Michael Rutter has big plans for 2016
Bridgnorth's Michael Rutter has some big plans ahead and will be competing in the superstock class, which supports the British Superbikes.
The 42-year-old will also be back on the roads competing at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man TT and Classic TT.
He will also form part of a two-man team at the Macau GP in China and will again be sponsored by Black Country brewers Bathams.
Rutter will climb back on the Seeley G50 Matchless at the Classic TT, a bike he rode to victory over on the Isle of Man last year.
He said: "We're really looking forward to the superstock series and we'd like to thanks Bathams once again for their support.
"We're also looking forward to the road racing season but we can't reveal all the bikes I'll be on yet. We should have everything in place by March.
"I've been doing a lot of endurance riding during the close season to try to keep myself reasonably fit.
"Obviously you use different muscles when you're on a bike and I've spent a lot of time over on the Isle of Man."
Two young Shropshire-based riders have also won backing from businesses in Wolverhampton and Halesowen.
Louis Dawson, whose father runs Ducati Wolverhampton, has been making great strides in recent years and will be back racing in the TriOptions.
Dawson will be riding a Ducati 899 for the series, which also supports British Superbikes, with the number 34 during the seven-round campaign.
The 19-year-old will also be competing in the Thundersport GB on board a Yamaha R6 in the Sportsman Elite class.
Dawson's main sponsors this year will be Wolverhampton Ducati and Jim Dorricott Construction Ltd from Shrewsbury.
He said: "I also have the support of FUCHS Silkolene, which has helped him from my Superteens days when he started at age 14.
"At present, there are a few other local and national companies who have registered their interest but these are still under development.
"Although some of the Thundersport rounds clash with the TriOptions dates it will still give me extra track time while giving my sponsors further coverage at different events."
Dawson's first BSB test on the Ducati 899 will be at Silverstone on March 29.
Adam Phipps, aged 14, will be riding a KTM 390 for the new eight-round British KTM Junior Cup, which runs alongside British Superbikes.
He will ride under the FPA Racing after gaining sponsorship from FPA based in Halesowen alongside 13-year-old Caleb Smith, from Solihull.
The series is open to talented young riders across the country and competitors will regularly be racing in front of 60,000 fans around the country's best-known tracks.
