Irish Road Racing [merged]

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BURROWS UPBEAT ON ROADS PLANS

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/mo...4#resize-image

Dungannon's John Burrows


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JOHN Burrows has no intention of relinquishing his status as one of road racing’s usual suspects in 2012.
The consistent Dungannon man has become a permanent fixture at the national meetings and remains one of the key threats to the established top three of Ryan Farquhar and Michael and William Dunlop on the domestic front.
And although he has flirted with the notion of retirement in recent years, Burrows has committed to another full schedule of racing this season, including the North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Ulster Grand Prix and the Irish national events.
He has recently purchased the TAS Racing Suzuki on which Bruce Anstey set the outright lap record at Dundrod on his way to winning the second Superbike race at the UGP in 2010.
“Basically the bike is the same specification as Guy Martin’s, except that it doesn’t have any of the fancy electronics,” Burrows said.
“Bruce Anstey set the lap record on it at Dundrod and it’s been sitting around, so I had the chance to buy it from TAS.
“The big bike is the main one for me and it’s the bike I enjoy riding most; I’m kind of putting all my eggs in one basket with it this year and hopefully I can get a few decent results.
“I surprised myself last season to be honest because I was right in the battle with Michael and William Dunlop at Athea and finished third in the Grand Final.
“Then at Killalane I finished as the runner-up to Ryan Farquhar in the Open race by just 0.8 seconds and I think that was as hard a race as I’ve ever given Ryan, so it was nice to know I could still run at that pace because I thought those days were over if I’m honest,” he added.
“I also finished third in the Grand Final at Killalane behind Michael and Ryan and lapped faster than Ryan did, so Killalane was a good meeting for me at the end of the season.”
Burrows’ focus may be on the Superbike class this year but he will continue to ride in the 650 Supertwins series as he bids to win the Irish title for the third year in succession.
He also has the offer of a Supersport machine but is mulling over the option before making a final commitment.
“I’ve the chance to ride a 600 for a group of guys and I think the ride is mine to turn down, but if you’re going to ride a bike for someone else you always need to think it through carefully beforehand and I’ll make a decision on it soon,” he said.
“I’ll ride the wee twin again and although I’ve won the Irish title twice it was never really a class I set out to win in and the big bike is my main priority.
“The Supertwins will now have a race at the North West 200 and TT this year and I suppose it gives guys like myself a chance to get a decent finish and some prize money, because I doubt if the likes of John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey and the other top names will ride in those races.
“At the TT I’ll be riding in the electric race again for Lightning Motorcycles and I’m due to go over to the USA at the end of February or beginning or March to test the bike for Richard Hatfield.
“The bike was badly under-developed last year but apparently it’s had a lot of work done to it since and it will be nice to have the chance to go to America for three days of testing to see how much it’s improved.”
Burrows rarely misses a national road race and he intends to compete at most of the smaller meetings this year, although the Isle of Man TT is the event that takes top billing on his fixture list.
“The TT is always the big one for me and I can’t wait to go back there again,” he said.
“Last year wasn’t a great year for me because the weather wasn’t great during practice week and I had a few mechanical problems in the races.
“When I started out in road racing it was never about money, it was always to enjoy myself and that’s still why I do it; if I get some prize money along the way then it’s a bonus.”
baltoracer

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McWilliams to race at the 2012 Northwest 200?19/01/2012


McWilliams pictured in his Proton/KR3 days

by KR Racing

Rumours currently circulating in the Irish racing paddocks have Jeremy McWilliams making a return to racing in 2012 and he will apparently take part in the inaugural Northwest 200 Supertwins race in May.

McWilliams, who is almost always at a circuit somewhere, is said to be part of Ryan Farquhar's KMR Kawasaki team and will campaign a bright orange ER-6f in the new class. It is thought Farquar himself is to ride alongside the veteran Ulsterman along with youngster Jamie Hamilton.

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'Obviously Guy is a big name and he brings a lot of media focus to the team and there's going to be a lot of hype, especially at the TT which is my home event' - Conor Cummins



Isle of Man comeback hero Conor Cummins has welcomed the signing of team-mate Guy Martin, after Tyco Suzuki finalised its international road racing line-up on Friday.

Martin, who rode for Philip and Hector Neill's TAS Racing outfit in 2011, flew into Northern Ireland to finally put pen to paper on a new deal that will see him compete at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Ulster Grand Prix and selected road races in 2012.

Undoubtedly the biggest celebrity in road racing, Martin's signature is the final piece in the jigsaw for the new-look Tyco Suzuki squad, which confirmed the signing of popular Manx competitor Cummins last week.

Carrick's Alastair Seeley plus Australian ace Josh Brookes will compete for the factory-supported Tyco Suzuki team in the British Superbike Championship this season, with Cummins and Martin flying the flag for the Neills' on the roads.

There had been uncertainty over whether or not Martin would commit to the team for another year after he delayed signing on the dotted line, but joint team owner Hector Neill officially confirmed Martin had been snapped up in front of a packed house at the Adelaide Motorcycle Awards in Belfast.

Prior to that announcement, 'Ramsey Rocket' Cummins - who recovered from serious injuries sustained in a crash at the TT in 2010 to make his comeback on the roads last year - said he was looking forward to riding alongside Martin in the traditional blue and white Suzuki livery this year.

John McGuinness aside, home hero Cummins and Martin - still without the TT victory he craves - are the most popular riders on the Isle of Man, where an unprecedented level of media attention will surround the team at the world famous road race in June.

“Obviously Guy is a big name and he brings a lot of media focus to the team and there's going to be a lot of hype, especially at the TT which is my home event,” said Cummins.

“Hopefully between the two of us we can win some silverware but most of all I want to win for the team and for myself especially.”

Martin, whose celebrity status was further enhanced by his starring role in last year's TT: Closer to the Edge film and BBC documentary The Boat That Guy Built, produced a string of rostrum finishes at the TT and challenged McGuinness in the showpiece Senior race.

He remains committed to achieving his dream of scaling the top step of the winners' podium on the Island.

And with the benefit of a year's experience on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 under his belt and his return to familiar surroundings in the TAS Racing set-up, Martin will feel 2012 offers him his best chance yet of overcoming that so far elusive career objective.

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Ian Hutchinson aims to race NW200 and TT

By Gary Pinchin -
TT & road races


Ian Hutchinson reckons he’ll be racing at the North West 200 and TT this year in spite of re-breaking his left leg in practice for the Revolution Show at the Carole Nash MCN Motorcycle show, London last Wednesday.

Hutchy had an operation to repair the damage the same day and was back home by 4pm on Thursday.
The Swan Yamaha rider told MCN: “I’m obviously gutted but I’ve spoken with a top-level consultant and he told me that the North West is a very realistic target. The bones should be healed in nine weeks and the cage will come off at 12. The North West is 14 weeks away so that’s my goal.”

[NinjaMaster]

Good luck to Hutchy, that's terribly bad luck to have busted his leg again and obviously very badly to be out for 12 weeks. Hope it all turns around for the better for him here.

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Michael Dunlop's much-rumoured sidecar debut appears to have taken a step closer to reality after the Auto66 Club announced this afternoon he would be racing an outfit at Oliver's Mount this year.

The younger Dunlop brother has already been testing at Jurby airfield with veteran passenger Dan Sayle who said he showed a lot of potential. Auto66 have said Dunlop will race a sidecar at the Ian Watson Spring Cup meeting on Sunday April 15.

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Double TT winner Cameron Donald has confirmed that he'll be contesting the new Lightweight TT in June this year.

The Isle of Man TT will be the only event where Donald will race in the class and the 34-year old will ride a high-spec ER6 Kawasaki for Mick Charnock's DC Coldplaning team in the 3-lap Lightweight TT, which will take place on the final Friday of race week.

Charnock and Donald have a successful history together on the Isle of Man having joined forces back in 2005 when the Australian made his TT debut. He went on to take 11th and 16th in the two Supersport TT Races that year and picked up the coveted Newcomer's Trophy in the process.

Cameron has since gone on to become one of the TT's star performers, winning the 2008 Superbike and Superstock Races. He has also recorded a further four podium positions including the runner-up slot in last year's Dainese Superbike Race.

He is expected to be one of several previous TT winners making his debut in the new class with further announcements due on the line up once entries have closed at the end of February.
Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government, commented:

"We've already had a great reaction to the Supertwin class and a number of the leading teams and riders have confirmed including a few surprises. It's going to be a very competitive race and represents something different for the fans this year."
baltor

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Went for a spin to see this !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ0igzIj3u8

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Michael Dunlop to ride for McAdoo Racing in 2012
Michael Dunlop has agreed a deal to ride a variety of machines in the colours of McAdoo Racing in 2012.

Dunlop will compete for the Cookstown-based team at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix, plus selected other national road races.

Dunlop will ride a Honda Superbike, with support from Hunts, and a 600cc Suzuki, with help from Marlow Racing.

McAdoo will provide Superstock and Supertwin Kawasakis, plus reserve Superbike and Supersport Kawasakis.

As the main cash sponsor of the team, McAdoo Racing will own four of the six machines and all the bikes will run in the team's new colours in celebration of their 30th anniversary in motorcycle racing.

The team will also provide two transporters for the 23-year-old Ballymoney rider.

Because of their religious convictions, McAdoo Racing do not permit their bikes to be raced on Sundays, so their name will be removed from the Honda Superbike and Suzuki Supersport machines, which Dunlop will use for events held on Sundays.

"In our opinion, Michael is the number one road racer around, and has the potential to dominate road racing for many years to come.

"He has already won two TTs, plus UGP and North West 200 races, and we hope 2012 will bring much more success for Michael and McAdoo Racing," said team boss Jason McAdoo.

It was revealed recently that Dunlop had parted company with his long-time sponsors Street Sweep, who had helped him to his previous TT successes.

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Just saw this on motorcycle news
Michael Dunlop has concluded his plans to race at the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races and the popular Northern Ireland based rider has announced will be competing in all of the solo classes at this year’s meeting.
Competing under his own Michael Dunlop Racing banner, with backing from the McAdoo team, Dunlop will be competing on a Suzuki GSXR 600 (with an engine prepped by TAS tuner Stephen Fleming) in the Monster Energy Supersport Races, a Hunts Motorcycles-built Honda Fireblade in the Dainese Superbike and PokerStars Senior and a Kawasaki ZX10 in the Royal London 360 Superstock Race.
He will also campaign a ER-6 Kawasaki Supertwin in the Lightweight Race that precedes Friday’s Senior TT.
Emphasising the hybrid nature of the operation, the team will not run under the purple and turquoise colours associated with the McAdoo’s and will instead compete under a new black and white livery design although McAdoo’s colours will also be present on the bike.
The Ballymoney man is building a successful TT career for himself since his debut in 2007. Already the fastest Dunlop family member around the course, which he achieved in 2008 with a lap of 124.773, finishing 10th in the Senior Race, he has since gone on to claim victories in the 2009 Supersport and 2011 Superstock TT’s.
He currently stands 7th on the all-time list of fastest laps around the Mountain Course with 130.213mph, which he set last year, and has finished on the TT Races podium 7 times including four runner-up places.
Commenting on the season ahead Michael said: “As everyone knows, I’ll be going hard at it as usual. It’s been pretty stressful getting everything together and as an independent racer it’s never straightforward.
"I’ve had to invest heavily to get the right machinery, and we’re still looking for a couple of sponsors to help, but I’m confident that I’ve got everything in place to get some more wins under my belt at the TT.
“It’s a different approach but some of the lads like Martin Marlow, Gerard Rice, Seamus Byrne and Mark Dunne are still with me as personal sponsors and we have a couple of new sponsors like Elas and Minimix Concrete also on board.”
He’s clearly exciting about the backing from the McAdoo team: “Winston McAdoo has always had great riders and if they weren’t great he made them great.
"I was a big admirer of Bob Jackson and look at Ryan Farquhar, Ian Hutchinson and Conor Cummins. We will get on well because the team only want to win, just like me.”
Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Manager, Isle of Man Government, commented: “Michael is one of the most exciting young competitors around the TT Course and is one of a handful of riders that can win any of the classes on his day.
"Over the last few years he has become one of the genuine stars of the TT and he’ll be looking to add to his already impressive TT CV this June.”