All star cast for festival

Lowes finished third in last season’s World Supersport championship riding a Honda on which he had two wins. For 2013 this talented 22-year-old will be Yamaha mounted.

“I’m very happy to join the Yakhnich Motorsport Team, it’s a three-year contract,” explained Lowes. “This gives me a real opportunity to fight for the world title.”

Sam’s twin brother Alex is also bound for Belfast. He will join the panel of guests on Saturday and Sunday. Honda hot-shot Alex from Lincoln will further spice-up what is really a huge social occasion.

Show promoter Billy Nutt is understandably delighted to add these two household names to his star cast.

“So far as Alex is concerned he became one of the biggest talking points last year following his strong end-of-season charge to end-up fourth in the British Superbike championship,” said Nutt.

“On the home front we have two more brothers. William and Michael Dunlop are serious rivals when it comes to road racing but this weekend they will share centre-stage along with the Lowes,” added Nutt.

The Ballymoney boys will be joined by Steve Plater, Alistair Seeley and Ian Hutchinson.

So far as 27-year-old William Dunlop is concerned he will be seen in public for the first time on Shaun Muir’s Milwaukee Yamaha.

He will be joining the British Supersport Championship grid and he will also contest the three major international road races, the North-West 200, the Isle of Man TT and the Ulster Grand Prix.

Speaking about this latest development, Dunlop said: “Joining a team like Milwaukee Yamaha means that on the roads all I have to think about is going as fast as possible.

“We will be able to do lots of testing to get up to speed before the first race, this is a great team to get involved in. Racing in the British Supersport is going to be different because of the new tyres.

“But I’m confident that I can do a good job, we have all the tools and I’m looking forward to it. I may also get the opportunity to ride in some of the home races but my main goal has got to be a first-time TT win.”

Just like William, Michael, three-times a TT winner, has landed himself a coveted ride joining forces with John McGuinness and Michael Rutter in the widely acclaimed Honda Legends team.

“This is a big opportunity for me with both Honda and Dunlop and it’s an honour to be riding for them so I’m looking forward to getting started,” said 23-year-old Michael.

“People are asking me how it will be for me having John as a team-mate but when we get on the bike it will be the same. I get on well with John but I don’t worry about anybody else when I’m on track. As a team we’ve got a great line-up with Michael as well so it should be a pretty good season.”

“I’m sure that the Show will generate a lot of idle chat this weekend but that doesn’t bother me, however results do!”

At the Pavilion the Dunlop brothers will have plenty of banter with TT kingpins Plater and Hutchinson as well as North-West specialist Seeley who is a former British Supersport champion.

“This is primarily an opportunity to showcase all that’s new in the biking world,” said Nutt. “But the riders also have a special appeal. Just like previous years I would hope to put some funding back into the sport and that’s more crucial now in these times of recession.

“The success of the Show depends on public support and judging by previous years I’m confident that we will attract another bumper crowd for what can best be described as the social highlight of the winter.” The title sponsors, Adelaide Insurance, have struck-up a useful working partnership over the last 10-years with Nutt Promotions.

On Friday the Show opens at 2pm and runs until 10pm. The opening times for Saturday and Sunday are 10am to 5pm on both days. Admission: Adults £10/€10, OAP £5/€5, children under-14 free.