CONOR Cummins has been signed by one of the world’s top road racing teams to ride Tyco Suzuki machines at the Isle of Man TT and the top road racing meetings.
The Manx rider has joined Hector Neill’s TAS Racing and will compete in the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix as well as the TT.
In a statement issued this morning, Hector Neill said, “It’s no secret the Isle of Man TT is the highlight of the racing season for me, and with that in mind it was important to add a second rider to our line-up.
“It’s also widely known that my number one desire in racing is to again win the Senior TT trophy. And what better way than to win it than with a Manxman on board.”
Cummins, 25, is regarded as one of the sport’s hottest young properties and despite his high-speed, much publicised accident on the Mountain Circuit during the Senior TT in 2010, the ‘Ramsey Rocket’ is now fighting fit and looking forward to a new chapter in his career.
His TT Races career has featured three podiums, including the runner up spot in the 2009 PokerStars Senior TT and he also established a commanding lead in the 2010 Dainese Superbike race before breaking down.
He battled back from career threatening injuries to compete in the 2011 TT Races and achieved a notable sixth place in the Monster Energy Supersport Race 2.
Cummins has recorded the Mountain Course’s fastest standing start lap - at 131.511 mph - which he achieved in the 2010 Superbike race and is the only Manxman to record a lap of 130mph. He is also a former winner of the Ulster Grand Prix and was the world’s fastest road racer in 2009 with a lap of 133.284, which he clocked at the same meeting.
Cummins said, “This is the ride I’ve been wanting for three or four years. I’m thrilled to have been given the chance to ride for a factory-supported team in Tyco Suzuki and to be working with the boys at TAS Racing.
“I’ve been training hard with gym sessions and out on the pushbike over the winter, so I’m relishing the thought of getting aboard the big GSX-R1000 Superbike in testing. I’d say I’m not far off being as fit as I ever was and having been over to the workshop to meet the boys in Northern Ireland and have a look at the bikes – April can’t come quick enough to get racing ”
Philip Neill, the TAS team manager, said, “After months of speculation and negotiations it’s great to finally welcome Conor Cummins to our team for the 2012 road racing season.
“It’s fair to say there has been a little bit of pressure to return to a two-rider team on the roads – so once we’d reached that decision Conor really was the obvious choice. I’ve always been hugely impressed with Conor and his riding skills were evident to everyone after those blistering lap speeds at the 2010 TT.
“However, probably more impressive is the determination he has shown in his comeback from injury, and for me, that was more than enough to justify a factory-supported ride with us here at Tyco Suzuki.
“I’ll be looking forward to working with Conor both on and off the track this season, as he has the attitude and personality I was looking for in a rider.”
