FORMER National Superstock 600cc motorcycle racing champion Jamie Hamilton will make his TT debut next year.
The 20-year-old from Ballymena will ride for the KMR Kawasaki squad run by two-times TT winner Ryan Farquhar.
Jamie, who won the National Superstock 600cc championship in 2009, competed half a season in the British Supersport Championship in 2010 before moving to 1000cc machines and the Irish Superbike Championship this year.
With his road racing debut at the North West 200 earlier this year curtailed due to the weather, Hamilton then joined forces with the KMR Kawasaki team where he was a revelation in the final third of the season.
He finally made his road racing debut during the Ulster Grand Prix bike week achieving two fourth places in the Supertwins races, following this up with second at Killalane in the Junior Support race.
His outings on the roads ended with another debut, this time at Scarborough, where he again impressed greatly with third and fourth places in the two Phil Mellor Trophy Supertwin races.
He then wrapped up his season with first and second in the two Supertwins races at the Sunflower Trophy meeting, getting the better of former GP winner Jeremy McWilliams and team boss Farquhar in the opening encounter.
On the back of such impressive results, Jamie will compete in a full season of road racing for KMR Kawasaki in 2012 and will contest the TT in all three 1000cc events - the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races.
He will also participate in the inaugural Supertwins TT on an ER6 Kawasaki.
Jamie said: "I'm really enjoying road racing and can't wait to make my TT career.
"I couldn't have a better mentor than Ryan and I'm going to be working really hard during the close season to make sure that I'm in the best shape to tackle the course.
"I've already been over to the Isle of Man a few times to look at the course and I'm going to spend large chunks of the winter with Milky Quayle and Johnny Barton learning the course."
Team owner Ryan Farquhar added: "I really like Jamie's attitude to racing and right from the moment he first rode for me at the Ulster GP, he's been a pleasure to work with.
"He wants to go road racing and he's not scared of getting stuck in and getting his hands dirty.
"He's more than prepared to put the hard yards in and gives nothing other than 100 per cent.
"I like that attribute in someone and, with a mature head on his shoulders, I'm sure he'll put in a really solid debut at the TT.
"There'll be no pressure on him so he can just go out, learn the course and enjoy himself."
