Ian Lougher will join John McGuinness MBE in a formidable two-man Team Winfield Classic Racing line-up for this month’s Historic Senior Classic TT race.

Both will be mounted on Paton BIC 500s after Lougher signed up with the team this week for the race on Friday, August 29.

Lougher, a former winner on a Paton at the Classic, returns to familiar machinery alongside 23-time TT winner McGuinness.

McGuinness will again be the first rider to set off down Glencrutchery Road in the class.

The three-time winner, and current lap record holder at 113.342mph, will start as one of the pre-race favourites on the Paton but he’ll have plenty of opposition starting with the rider 10 seconds behind him, Manxman Joe Yeardsley on the Flitwick Motorcycles/SMV Royal Enfield.

A double-pronged, high-quality attack comes from Craven Classic Racing/Ted Woof at numbers three and four, with 2015 race winner and Laxey resident Dean Harrison first to go.

He’ll ride a G50 Matchless with team-mate Jamie Coward, twice runner-up in the race, following him away but on a 500cc Manx Norton. Both riders have 110mph-plus laps to their name so pose a major threat.

That same description applies to the rider at number five - Shaun Anderson. He won the corresponding race at last year’s Manx Grand Prix, edging out McGuinness in a thrilling encounter and will again line up on the Peter Beugger Racing Paton.

With no-one at number six, another significant challenge comes in the shape of Adam McLean at number seven, the Ulsterman riding the second Flitwick Motorcycles Royal Enfield. The threats keep coming too with Davey Todd at number eight, the three-time TT winner riding the Steadplan Racing TX500 Yamaha.

Mike Browne, a double podium finisher in the Senior Classic Manx Grand Prix takes the number nine plate on the Peter Lodge Racing Norton, and at number 10 it’s Paul Jordan. He continues his association with Davies Motorsport but will ride a 500cc Suzuki for the first time.

Two Manxmen go at numbers 11 and 12, with Conor Cummins getting his race underway first. He’ll line up as team-mate to Todd at Steadplan Racing on board a CB500 Honda and he’ll be followed by Santon’s Michael Evans on the Melbray Norton.

Michael Sweeney continues his association with CSC Racing and starts at number 13 on their TX500 Norton with numbers 14 and 15 taken by Alan Oversby (Ruthless Racing Honda) and Australian David Johnson. He rides John Chapman’s 500cc MV Agusta for the first time.

In a high-quality and varied line-up, the top 20 is completed by Will Loder (Minnovation Racing Seeley), Barry Furber (Martin Ireland Honda), Hefyn Owen (Owen Racing Matchless). Dan Sayle (Chapman Racing MV) and Andy Hornby (CSC/IMS Ltd/Red Torpedo Yamaha).

Outside the top 20, other riders set to make an impression include the returning Horst Saiger, Harley Rushton, Maria Costello MBE, Rhys Hardisty, Paul Cassidy and Andrew Farrell and with 350cc machines also eligible, almost 50 riders are entered.

The four-lap race is set to get underway at 10.15am on August 29.

Qualifying for the concurrently run Manx Grand Prix begins on August 17 with Classic TT qualifying starting on August 20.