I am racing in the Classic Superbike Championship since its inception in
2014 on a 1993 Yamaha YZF750R and am from Cork.
I am 50 years of age since October last year so probably should have
more sense but it’s an itch I had since I was 21 and eventually it had to be
scratched. I began doing trackdays since 2000 and various hillclimbs around
cork including drag racing etc. My first foray into trackdays was on a Yamaha
350 YPVS motor in a Honda VT 250 chassis which was interesting to say the least.
I then moved on to a VFR 400 that I converted into a trackbike and had some
great times on that torturing R6s in Mondello. I eventually moved up to a 1992
Tony Scott powered CBR 600 which I promptly crashed and wrecked, back to road
bikes and a 04 ZX10 and lots of trackdays on various tracks in England. Then I
stopped doing anything with trackdays in 2011 due to the financial meltdown we
all had to endure.
Then at a race meeting in Mondello 2013 I met Mike Meskell spectating
and got talking and next thing I knew I was on the grid in 2014. Fast forward
to a learning season in 2014 and a second place in class in the Roberts Cove
hill climb. Next season 2015 absolute disaster with the bike refusing to run
properly at all and getting lapped constantly I eventually reached a low point
and retired in disgust from a race and flung my helmet across the garage. Only
for my brother Liam who helps me usually on the Sundays of race weekends my
bike would have landed on the ground. Eventually at the season end I diagnosed
the problem as faulty carbs and promptly filed them in the bin. They were
replaced with a filthy set I acquired from Hogan motorcycles in Nenagh and
ended the season with another second place in class in the Roberts Cove Hill
climb 2015.
Next season 2016 I began to get back to enjoy my racing again with an
winter engine rebuild by myself ( first time building a 4 stroke )and struggled
to get results with a slow bike and running second hand slicks due to lack of
funds, it was a frustrating season in some ways as I believed I could run
closer to the front on better machinery. I also had my first win at the Roberts
Cove hillclimb.
And the 2017 season was much the same with very limited funds but ended
on a high note as I found myself leading a race for the first time in the last
meeting on 2017. The race was a wet race and I was leading easily from series
winner Brian Murphy on his Ducati and couldn’t believe how easy it was. Then
red flags put an end to that. The race resumed, Brian set off like a
scalded cat and I got a bad start but after dispensing with Robin Heatcote I
set about chasing Brian. With only a 3-lap race it was a big ask but I caught
him at the last corner. Brian put me in my place in 2nd but I couldn’t complain
finishing the season on a high. I finished the 2017 season in third place in
the championship so happy with that considering the bike I was on. The only
downside to the season being David Morans accident (we had become good friends
through racing and were plotting what we were going to do for the 2018 season
with some trips up north). Dave still has a long road to recovery but is making
progress.
Now for the big news! I purchased Tim O`Kennedy’s very nice YZF750SP in
October and am hoping for big things for myself and the bike for the 2018
season. The bike holds the class record on the international track in Mondello
plus I am also hoping to do a round of the F1 championship up North during the
summer, funds permitting.
I could badly do with some sponsorship to fund my season this year
especially with entries and tyres, so if anyone would like to help me out and
have your name on a very trick bike please contact me on 0861957741 anytime.
Any sponsorship small or big would be appreciated.
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