South African Star AJ Venter to make Isle of Man TT Races debut in 2013

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South African star Allann-Jon Venter will make his Mountain circuit debut at the 2013 Isle of Man TT fuelled by Monster Energy.

The exciting youngster, better known as AJ, will race for Mick Charnock’s TC Racing Honda/DP Coldplaning outfit. The team has secured high-spec 1000cc Hondas for their Mountain course campaign and will contest the Superbike, Royal London 360 Superstock and Senior races.

24-year old Venter has been racing in the British Championship since 2007 when he joined Glen Richards in the MAP Embassy Superstock team, eventually finishing in 18th place overall with seven impressive points-scoring rides. A year later, he switched to the inaugural Superstock 600cc Championship, claiming a win at Oulton Park and three more podiums on his way to an excellent fourth place overall.

However, it’s the Supersport class where he’s achieved his greatest success. Riding Triumph machinery, Venter, who bases himself in Newcastle upon Tyne during the racing season, finished in 13th overall in 2009 with six top ten finishes, including a career best of fourth, before improving further in the following two seasons.

2010 and 2011 saw him finish in 11th place overall in the fiercely competitive 600cc class, with a combined total of fourteen top ten finishes, defeating the likes of Sam Lowes, Dan Linfoot, Lee Johnston, Gary Johnson, Dan Cooper and Jimmy Hill during the course of the year.

A lack of finance forced him to miss the 2012 British Championship season but he returned to his homeland where he competed with more success.

TC Racing Honda/DP Coldplaning team boss Mick Charnock has a strong pedigree of competing at the TT and Manx Grand Prix firstly as a rider and latterly running his own team, backing Cameron Donald, David Johnson and Jimmy Storrar, all as newcomers, in 2005, 2010 and 2012 respectively.

Venter is clearly looking forward to making his TT debut and commented:

“Lots of people are aware of the TT back home in South Africa and it’s been on my radar for a while. I first came out to the Isle of Man in 2007 and met Milky Quayle and Johnny Barton, which gave me an idea of what I’d be taking on. I’m under no illusions about the task but I can’t wait to make my Mountain Course debut.”

Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government, commented:

“AJ has an excellent pedigree and has already made his mark in the British Championship at a relatively young age. He’s a hugely talented rider and as a newcomer there’s no better team than Mick Charnock’s outfit as he has a proven track record of helping talented newcomers get to grips with the TT.”