Road Racing Royalty confirmed for Armoy Road Races

Now in its sixth year and established as an essential fixture on the road racing calendar the Armoy Road Races takes place on Friday 25 and Saturday, July 26.

Confirmation was announced as the races were launched at the Bayview Hotel in Portballintrae, that Michael Dunlop, eleven times TT winner and multiple winner at Armoy is confirmed to take part. William, although injured at the TT, hopes he’ll back on a bike well before the Armoy Races and after his tremendous Superbike win at the NW200 there really will be no holding back.

Having Michael and William Dunlop along with cousins Paul Robinson and Sam Dunlop racing at Armoy ensures that the tradition and heritage of the legendary Armoy Armada carries on in this much loved biking part of the world, something the fans will love.

Brother of Armoy Armada member, Frank Kennedy and Clerk of the Course Bill Kennedy said: “I have been involved in the Armoy Road Racing Club since its inception. Not one year goes by without racers commenting on how much they love racing the roads around Armoy and feeling the immense sense of history around them.

“Having both Michael and William Dunlop racing here is really a kind of homecoming, and I know so many local fans and enthusiasts from further afield will be very excited at the prospect of watching the Dunlops race around their local roads, particularly after that terrific first Superbike race at the NW200 in May of this year.”

Other announcements at the launch of who’s who in the line up included Danny Webb, former MotoGP World125GP and Moto3 who previously competed in the Supersport World Championship for PTR aboard a Honda CBR600RR. He will be racing one of Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki machines under sponsor SGS International, also a key sponsor of Armoy Road Races.

Conor Behan will also be on KMR Kawasaki riding in the 650cc and 600cc races.

They joined the Chairman of Moyle District Council, Councillor Donal Cunningham, and members of the Armoy Club, other guests and sponsors including title “Race of Legends” sponsor, RiverRidge Recycling, to hear senior race officials talk about what Armoy Race Week 2014 has in store.

Chairperson of Moyle District Council, Councillor Donal Cunningham thanked the club for their invitation and said, “Not only is Armoy Road Races one of the key events in the road racing and sporting calendar but it is for us an integral component of our local tourism sector helping to attract an increasing number of tourists and visitors to the area.

“In the historic final year of Moyle Council, I would like to congratulate Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club (AMRRC) for yet again organising what promises to be another world class line-up of quality racing. The professionalism and commitment to detail has yet again been outstanding.”

Bill Kennedy continued, “2014 will see a few changes but one of the main changes are that as a result of several requests over the last year or two we are offering a VIP package to those who want a VIP road racing experience on Saturday 26th July 2014.”

The VIP package includes car parking in any of the official AMRRC car parks, exclusive access to the VIP Corporate Hospitality Marquee, and VIP Grandstand, morning coffee and scones and a gourmet buffet lunch. A copy of the official race programme will also be made available. Individual tickets are priced at £70 with a table of ten costing £650. Tickets can be purchased by contacting [email protected] or calling 028 9091 8676.

“This year we are also delighted to announce that Chris Kinley will be joining us this year from his usual spot at the TT, his dulcet tones will be heard far and wide across the renowned three mile circuit. George McCann is having a well-earned break this year and the Club would like to wish him all the best and hope to see him very soon.

“One last piece of news is that we are extremely excited about is a potential television offering, I can’t say too much at this time until contracts are signed and sealed but I can say that the Club and I are really very excited at what this could mean for Armoy Road Races.”

Armoy Road Races are sponsored by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Moyle District Council’s Tourism Events Fund.

Bike Week 2014 is from July 20- 26. For more information on the RiverRidge Recycling’s ‘Race of the Legends’ visit www.amrrc.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook and join the official fan page and you can also follow us on twitter at @ArmoyRoadRaces.