One of the Isle of Man TT’s rising stars is joining forces with one of the event’s best-known veterans.
It has been confirmed Conor Cummins will ride for Ian Lougher’s Team Blackhorse Yamaha in the final two rounds of the British Superstock Championship.
The 22-year-old recently parted company with the NCT Vanfit Yamaha, which he had ridden for in the British championship and at the TT. The split left him without a ride in the British series, in which he had already secured a podium finish and looked on course for a top 10 place in the final championship standings.
However, Team Blackhorse Yamaha has secured the 2007 Duke Road Race Rankings winner’s services for the rest of the season.
Cummins, of Ramsey, will ride the team’s R1 Superstock machine at Silverstone and Brands Hatch. He is the latest talented young rider snapped up by TT-winner Lougher – Manx Grand Prix star Olie Linsdell is already campaigning the Team Blackhorse Yamaha R6 Superstock bike in the 600cc National Junior Superstock Championship.
Cummins said:
‘I am extremely pleased and grateful that Team Blackhorse Yamaha have given me this opportunity to ride in the final two rounds of the National Superstock Championship.’
‘I am really looking forward to getting a run out on the bikes at Silverstone, and am also up for getting good results for the team and myself. The team is very professional and has a wealth of experience which in turn will give me great confidence to push hard and run at the front of the field.’
‘Roll on Silverstone!’
Team boss Lougher added:
‘We are delighted to have Conor joining Team Blackhorse Yamaha for the final two rounds of the 2008 BSB Superstock 1000cc Championship.’
‘Conor has already proved he has an abundance of racing talent and when we discovered he would be sitting on the sidelines for the final two rounds of the championship, the team were keen to see him finish his BSB season on Team Blackhorse Yamaha machinery.‘
‘Our young protégé, Olie Linsdell, who is already an established campaigner for Team Blackhorse Yamaha in the 600cc Junior Superstock class at the BSB events, is also looking forward to having Conor in the team as it gives him another experienced rider to bounce ideas off.’
‘The introduction of Conor to the team and moving forward into the Superstock 1000cc class will also offer us a good opportunity to ‘test the water’ for operating with two riders in the British Championships in 2009.’
‘Doubling the size of the Team Blackhorse Yamaha BSB structure has taken considerable financial and logistical planning and we are immensely grateful to Blackhorse Motorcycle Finance Ltd and Solway Tiles for their support which has given us the opportunity to bring Conor on board.’
‘Taking Team Blackhorse Yamaha into another class within the British Championships not only adds another string to our bow but also substantially increases the potential media coverage which is a huge benefit for the team as a whole, as well as for Blackhorse Motorcycle Finance Ltd, Yamaha UK and all the team sponsors.’