Glenn Irwin Announces Retirement From Road Racing
Set to continue in British Superbike, Glenn Irwin won’t be hanging around the road racing scene any more after confirming his retirement
A consistent racer at the North West 200 event, Glenn Irwin has 11 wins to his name but is prioritising British Superbike after falling short of the title in the last two seasons.
Irwin lost the 2023 title to team-mate-at-the-time Tommy Bridewell by half a point before claiming third in 2024.
The PBM Ducati rider is hoping to make it third time lucky in 2025 and with his focus solely on BSB, the North West 200, or any other road racing event, will not see Irwin present.
Irwin retires from road racing as the most successful rider at the North West 200 in the superbike class.
Iriwn won three races at the 2024 North West 200 event and is a one-time Isle of Man TT competitor.
In a statement Irwin said: “Around 4pm on Saturday May 11, 2024, I took the chequered flag at the North West 200 for the final time. I would like to make the announcement that I have made the decision to retire from all road racing with immediate effect.
“34 may seem young but I achieved so much more in my short tenure than I ever could have dreamed of. I finished 14 international superbike races, winning 12 of them, the other two that I didn’t win was my debut at the Isle of Man TT and also the first ever NW200 Superbike race in wet conditions.
“I finished three international Supersport races, where I finished on the podium in all three races, and finished behind riders like William Dunlop, Lee Johnston and Alastair Seeley.
“How we’ve gone on to beat that record with 11 wins consecutively is something that will live with me forever,” added Irwin. “I can’t believe what we’ve done, but we’ve done it, and it feels so nice to sit here saying that. It’s very surreal.
“From the boy who cycled the golf courses as a kid, who begged for pounds for the fosters sweet stall in the paddock, to the most winning superbike rider ever at the NW200… It’s a chequered flag on my road racing career. Is this the missing bit of the puzzle in my quest for my first British Superbike title? Only time will tell.”
“The road racer in me knows that we could be successful at the NW200 for years to come and I also believe that I could remain unbeaten for many years. However, the dad in me knows I have had a good time of it, I have achieved success that I have never dreamed of achieving.
“We’re often guilty in life of wanting more. More wins, more financial freedom, more whatever. But in the world of road racing, the price of chasing that next victory, that next record, can be so high, it can be the ultimate price.”
Find all the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com.
After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
