Ex-GP racer Ellison among 2022 North West 200 newcomers

JAMES Ellison will make his North West 200 debut in 2022, two years after his originally-planned first appearance. 

Ellison had initially planned to debut at the North West in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant the race has been cancelled for the past two seasons.

That delayed Ellison’s road racing plans, but the 2009 BSB runner-up is scheduled to ride this year for Powerslide Motorcycles on a Suzuki GSX-R1000R superbike built by Hawk Racing.

Speaking after his first viewing of the North West 200 circuit in 2022, the Belfast Telegraph reports that Ellison said, “Station Corner seems daunting and I think it will blow my mind.” He continued, “The rest of the circuit looks fun, too, and I can’t wait to get here.”

Ellison has not raced since the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans in 2020, and it has been since 2019 that the former BSB race winner has raced in the top class of British short circuit racing. 

That said, the rider out of Kendal has a wealth of experience across a variety of disciplines and categories: from European Superstock to Grand Prix racing; and from short circuit sprints to long-form endurance races. 

It could be said that the Ellison will have draw upon all of his experience to master the North West, which requires the intensity of a sprint to be competitive, the self-control and patience necessitated by endurance for a rider to keep themselves in contention. 

Ellison was not the only newcomer, of course, but one of a group of six. 

Also present, Bike Sport News says, was Ellison’s teammate for the 2022 North West 200, fellow rookie Brad Clarke, who will compete on a Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the Superstock class. 

In addition, Cookstown’s Gary McCoy was present as the only local rider of the six. Bike Sport News quotes McCoy as saying, “It’s always something I’ve wanted to do since watching the North West as a youngster.” McCoy continued, “It’s the biggest event in Ireland that everyone goes to. It will just take a bit of time to get used to.”

McCoy will ride in the Supertwin class with a Ryan Farquhar-prepared Kawasaki, and will race a Michael Dunlop-prepared Yamaha R6 in the Supersport class, according to Bike Sport News.

Also among the newcomers were Austria’s Julian Trummer; Josh Daley; and Michael Evans; all of whom have experience at the TT, and Manx Grand Prix, with Daley also having raced the Ulster Grand Prix in his career.

Lead image courtesy of Bike Sport News.