From a press release issued by Honda:

Preview Isle of Man TT Festival

Adrian Archibald enjoyed the taste of the victor’s champagne twice last year, taking the honours in both the TT Formula One and Senior events, and as he prepares for the upcoming Isle of Man TT Racing Festival the 34 year old Ulsterman is hungry for more.

However, he faces a tough challenge to his supremacy in a hectic week of race action in which he finds himself pitting both speed and tactics with Ian Lougher, Honda, six times a winner over the 60.72Km Mountain Course which provides a unique challenge, likened by one former winner as the “Everest of Motorcycle racing.”

The course provides a high speed dash around the picturesque Island, always on public roads, through towns and villages and over the heights of the Snaefel Mountain, with riders reaching around 305Km an hour on the long straights, with the outright lap record being at an amazing average speed of 204.85Km/ph.

Expectations are that this record could be bettered this year, such is the quality of the entry in terms of riders and machines, with much of the front-running action centring on Archibald and Lougher.

They begin their head-to-head challenge in the opening race, the TT F1, on Saturday 5 June, an event which will be decided over four laps and not the six as in previous years, with the organisers considering aspects of rider fatigue and safety. Lougher enjoys the full backing of Honda, riding one of their CBR1000RR Fireblades as he takes on rider Archibald, Suzuki.

Lougher had to settle for second best in the corresponding race last year, and that is not something he is prepared to accept this time around, but, apart from the challenge of Archibald, who came within a couple of seconds of breaking the outright lap record of 204.85Km/ph, he faces a real threat from the two Yamaha riders John McGuinness and Jason Griffiths. Adding to the action will be the Kawasakis in the hands of Shaun Harris and Ryan Farquhar.

That race could set the standard for the week, with the Archibald Lougher private duel extending across each of the major races. They clash again in Monday’s Production 1000TT, run over three laps, with Honda, who have a long, pedigree of successes on the Island, stretching to over a century of victories in some 40 years of competition, having their efforts re-inforced by Shaun Harris, the winner of the race last year, riding a Fireblade.

Bruce Anstey, the winner of the Junior race, for 600 Supersport machines, aboard a Triumph Daytona is back for more, in Wednesday’s race, but this time, the Kiwi is riding Suzuki, as team-mate to Archibald, and that could present additional problems for Lougher, who rides a Honda CBR600RR, in what usually is closely fought affair. McGuinness and Griffiths again will be in the equation, while Richard Britton, riding Honda, is more than capable of springing a surprise result.

And, in Friday’s three lap Production 600TT there is the promise of more of the same, prior to the rider’s concentrating their efforts into the climax of the whole week, the ‘blue-riband’ Senior TT, over four demanding laps. Archibald wants an action replay of his victory. Lougher, third then, and Honda want to get ahead of him, while McGuinness and Grifftihs again pose real threats.

By then McGuinness is hoping to have repeated his success of last year in the Lightweight 400TT in which he is riding Honda. Chris Palmer, who has made the Island his adopted home, is keen to take the 125 Ultra-lightweight TT honours for a second successive year, again riding Honda RS125R.

And, Sidecar racing has played a key part in the history of the TT races, which stretches back to 1907. The ‘chairs’ have two races, on the opening Saturday and then on Wednesday with the local favourite, Honda powered, Dave Molyneux, passengered by Daniel Sayle, aiming to add to his eight race victories on the Island.

The timetable for the 2004 Isle of Man TT Racing Festival is:

RACES
Saturday 5th June
400 hrs TT Formula One 4 laps
1615 hrs Sidecar ‘A’ 3 laps

Monday 7th June
1045 hrs Ultra Lightweight 125/Lightweight400 4 laps
1315 hrs Production 1000 TT 3 laps

Wednesday 9th June
1045 hrs Junior TT 4 laps
1315 hrs Sidecar ‘B’ 3 laps

Friday 11th June
1045 hrs Production 600 TT 3 laps
1245 hrs Senior TT 4 laps