Rising road racing star Dan Hegarty has confirmed that he will ride for RTR Motorcycles backed by Downshift Limited for the 2016 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy as well as selected meetings at Oliver’s Mount including the prestigious Scarborough Gold Cup.

The team has yet to confirm machinery but is committed to competing in the RST Superbike, RL360 Superstock, Monster Energy Supersport and PokerStars Senor TT Races at next year’s TT which runs from 28th May to 10th June 2016.

Nottingham rider Dan, who made his TT Races debut in 2011, clearly made real progress in 2015, performing consistently at the TT, which resulted in a new highest placed finish of thirteenth which he achieved in the opening Superbike race. He followed that up with a top 20 position in the RL360 Superstock Race and eighteenth position in the prestigious PokerStars Senior TT, rounding off his most consistent TT to date. He also improved his fastest lap around the TT Course to 126.5mph on the last lap of this year’s Senior TT.

2015 also saw Hegarty make his debut at Oliver’s Mount in the Spring Cup National Road Races, finishing the meeting as leading newcomer, which included third place in second Junior A Race.

He finished the 2015 road race season in style at the Scarborough Gold Cup, piloting his Downshift Motorsport ZX10R Kawasaki to a superb fourth place finish in the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup meeting which included taking an outstanding runner-up place in the Senior Race ahead of notable road racing luminaries including John McGuinness and Ivan Lintin.

Commenting on his 2016 season Dan said:

“I am glad of the way I have progressed over my years competing at the TT. There’s so much to take in when you’re learning the TT course but next year will be my sixth year on the Isle of Man and every year I get more confident round there. It’s great to have the deal with RTR Motorcycles/Downshift Ltd sorted well ahead of the new season which gives me loads of time to keep working hard towards my goals.”

Photo - Dan Hegarty at Union Mills, TT 2015. Credit Dave Kneen/Pacemaker Press Intl.