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Parade lap to honour life of TT legend Joey Dunlop

Ashlea Tracey
BBC News, Isle of Man
PA Media A black-and-white image of Joey Dunlop parked up on his Honda VFR 750F bike outside Buckingham Palace in London before he was made an MBE. He wears a grey suit and holds his hands in the air. He holds a helmet in one of them.PA Media
Joey Dunlop is widely regarded as one of the greatest riders in motorcycle racing history

A parade lap celebrating motorcycle racing legend Joey Dunlop's legacy will take place on the Isle of Man later to mark the 25th anniversary of his death.

The "King of the Mountain", who died on 2 July 2000 aged 48 while competing in Estonia, was widely considered to be one of the greatest riders in the sport's history.

The Joey Dunlop Foundation has invited fans, riders and supporters to join a memorial lap of the Mountain Course from 19:00 BST, starting at the Grandstand in Douglas.

Trustee Bruce Baker said the tribute would be a way for people to "remember Joey in their own way" on the course he "dominated with such mastery during his racing career".

Hailing from Ballymoney in County Antrim, Dunlop's achievements included 26 Isle of Man TT wins, five Formula One World Championships, 24 Ulster Grands Prix victories and 13 North West 200 successes.

He was also honoured with an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 1996 for his humanitarian work with children in Eastern Europe.

A green statue of Joey Dunlop sitting on a motorcycle while holding a helmet. The statue sits on a paved area next to some green grass by the Mountain Course.
The parade lap will pass Joey Dunlop's statue which sits at the Bungalow on the TT Course

Mr Baker said Dunlop had, and would always be, best known for winning 26 TT races.

He asked the rhetorical question: "What better way to remember him than to do a lap of the course that he had so much success on?"

Mr Baker said he hoped residents would also honour Dunlop's "sheer talent" by lining the course to clap and wave.

STEVE BABB The sun rises over a stretch of road next to a red brick grandstand with long rows of benches. There is a taller building with windows which stands in the centre and banners have been draped around it. Race banners can also be seen lining barriers next to the tarmac.STEVE BABB
The parade lap will set off from the Grandstand in Douglas

Posthumously, Dunlop's charity work continues through his foundation, set up in 2010, which provides specialist accommodation to open up the Isle of Man to visitors with a disability.

Braddan Bridge House, located on the TT course, offers apartments for disabled guests and allows them to experience the TT races.

Mr Baker said the facility stood "as a lasting and fitting tribute to Joey's legacy".

He said the parade lap had been organised to "commemorate a significant milestone" of 25 years since "the world lost not only a motorsport icon but a humble and generous man whose charitable work continues to inspire".

No registration or donations are required to take part in the event, which will take place on open public roads, but organisers have urged participants to "ride safely".

Those who would like to take part have been asked to gather at the TT Grandstand pit lane on Glencrutchery Road from 18:30 BST, with riders setting off at 19:00.

A similar parade, which featured some of Dunlop's original bikes, took place during the North West 200 in May in Ballymoney.

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