Top ten finish as O’Carroll makes road race debut

Top ten finish as O’Carroll makes road race debut

Ballyduff-based motorcycle racer Anthony O’Carroll made an impressive road racing debut at the Cookstown 100 last weekend.

The County Tyrone event marked the first and only – closed-road motorcycle race to run in Ireland this year.

O’Carroll’s initial plan for 2020 was to contest the Dunlop Irish Masters Championship at Mondello Park in County Kildare before trying his hand at one or two road races later in the season.
With the Irish Masters due to resume next weekend, O’Carroll elected to bring his road racing debut forward by entering the Cookstown and District Motorcycle Club’s race meeting.

Riding his newly acquired Kawasaki 600, O’Carroll took ninth overall in the Combined Senior Supersport A and B race and finished second in class B.

He was also the best newcomer in the race.  

“I would love to do more, I have a lot more interest in road racing than circuit racing after this weekend,” he said, “It is a lot safer than people make out. It is a great sport. It is amazing how much a road can change when you approach it at race pace,”  

The bike was originally built for the Manx Grand Prix and O’Carroll only took delivery of it a few weeks before Cookstown. His weekend began with a practice session at Kirkistown Race Circuit on Thursday where he fine-tuned suspension geometry ahead of Friday’s practice and qualifying on the closed road track.

The Tyrone races were originally due to be held at the end of April. It will be the only closed-road race to run in Ireland this year.

“I hope to go back next year,” he added. “It is usually the first road race of the year,”  
The races were sponsored by former World Rally Championship driver Kris Meeke and his wife Danielle through their KDM Hire concern.