IRISH CLUBMAN RACING

IRISH CLUB RACING

1997 John returned home to N.Ireland and set about learning a new set of short circuits, in the hotly contested Irish Clubmans’ 250cc Championship. After 15 meetings and despite a broken shoulder in July his results were consistent enough to finish 7th in the championship. The wet Dundrod 150 was John’s only road race in the Support Class.
1998 the season started badly with John breaking the same shoulder at the same corner in the first championship round. With a disgruntled employer, John temporarily retired and supported Bangor rider Gavin Bell who rode John’s 250 Honda for 4 rounds.
After encouragement from fellow riders at that year’s NW200 John came out of retirement and once again focused on the Manx GP. Opting for the reliability of 4 stroke power John bought a Honda VFR400 which lay in kit form in a Ballyclare garden shed.
The bike was built in time for the Mid Antrim 150 Road Race where John was rewarded with a 3rd place in his Support Group.
1999 John had 5th place in the Enkalon Pre 90 Irish Championship and 6th place in the Irish Junior Road Race Champonship.
2000 saw a job change working for Harley Davidson and John temporarily retired again to mechanic for a Mark Coates. Then the lure of the Island proved too much and John returned to racing at the start of the summer and threw himself into Manx preparation, yet again!!!