The Isle of Man ( /ˈmæn/; Manx: Ellan Vannin, pronounced [ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn]), otherwise known simply as Mann (Manx: Mannin, IPA: [ˈmanɪn]), is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. The island is not part of the United Kingdom, but its foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the UK Government. Although the United Kingdom does not usually interfere in the island's domestic matters, its "good government" is ultimately the responsibility of the Crown (that is, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom).

The island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC. Gaelic cultural influence began in the 5th century AD, and the Manx language, a branch of the Gaelic languages, gradually emerged. In the 9th century, the Norse began to settle there. A Norse-Gaelic culture arose and the island came under Norse control. In 1266, the island became part of Scotland as formalised by the Treaty of Perth. After a period of alternating rule by the kings of Scotland and England, the island came under the feudal overlordship of the English Crown in 1399. The lordship revested into the British Crown in 1764 but the island never became part of Great Britain or its successor the United Kingdom and retained its status as an internally self-governing Crown dependency.

Guy Martin (born 4 November 1981 in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England) is a British motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic. He has primarily competed in road racing events.

Martin decided to follow his father Ian's footsteps by racing motorcycles and moved to Ireland to join Team Racing.

After a highly successful debut year on the roads, that saw him win the Cock o' the North and International Gold Cup races at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough as well as the Irish 750cc Support Championship, he moved to the Uel Duncan Racing team for 2004. It was another successful year as he retained the Gold Cup whilst he also made his debut at the International road races with the highlight being 7th in the Senior TT. His best lap was 122.10 mph which, at the time, was the fastest ever lap set by a newcomer and almost 6 mph quicker than the previous best.

Staying with the team for 2005, Martin made further strides forward and at the TT he was the only rider to finish all five of his races inside the top six. A debut podium in the Senior was backed up with a fourth, two fifths and a sixth whilst he improved his lap speeds to in excess of 126 mph. He also took the Scarborough Gold Cup for the third successive year.

Michael Dunlop (born 10 March 1988) is a Northern Irish, professional motorcycle racer, brother of William and the son of the late Robert.

He made his TT debut in 2007, where his best finish was 25th in the Superbike TT. He made the decision to ride in the 2008 races at the last minute after the death of his father at the North West 200 earlier in the year. He finished 10th in the Senior TT with a fastest lap of 124.773 mph, making him the fastest Dunlop around the TT Course. Dunlop joined his father and uncle Joey in the record books in 2009 when he won the Supersport TT race on a 600cc Yamaha.

Dunlop has also won at the North West 200, recording his only victory to date at the 250 cc race in 2008. His father was killed during practice for this event.

Karl Harris (born on October 21, 1979 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England) is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is a three-time former British Supersport champion, but has not won a race in 6 years in the British Superbike Championship. In 2010 he switched to the British Superstock Championship on a GR Motorsport Aprilia. He is married to Jane, and they have no children as yet.

He started his career in 1996, moving through the junior ranks to race in the European Superstock Championship, winning the title on the Suzuki GSX-R750, as well as taking in some rounds of World Supersport in 1999, with a best result of 4th. He returned to the UK in 2001, racing a Suzuki in the British Supersport Championship, which he won. He then graduated to Superbikes in 2002 on a Suzuki, but this was not a successful season. In 2003 and 2004, he again raced in Supersport for HM Plant Honda, winning the title in both years.

For 2005 he returned to Superbikes with a Honda run from their UK factory in Swindon, finishing 9th overall with a best result of 3rd.

Bruce Anstey (born 21 August 1969 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is now signed to race for Padgett's Honda, having previously ridden for Relentless Suzuki which is based in Ireland. He made his Isle of Man TT debut in 1999, he completed his first race in the Lightweight 250 class, finishing 7th. His first podium came a year later in the same race, where he finished 2nd behind Joey Dunlop. He achieved his first victory in the 250 cc class in 2002, finishing 3 minutes ahead of Simon Smith. In 2003 he had a win in the Junior 600 aboard the Valmoto Triumph Daytona, giving Triumph its first TT win in twenty seven years. In 2004 he finished on the podium in all the races he entered, including a win in the Production 1000 (now Superstock) class. He won the Superstock class in 2005 ahead of Ian Lougher, and in 2006 ahead of Ian Hutchinson. In 2007 he dominated the same race, winning by 40 seconds over John McGuinness, a feat in itself.

At the North West 200, Bruce has gathered up 9 wins from 2002 to 2007. In 2002 he won the Production race, and in 2004 he won the 600 Supersport race and the Production race. He was leading the Superbike race until the final lap when he crashed. In 2005 he won the rain affected Superbike event, and in 2006 he won the first Supersport race and the Superstock race. In 2007 he had his best year to date, winning a hat-trick of races that could have been more, had he not crashed out of the first Superbike event. While running in 2nd on the third lap, Bruce "highsided" at York Corner, and he was placed 2nd in the results because they were taken from the last completed lap. He went on to win the two Supersport events, and the Superstock event as well. He may well have increased his tally, but was unable to race in the main Superbike event, as his bike was damaged from the previous crash.