Guy Martin to ride for Smiths Triumph at TT 2015

GUY MARTIN is set to ride for the Smiths Racing Team at this year's Isle of Man TT in both Supersport races alongside Australian Dave Johnson.

The Smiths Racing Team is run by father and daughter Alan and Rebecca Smith, and is known for winning the 2012 and 2014 British Supersport Championships with Aussie's Glen Richards and Billy McConnell. Now the team is heading back into road racing territory.

Smiths Racing scored a TT victory in 2014, the team's debut year, when Gary Johnson won the opening Supersport race. This year the team plans to run a two-man team to defend its title.

Martin, 33, will race a British-built bike around the 37.75-mile course for the first time as he pursues the TT win that has so far eluded him. He is due to compete in the Superbike, two Superstock and Senior races, and now also in two four-lap Supersport races. 

Martin said: 'I wanted the best tool for the job in the Supersport TTs so I rang Rebecca and we ended up doing a deal. I reckon the Triumph is the bike to be on and I remember Gary Johnson passing me on the Sulby Straight on the Smiths Triumph last year.

'Alan and Rebecca are proper people who run a fantastic team and to win on their debut last year says a lot about them. I’m planning a few jobs with the Triumph after the TT also so I’m looking forward to getting the job sorted.'

Martin's new team-mate at Smiths Racing, 31-year-old Johnson made his TT debut in 2010 and achieved his best ever result in the Superstock race last year when he finished in fourth place.

The Australian racer also recorded his best lap at over 125.5mph. Johnson will ride a Smiths BMW in the Superbike, Senior and Superstock races as well as the 675c Triumph Daytona in the Supersport races. 

'I’m so happy that Rebecca and Alan Smith have chosen me to ride for them at TT2015,' he said.

'This will be my fifth visit to the TT and after a decent year last year on the Island, I feel it’s my time to be on machinery which is capable of being at the sharp end in every race. The Smith family and the whole team are all close friends of mine and have the expertise, skills and resources to build extremely competitive bikes so I think we have the complete package.

'I’m also happy to have a team mate like Guy Martin for the Supersport TTs. I’m sure we’ll work really well together. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and I will do everything I can to get the best out of myself and to get the best results I possibly can for the whole Smiths team.'

Both Martin and Johnson will ride a Smiths 675cc Triumph Daytona in both Supersport TT races for the Gloucester-based team.