Trio geared up as road races return

North motor sport with ZOE BURN

NORTH road racers and teams are getting set for the return of the international racing calendar, which will finally fire up again this week.

After a two-year absence, the North West 200 returns on Tuesday, heralding the start of the most exciting month for motorcycle racing as the famous Isle of Man TT awaits.

Given that road racing is often regarded as a sport more associated with riders from the north, it comes as no surprise that a lot of the attention looks set to focus on people from the region.

Leading the way will be Cumbrian outfit DAO Racing, which runs reigning Isle of Man Senior TT winner Dean Harrison.

Formerly known as Silicone Engineering Racing, the squad – headed up by Carlisle’s Jonny Bagnall – remains unchanged other than its name (which is pronounced Dow) and its colour scheme.

“This is a big moment for everyone here – as it will be for anyone involved in road racing – we have really missed the road racing events and we are all very excited to get going,” said Bagnall last night as the squad headed out to Northern Ireland.

“As a team, we’ve been active for at least the last 12 months racing in British Superbikes and trying to get out at whatever other events have taken place such as Oliver’s Mount last year and now we’re finally ready to return to the roads which is where we really come to life.”

But Bagnall’s hope of bringing the silverware to Cumbria will be heavily challenged by his Penrith-based neighbour

Paul Bird, who shook things up a fortnight ago by revealing he would run his Bennetts British Superbike rider, Josh Brookes, on his MCE Ducati machinery.

The double BSB champ made his North West debut in 2013 as fastest newcomer and finished second the following year, while Bird’s squad has a good success record and many victories at the event.

“The question everyone is asking is just how competitive the MCE Ducati will be around the NW200 track and that’s a question I can’t answer until I’ve ridden it,” said Brookes last week.

“But I have no reasons to believe we can’t do well, or really well in fact. The Ducati is known to be fast and although we are missing a couple of tenths in BSB, I don’t think that will be a problem with the very nature of the event.”

But both teams will have big local challenges in the form of Dom Herbertson, who was offered the chance to race the Burrows Engineering/rk Racing team Superbike and Superstock bike.

The podcast host and tree surgeon is also racing the Cowton Racing Kawasaki in the Supersport class at the event.

The North West 100 begins with practice on Tuesday and Thursday followed by racing on Thursday evening and all day Saturday.