A group of promising young riders visited the Isle of Man last weekend to familiarise themselves with the Mountain Course ahead of this year’s TT. Five rookie solo competitors came in for the trip to complete laps of the course with TT Rider Liaison Officers Johnny Barton and Richard ‘Milky’ Quayle. Newcomers getting their first look at the course included Dan Frear, Lee Vernon Daley Mathieson, Robert Wilson while Dan Hegarty, who had originally planned to compete last year, took the chance to have a further review of the Mountain Course. Hailing from a Lincolnshire family with a strong background in racing, 25-year old Dan Frear has enjoyed considerable success at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough where he has beaten, amongst others John McGuinness, Ian Lougher and Michael Dunlop in the 600cc class. He’s the current 400cc lap record holder and has also finished on the podium in the highly competitive National 600cc Superstock Championship. 22-year old Lee Vernon is a name well known to road racing fans having already tasted success on the roads, particularly at the Southern 100 and Oliver’s Mount where he’s been a regular podium finisher in the 250cc class. The Stoke-on-Trent rider won the Lee Pullan Trophy in 2010 and has also been campaigning a 675cc Triumph on which he will make his TT debut. Another youngster, Durham’s Daley Mathieson started racing on a 125cc Honda but has more recently been riding 250cc and 600cc Hondas at the Irish National road races. Finished 4th in the 250cc Ulster Grand Prix and will contest both Supersport Races at TT2011. Scotsman Robert Wilson is another rider to have started his road racing career at Oliver’s Mount and has already enjoyed success around the woodland circuit, finishing 8th in the 2010 International Gold Cup. Robert made an encouraging Ulster Grand Prix debut last year finishing inside the top 20 and lapping at just under 120mph. 25-year old Dan Hegarty is another graduate of the Virgin Mobile R6 Cup, where he was a front runner in 2005, and has more recently been contesting the National Superstock 1000cc Championship. The Nottingham rider took numerous top ten finishes in the series in 2008 and 2009 before injury ended his season early in 2010. The Mike Hailwood Foundation funded the trip. The Foundation was created in 1981, following the death of the legendary British Motorsport star in a car accident. Its aim is to maintain and develop road racing on the Isle of Man. Current TT stars who have benefited from the support of the Mike Hailwood foundation include Adrian Archibald, five time 2010 champion Ian Hutchinson, Davy Morgan and Steve Plater, the overall champion in 2009. They have now helped over 200 riders since their inception in 1981. Hon Adrian Earnshaw, MHK, Treasurer, Mike Hailwood Foundation, commented: “The foundation was set up in honour of one of the true legends of the TT who was much loved and highly respected. By fundraising and providing assistance for promising riders to experience the course in a non pressurised environment we are achieving our stated intention of promoting and maintaining road racing on the Isle of Man.”