Startline - Road Racing podcast

Ben Wilkinson has one goal firmly in his sights: racing at the Manx Grand Prix.

After beginning on motocross bikes at the age of 11, Ben moved into circuit racing before turning his attention to the roads. But his journey suffered a painful setback following this year’s Southern 100, when a low-speed road-bike accident left his shoulder broken in four places and his arm out of...

In this episode, we catch up with previous Startliners Illiam Quayle, Markus Karlsson, Andy Herd and Andrew Coulter to find out how Manx Grand Prix 2026 lived up to the dream.

We hear how they expected it to be, what was the reality was like, their advice for anyone wanting to be a newcomer in 2027 and most importantly - whether they want to do it again...

You can find Illiam Quayle Facebook and Instagram here

Markus Karlsson on Fa...

Belgian racer Laurent Hoffman has been back on the Isle of Man Mountain Course after a 12-year gap, and the comeback story is even more dramatic than it sounds.

After a crash at TT 2014 left him in a wheelchair and doctors telling him he’d likely never ride again, he returned to the Island with a rebuilt team, years of preparation, and some clear goals.

Laurent shares the inside story of growing up in the paddock, discoverin...

In this episode, Beth chats to motorcycle racer Richard 'Eggy' Eglin about more than 30 years of racing, from his first time at Mallory Park in 1991 to competing at the Southern 100 and Ulster Grand Prix.

Richard talks openly about his recent S100 victory, the challenges and costs of racing, the importance of the people who support him, and why the racing community means so much to him.

He also shares his experiences with mental he...

The waiting is almost over.

The paddock is beginning to fill, the tents are going up and, after a year of planning, the 2026 Manx Grand Prix is suddenly very real.

In this episode of Startline, we’re at the TT Grandstand with Manx Motor Cycle Club Chairman John McBride and Secretary and Treasurer Ned Bowers for a final look ahead before the action gets under way.

We talk about an exciting international crop of newcomers, the ...

Motorcycles have been part of Kyle Casement’s life for as long as he can remember.

Raised in a motocross family, Kyle began riding as a young child and went on to compete in British Championship events, beach races and arena cross. He later qualified as an electrician before establishing BVS Vehicles - a business that began with selling a few cars to help fund his racing and now plays a central part in making his ambitions po...

Adam “Stretch” Rayner may be a latecomer to motorcycle racing, but he is certainly not short of ambition.

The six-foot-six welder from South Yorkshire candidly admits that his early riding was sometimess reckless. 

A stark warning persuaded Adam to change direction, gain his racing licence and take his natural ability into official competition.

Since beginning racing in 2023, Adam has set his sights firmly on the r...

Markus Karlsson has spent almost his entire life on two wheels.

The 27-year-old Swedish rider received his first motorcycle at the age of two, began racing at seven and grew up surrounded by bikes, with a road-racing father and a mother who served as a motorcycle police officer.

Now Markus is preparing for his biggest challenge yet: making his debut at the Manx Grand Prix in 2026.

In this episode, he tells Beth about building his o...

If you've ever wondered what it's really like to race on the Isle of Man, here is a behind-the-scenes look from someone living the reality.

Growing up, Chris Moore was surrounded by racing - his stepdad was a TT legend, and it all shaped him into a rider who’s been chasing the Isle of Man dream for more than 35 years.

It was a life-changing moment in 1996 which helped open the door to the racing journey that followed. From ...

In this episode of Startline, Beth meets John and Linda Mullin - two people who prove that road racing is held together not just by speed, skill and bravery, but by tea, calm, kindness, knitting, and the odd well-timed nana nap.

From marshalling around the Mountain Course to supporting riders in the paddock, John and Linda share brilliant stories of friendship, teamwork, nerves, laughter and what it really means to be part of the M...

This episode of Startline was recorded in front of a live audience at The George in Castletown on the Isle of Man.

Beth catches up with Isle of Man road racer Grant Thomson after a season that has already brought incredible highs and difficult lows.

From a tough first outing at the North West 200 to standing on the top step twice at the Pre-TT Classic Road Races, Grant reflects on how 2026...

This week on Startline, we’re joined by Aaron West, a racer from Colorado with one of the most unusual routes to the Manx Grand Prix you’re likely to hear.

Aaron didn’t grow up on two wheels. In fact, he only learned to ride a bicycle after seeing TT highlights at the age of 19 and deciding, almost immediately, that one day he wanted to race on the Isle of Man.

Since then, he’s gone from a professional ice h...

This week on Startline, we meet Andrew Coulter -  a Manx Grand Prix 2026 newcomer from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who has spent years quietly carrying a dream that first started when he was just a kid riding bikes in the street.

Andrew’s route to the Mountain Course hasn't been instant or easy. There have been gaps, setbacks, crashes, work pressures, family life and all the usual chaos that comes with trying to go racing...

What makes someone spend years chasing a dream that most people would never dare attempt? And what is it about road racing that keeps people coming back, despite the risks, the setbacks, and the sacrifices?

In this episode, Beth Espey sits down with Irish road racer and psychologist Stephen Walsh, whose life is split between brain injury rehabilitation by day and classic motorcycle racing at weekends.

And while they discuss Stephen...

In this episode, we meet Brandon Kavanagh - a 27-year-old racer from County Wexford who is already making his mark on the roads.

Brandon made his Manx Grand Prix debut last year, hitting his target of a 110mph lap, and he’s now preparing to return with the Roadhouse Macau Racing Team on a new Suzuki GSX-R 750.

But Brandon’s story isn’t just about riding. He’s grown up around bikes, works long days before hea...

In this episode of Startline, Beth Espey is joined by Irish road racer Andy Farrell - a rider with two Manx Grand Prix wins, membership of the Tommy Club, and more than a few stories from a life spent around bikes.

Andy’s love of racing started in Skerries and what began as a fairly impulsive decision to go road racing turned into a 20-year journey through Irish national road races, the Manx Grand Prix, podiums, crashes and c...

In this episode of Startline, we meet Fraser Heginson - a Manx-based rider whose love of bikes runs through just about every part of his life.

From growing up around the TT paddock and watching his heroes on the Mountain Course, to racing CB500s, Aprilias, classics, and even having the odd go as a sidecar passenger, Fraser’s story is full of humour, honesty and genuine passion for the sport.

Now he’s preparing for his f...

In today's episode we are talking again about the 2026 Pre-TT Classic Road races.

We speak to some riders taking it on the Billown Course for the first time, while others are back for another go.

Liam Wood, Ben Grainger, Lee Stanaway and George Anderson talk us through their newcomer prep, while Wayne Avis and Adam Randells share what it’s like to return to the event.

The Pre-TT is on from Friday 22 until Sunday 24 ...

In this episode of Startline, we turn our attention to the Billown Course and the Pre-TT Classic Road Races, taking place on the Isle of Man on 22nd, 23rd and 24th May.

Organised by the Southern 100 Club, the Pre-TT has become one of the standout fixtures in the Classic racing calendar - a proper “must-do” meeting that regularly attracts well over 250 entries across its nine-race programme.

Among this year’s newco...