THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM FOR HODSON AND SMT
After two successful seasons together, SMT Racing and Rob Hodson will continue their partnership for a third successive year at this year’s Isle of Man TT Races.
Hodson will again contest all solo races, riding an ex-Michael Dunlop Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP in the RST Superbike TT and Milwaukee Senior TT races and a similar Fireblade for the RL360/PE Superstock TT races.
His busy campaign will also see him line up on a Yamaha R6 (SMT / Vehicle Recovery Services Ltd) in the two Monster Energy Supersport TT races and a Paton S1-R in the Metzeler/Entire Cover Supertwin TT races.
Since racing resumed around the Mountain Course in 2022, 38-year-old Hodson has made good strides forward, taking no less than 16 top 15 finishes, six of those inside the top ten and this year will again see him deservedly seeded for all classes.
The Wigan rider has benefitted greatly since joining Robin Croft’s highly professional SMT Racing outfit with 2023 seeing him take a career-best of fifth in the second Supertwin race. He also claimed tenth in the Senior with a new personal best lap of 130.327mph, his first 130mph+ lap.
Last year saw him not quite hit those heights with initial progress hampered by a spill in qualifying at Whitegates but nevertheless it was another strong campaign with four more top 15 finishes. The best of those was seventh in the second Supertwin TT, which proved to be an excellent ride having had to start from the rear of the field after the Paton refused to fire.
More 128mph+ laps were chalked up in the Senior TT and Superstock TT, finishing 11th and 14th respectively, whilst 13th and 14th was the outcome in the two Supersport encounters. But it’s top ten finishes that Hodson wants in 2025 with a Supertwin podium high on his agenda.
Rob Hodson said: “Overall, I was pleased with last year’s results as it was another solid week of riding. We had the off in qualifying and, of course, poor weather, so I perhaps didn’t make as much progress as I would have liked but four top 15 finishes are nothing to be sniffed at.
“One of the most pleasing aspects about the year ahead is continuing with SMT Racing for a third year; we’ve had a good couple of years already so 2025 will hopefully be more of the same.
“I’m also looking forward to having my first TT on a full-blown Superbike thanks to the team purchasing the bike from Hawk Racing. We ran it at the Macau Grand Prix in November, so I already have a few miles under our belt.
“We’ve a good set up across the classes and I’ll be aiming to get back in amongst the top ten and 130mph+ laps in the big bike races. Whilst running four bikes this year will bring its own challenges, if I can make progress on them all, we’ll have another good TT so that’s the clear aim.”
