Dan Hegarty 2017 Isle of Man TT News
The 2016 Isle of man TT Privateer Champion, Dan Hegarty, has signed with Top Gun Racing to pilot the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade in the 2017 international racing season.
The UK-based Hegarty will ride the factory-supported 2017 Honda CBR1000RR SP2 and CBR600RR at the Isle of Man TT. He also compete on Honda CBR machinery in the North West 200, Southern 100, Ulster Grand Prix and Oliver’s Mount. The team will work with Maxton suspension throughout the 2017 campaign.
Hegarty was the leading privateer at the 2016 TT (RTR Racing Kawasaki), claiming four top-20 finishes, including 11th in both RL360 Superstock and PokerStars Senior TTs. His fastest lap was 128.431 mph in the RST Superbike race, making him the 25th fastest rider on the Mountain Course.
Hegarty also claimed fastest newcomer at the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix, along with a podium in the Southern 100 and a win in the Bob Smith Spring Cup at the Oliver’s Mount Circuit at Scarborough.
A former front runner in the British Superstock and Virgin Mobile R6 Cup Championships, Hegarty made his TT Mountain Course debut in 2011 with his best results being the two 11th place finishes achieved in last year’s Superstock and Senior races. In 2013, he rode as part of the factory Norton team and now has six silver and 11 bronze replicas to his name.
The team will begin testing in February with their first outing planned for the Spring Cup at Oliver’s Mount at the end of April.
Adrian “Wurz” Cox, Top Gun Team Owner, says: “Dan was our number one choice for 2017 as his ability and his desire to win are unquestionable. We believe that in Dan and the new Honda Fireblade we have a winning combination.”
Dan Hegarty says: “I am so happy to be riding with Wurz and the Top Gun team in 2017. Wurz is not a salesman – he’s a hands on team manager and a very genuine guy. Already he has under promised and over delivered in many ways – my kind of guy! How he has grown the Top Gun team over the last few years is a great story and it will be a real team effort to achieve good results.”
