retired with less than a mile to go from the chequered flag. There were also race wins for Michael Russell (SuperTwins) and Alistair Howarth (Lightweight) while Chris Dixon, Callum Collister and Ben Rea took the honours in the Newcomers A, B and C races respectively.
Commenting on the change to the 2013 schedule Harvey Garton, Chairman, Manx Motor Cycle Club said: "It makes sense to switch the Newcomers Race to Monday which gives newcomers the opportunity to compete in Wednesday's Junior Race. It will also take some pressure out of a crowded race schedule."
He continued: "We were very unfortunate with the weather for this year's meeting which resulted in us cancelling the Senior MGP and I'm keen that we remind everyone that we have the option to race on Saturday if racing is unable to take place on Friday. Hopefully competitors, fans and marshals will bear this in mind when making their travel arrangements as the Club is determined to do everything we can to run our blue riband race next year including taking up the option of racing on Saturday if we have to."
