Mansfield brothers Ben and Tom Birchall will take over the number one plate for the first time in next month’s two Sidecar TT races.

Almost 50 entries have been accepted for the two three-lap races, sponsored by Sure, with the first on the opening day of racing action - Saturday, June 3 and the second forming the curtain raiser to ’Championship Day’ on the final day of the meeting - Friday, June 9.

Five former race winners are in the line-up, with no fewer than 25 victories between them.

As many as 13 of the crews have already lapped the Mountain Course at more than 110mph and the strength in depth extends through the field. Only 10 drivers are seeded but the top 30 have all lapped at more than 106mph.

With four wins in total and three in the last two years, as well as being the current outright lap record holders, the Birchall brothers will be the crew to chase.

Setting off 10 seconds behind them are the most successful driver and passenger in TT history - Dave Molyneux and Dan Sayle. With a combined tally of 25 TT wins between them, the Manx duo have an unbelievable record but the last few years have been marked by a dip in their fortunes and they will be hoping a switch to Yamaha will elevate them back to the top step of the podium.

John Holden, last year’s winner, is at number three. The Silicone Engineering-backed driver took his second individual win in the opening race of 2016. With 15 podiums to his name, the Blackburn driver has made a change to his wing man with local passenger Lee Cain joining him.

Conrad Harrison, another former TT race winner, is at number four. The Bradford driver took victory in the opening race of 2014 but failed to start a single race for the first time in his TT career last year. He has recruited Holden’s former race-winning passenger Andy Winkle.

The same applies to five-time world champion Tim Reeves who takes the number five plate this time around on the Klaffi Racing Honda. His sole victory came in 2013 and although he has a rookie passenger, to the TT at least, in Mark Wilkes, he’ll be looking to build up his challenge during qualifying and be in contention come the two race days.

Last year’s sensation, Cheshire’s Peter Founds, who took second place in the opening race in only his second year of competing as a driver at the TT, starts 10 seconds behind them. Passenger Jevan Walmsley had a dream debut and having already lapped at close to 113mph, the duo will be hoping to make even greater strides in 2017.

Peter’s brother Alan was also on the podium last year, finishing third in the same race and he takes the number seven plate. He also has a new passenger in the shape of Jake Lowther who last competed at the TT with his brother John in 2015.

Next up at number eight is the second local driver, Karl Bennett. He had his best TT result 12 months ago when he took fourth in the second race and also broke the 112mph barrier for the first time. He too has a new passenger on board and, having recruited Frenchman Maxime Vasseur.

The father and son pairing of Steve and Matty Ramsden are at nine and deservedly become a seeded pairing after two great drives in 2016 saw them claim fourth and sixth place finishes.

At 10, Gary Knight is the last of the seeds. The former European champion lines up with Daniel Evanson again after they finished eighth and 12th in 2016.

The rest of the field will confirm their starting positions during qualifying week.

jed etchells second

Motocrosser Jed Etchells produced another good performance to finish runner-up in round two of the MX National Championship at Lyng, Norfolk last weekend.

The St Mark’s teenager scored a sixth, two fourths and a third on his Kawasaki KX450F in the adult expert Mx1 to move up from sixth to joint fourth in the standings.

l News on local performances in the Scottish Six Days Trial on page 53.