130 and counting, including late entry from Conor Cummins
FANS are set for some pure road racing at this weekend’s Armoy Road Races with over 130 road racers descending upon the village of Armoy come Thursday, with two dozen of them being newcomers from as far away as Canada, Germany, Prague and a few a little closer to home, the likes of Ballymena and Lisburn.
Announcing some of the riders, Chairman and Clerk of Course, William Munnis, enthused about the quality of entries including a number of competitors coming straight from the Southern 100.
One late entry is Conor Cummins riding for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad team. Conor is returning to Armoy after a hiatus of over a decade and is very keen to enjoy some pure road racing again. Conor on announcing his attendance at the race meeting, said; “I’ve raced at Armoy on two previous occasions and the roads are quite gnarly but it’s perfect if you like pure road racing. Armoy has it all; the jumps and the technical turns and you always have to be thinking on your feet – it’s a course, I would say, that plenty of road racers just love.
“I’ve been thinking about returning to Armoy for a few years now, and it’s always been in the back of my mind but it has never worked out until now as my circumstances have changed. The offer to ride for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad came along at the right time and I’m delighted about that and even more excited about coming back to Armoy and racing. FHO Racing BMW Motorrad has been brilliant as has the Club in accepting my late entry. When I meet the Club members at various races, they are always very supportive of every road racer, particularly the up-and-coming riders.”
Conor will have plenty of competition as also in the fray are Mike Browne, Derek Shiels, Michael Sweeney, Dominic Herbertson, Paul Jordan, Neil Kernohan, Philip Crowe and Jamie Coward who is returning to Armoy on KTS Racing powered bikes in the Superbike, Supersport and Supertwin races after missing out last year due to a road traffic accident days before last year’s event. Davey Todd is also back again this year – he first raced at Armoy in 2017 taking a podium in both the Supersport and Superbike races and the Club has watched him continually grow in his racing career year on year.
William Munnis said, “This year we’ve a great turn out of top road racers. The Club and I have a job to do ensuring that we put on the best race we can, not just for those riders but for the fans and the sponsors. Given the quality of the line up, I’m sure there will be some very tight races.
“This the Club’s fifteenth year of putting on the Armoy Road Races. We’ve been running races since 2009; having set up the Club in 2007 and other than 2020, the Armoy Road Races have been running each year. It’s an immense effort and given that the Club is made up of volunteers – all who give their time freely – it’s nothing short of miraculous that there continues to be the passion and true spirit in everything we do to ensure that this sport not only endures but thrives.
“This year there are two Supertwin races, the first on Friday night after practice which is sponsored by ABO Energy and the second on Saturday with new sponsor Go. Greenlight Television is also back filming all the action and we hope to have dates very soon as to when BBC Northern Ireland and ITV4 will be airing coverage from next weekend’s racing.
“Thank you to everyone who has had a hand in making this year’s race happen, from sponsors, including our title sponsor the Bayview Hotel, to local residents and land owners, to those 130 plus road racers and to the fans who show up and give their financial support by buying the event packages to support us in the growing cost of putting on this outstanding event which is just like no other – the Armoy Road Races.”
This year, Bike Week runs from Sunday 21st July starting with a ride out and a barbeque with various events on most evenings in Armoy until the races take place on Friday 26th July and Saturday 27h July 2024 culminating in the Bayview Hotel ‘Race of Legends’. The Armoy Road Races event is enabled by funding from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
For more information on Armoy Road Races, visit www.armoyroadraces.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook or follow on twitter @ArmoyRoadRaces.
