HD THEATER REVS UP THE WORLD'S MOST EPIC MOTORCYCLE RACE, THE 2010 ISLE OF MAN TT, WITH 9 EPISODES STARTING MONDAY, AUGUST 23
(Silver Spring, Md.) - The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is the world's oldest motorcycle race, where racers circumnavigate the Isle of Man on its death-defying 37-mile course of bends, bumps, jumps, stone walls, manhole covers and telegraph poles, traversing villages and climbing a mountain of farmland and cliffs. Known as one of the most challenging motorcycle races on Earth due to its epic road course, the Isle of Man TT grabs the world's attention every year. Now, for the first time ever, high definition cameras have been installed on the bikes, enabling viewers to take every pulse-pounding turn right there with the racers. These onboard cameras join last year's HD cameras that cover every nook and cranny of the Isle of Man's spectacular course, including the famed "super slo-mo" camera that provides stunning shots from the most picturesque jumps. All the action will be brought to the United States exclusively through HD Theater's 9-part coverage, ISLE OF MAN TT 2010, starting on Monday, August 23 at 9 PM ET.
First held in 1907, the Isle of Man TT's 37-mile circuit is the longest of its kind in the world with races lasting three, four or six laps. Each lap includes 250 turns, of which 240 are blind and taken in excess of 100 mph. Because the course is so challenging, organizers fill the field by invitation only with elite racers who are willing to take on the Isle of Man TT and who have proven they possess the skills necessary to compete. These extremely talented professionals have managed to set records as high as a lap average of 130 mph and a top speed approaching 210 mph. On par with some of the Tour de France's most treacherous stages, racers careen across sloping country roads and down small village streets at spectacular speeds, bringing them within inches of curbs, stone walls, and screaming fans. Each year, more than 60,000 spectators flock to the 221-square-mile island, located in the Irish Sea, joining 80,000 locals gripped by the event.
HD Theater's ISLE OF MAN TT 2010 coverage will be centered around the five solo and two sidecar races for conventional bikes: the PokerStars Superbike TT, the Monster Energy Supersports 1 and 2 races, the Royal London 360 Superstock class, the Dainese Senior TT, and the Sure Sidecar Races, in which a rider and his partner pair up and work in tandem to keep their balance while taking turns driving at blistering speeds. There will also be a close look at the TT Zero electric bike class, as these innovative machines are pushed to their limits and riders take up the mountain course challenge with a �10,000 (nearly $15,000) prize on the line for the first bike in this class to average 100+ mph in one lap. American racer Mark Miller competed in the Zero TT, riding a Team MotoCzysz E1pc, one of the most advanced electric racing bikes in the world.
The U.S. is represented by five racers among the pool of contestants worldwide, including:
· Brandon Cretu - Felton, Pennsylvania. 2010 was Cretu's first time riding in the Isle of Man TT, and he raced in both 600 Supersport classes. Of his experience, Cretu said, "It was an honor to be invited to race at this prestigious event as the only American newcomer, and the experience only made me want more when it was all said and done."
· C.R. Gitterre - Charlotte, North Carolina. Gitterre competed in all five solo classes aboard his GEICO Powersports-sponsored Suzuki bikes. This was his second trip to the Isle of Man TT and first year using his own equipment. "It is the single most challenging track in the world," Gittere said of the race. "It really is special for me to be invited to represent America in this historic event."
· Mark Miller - Calabasas, California. Miller has driven in the Isle of Man TT five times and currently holds the fastest lap time ever by an American. Miller competed in the Senior, Superbike, Superstock, and Zero classes at this year's competition. The racer says that he has fallen in love both with and on the island after meeting his wife there in 2006.
· Jimmy Moore - Portland, Oregon. 2-time AMA Superstock Champion Jimmy Moore competed in all five solo classes of the TT this year and battled to the last lap of the final race to vie for the top privateer award, ultimately taking home the highest finish ever for an American in the Senior TT.
· Jimmy Vanderhaar - Louisville, Kentucky. Vanderhaar has competed at the TT for two years in both Supersport classes. "Racing at the Isle of Man is the experience of a lifetime," he said. "It was a great honor to be one of the few riders representing the USA."
ISLE OF MAN TT 2010 was produced by North One Television for HD Theater. For North One Television, Neil Duncanson is executive producer. For HD Theater, Bob Scanlon is executive producer and vice president of development.
About HD Theater:
The first 24-hour high-definition network in the U.S. to broadcast all of its content in brilliant 1080i and 5.1 digital surround sound, HD Theater offers compelling real-world and motorized content from a wide range of categories including adventure, technology, nature and world culture - all designed to provide viewers with the highest-quality television experience available. As one of the most widely-distributed high-definition networks available in the U.S., HD Theater brings its programming to life in a kaleidoscope of dazzling color, sound and sights. For more information, visit www.dhd.discovery.com.
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