A Gloucestershire-based motor bike specialist has teamed up with a privateer motorcycle racer to attempt a difficult challenge on the Isle of Man.
Meala Racing Development, based at the Space Business Centre in Gloucester, will be supporting Ru55ellRoadRacing as the team seeks to race in every class at the infamous Isle of Man TT in May and June 2022.
If completed, Ru55ellRoadRacing will become the first team to ever compete in all classes of the TT in the same year.
Ru55ellRoadRacing is led by serving RAF Serviceman Cpl Mike Russell, who has been an international privateer motorcycle racer since 2005.
The Isle of Man TT course is regarded as one of the most demanding, dangerous and exhilarating of its kind – and attracts the world’s greatest road racers to test themselves against the course.
Andy Hoare founded Meala Racing Development in 2019 and is a racer himself.
Andy is not only providing the CBR600RR for the challenge but is offering his mechanical skills to build not only the CBR bike from scratch but the ER650 and the bike that will become the Superstock/Superbike for the other classes.
Cpl Russell said: “Having his skillset behind the bikes and the team is a huge boost to morale and the energy is building towards the challenge with a very much can-do attitude.”
Dave May, who owns Fusion Business Support Limited at Space Business Centre, has also donated the use of his Kawasaki ER650 to the challenge.
The Kawasaki will become the Super Twin bike, which is also being built by Meala Racing Development – via sponsorship from DNA Racing Ltd and Fusion Business Support.
Andy added: “Cpl Mike Russell and the team are taking on a challenge in 2022 that could be described as a little unique, and when they approached us, we were delighted to help.
“Racing one class alone at the TT is hard but to race every class, get practice laps in and qualifying is definitely demanding.
“We would like to thank Dave at Fusion Business Support for supporting the challenge too and it’s great to be teaming up with a local business to help make Ru55ellRoadRacing’s challenge a reality.”
Meala Racing Development and Fusion Business Support are both based at AC Lloyd’s Space Business Centre in Quedgeley, Gloucester.
Toni Smith, Site Manager at the Space Business Centre, said: “It’s fantastic to see two of our businesses joining forces to support this Isle of Man TT challenge.
“We have an incredible business community at Space Business Centres and partnerships like this show just that.”