TT fans tell of passion for racing 'fix' each year

Jon Stones (right) came to the festival with his wife and met friends Donna and Mark Collier

Fans of the Isle of Man TT have told how they never miss the annual race spectacular in search of their "fix" of the "addictive" event each year.

The two-week festival, which sees racing on the 37.7-mile (61km) course of closed public roads, attracts thousands of visitors from across the world.

Among them, Jon Stones from North Lincolnshire said: "You just cannot beat the screaming noise of those bikes going flat out - I need that fix every year".

Having regularly visited the races with his wife since 2016, he continued: "We get the ferry over and when you spot the island in the distance we think 'here we go again' and you can't wait."

Rachel Stones said: "It's not something thing that was in my blood until I came with my husband, but now I wouldn't swap it.

"You can't describe it to people who have never been, it is just so addictive."

Curt Chapman (left) from Nevada encouraged 14 friends from around the world to visit the festival

Curt Chapman from Reno, Nevada, visited in 2017 and said "I knew I had to get back at some point" because it was "such an amazing experience".

It had been the "easiest sell ever" to encourage his friends to join him to witness the "spectacle" up close in 2015, he said.

After first visiting in 2017, Curt Chapman said he knew he had to return

The biker said a group of 15 had travelled separately from the USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland and Germany to meet up on the island and "enjoy the most amazing event the exists in the motorcycle world".

"It's such an absurd event, its so ridiculous racing on public roads, I just love that part of it," he said.

"I admire this whole event and the people that dare to do it."

Dinny Collins is visiting the TT Races for his third year in a row

Despite delays and schedule changes, Dinny Collins from Dublin said the racing had so far had been "class" with Michael Dunlop getting his 30th TT win on Monday being a highlight.

"I'm fan of all the riders, I'd like to see Dean Harrison win again and Dunlop to win heaps more," he said.

Having been "into bikes his whole life", he said he finally managed to make it to the races in 2023.

"The atmosphere and the excitement is awesome, so now we'll have to come back every year," he added.