Record Newcomer Interest Confirms Road Racing Interest Not Waning
The Armoy Road Racing Motorcycle Club has hailed this year’s Armoy Road Races as a major success, highlighting exceptional preparation, strong newcomer interest, and professional delivery despite the challenging weather conditions.
The event, which forms a key part of the road racing calendar, showcased the strength of the club’s volunteer base and the growing appeal of the meeting to riders across the region. Event officials emphasised that the smooth running of the meeting was built on weeks of advance preparation.
“Preparation and planning were absolutely key,” said William Munnis, Clerk of the Course. “The course was set up weeks in advance, and during the event we had marshals allocated, spares in every zone, and a clear plan for how to respond if anything went wrong. When we needed it, that planning really paid off.”
Friday delivered a full and efficient programme, setting the tone for the weekend where 44 newcomers took to the circuit for dedicated newcomer sessions. Multiple free practice sessions followed, covering different classes and grids. The day progressed into qualifying, with a total of 23 on-track sessions completed.
The schedule on Friday concluded with bikes on the line around 5:30 pm for the Roadside Garages Supertwin and Hilton Car Sales Next Generation Supersport races, two fantastic races that set the scene for Saturday.
Saturday brought wet conditions and a significant oil incident around late morning, which required an extensive clean-up operation. The organisers had sprayers, washers, and equipment ready on standby. The circuit was fully cleaned and inspected before the programme resumed, allowing the team to run through the complete schedule of 13 races and finish racing shortly after 6:00 pm.
“The weather tested us, but the whole team responded professionally,” added William Munnis. “The officials, marshals, and support crews all pulled together to make sure the event ran safely and to a high standard.
“This is very much a club-run event. It’s our members, past and present, who make it happen. Everyone has a part to play, and that unity – between officials, marshals, medics, PSNI, racers and sponsors – is what allows us to run the event to such a professional standard.”
On the racing itself, a now back-to-back Race of Legends winner, Mike Browne reflected on a demanding but rewarding weekend.
“It’s been a tough weekend – a lot of laps, probably as many as we’ve ever done around here,” said Browne. “Credit to the club for giving us free practice on Friday and Saturday mornings, that really settled everyone. It was a well-run event, and I’m delighted with the wins and the podiums.”
Browne also spoke about the pressure of winning the Bayview Hotel Race of Legends for the second time. “Every other race would have been null and void if I hadn’t won that one, so there was a bit of pressure,” he said. “Before the red flag, I saw Marcus [Simpson] was up and about, so that was good to see. I pushed hard on the first lap, probably harder than I wanted to. After that I read my board to see how we were doing – by the third lap I was 1.5 seconds up and decided that was enough, there was no need to push any harder. I’m delighted with it.”
Browne’s win in the Bayview Hotel Race of Legends, which was restarted over six laps after Marcus Simpson slid off unhurt in the first attempt, completed four-wins for the Republic of Ireland rider, having earlier won the Roadside Garages Supertwins opener, The Essence Vault Open race and the second Ducati Antrim Supersport race, making him man of the meeting for 2026.
It was the second year in a row Browne has claimed four wins at Armoy, taking his overall tally at the event to 12, and it made him only the fourth rider in the meeting’s history – alongside Michael Dunlop, Ryan Farquhar and Davey Todd – to win four or more races at a single Armoy Road Races.
Another strong performer across the weekend was Magherafelt man, Paul Jordan, who claimed victory in the Hilton Car Sales Next Generation Supersport Race 1, second place in the Roadside Garages Supertwin Race 1, third place in the John M Paterson, Supertwin Race 2 and second place on the podium in the Bayview Hotel Race of Legends. Speaking upon conclusion of the event, Paul commended the Club’s friendly hospitality and the thrilling race battles.
“I’m over the moon with how Armoy has went, we’ve been there or thereabouts in every class. The club did an absolutely fantastic job,” he said.
Elsewhere, seven-time North West 200 winner Richard Cooper marked his debut over the three-mile circuit by winning the John M Paterson Supertwins race and setting a new lap record of 101.192mph in the process.
One of the standout highlights was the high number of newcomers experiencing the course for the first time. “Seeing 44 newcomers out there was a real highlight,” said Glen Sayers, Race Secretary. “You could see the excitement when they came back in after their first laps, especially after sections like the Lagge jumps. It shows that the next generation of riders is really buying into this event.”
This surge in interest is seen as a positive indicator for the long-term future of the meeting and the planned 2027 road races.
With the success of this year’s event and the strong newcomer interest, attention now turns to planning for the 2027 road races. Organisers plan to incorporate feedback from riders and stakeholders, to ensure the event continues to evolve and improve.
“We’re already thinking ahead to 2027,” said William Munnis. “We’ll build on what went well this year, listen to riders’ perspectives, and keep raising the bar for safety, professionalism, and the overall experience.”
The meeting also benefited from live television coverage, further raising the profile of the event and showcasing its professionalism to a wider audience. BBC Northern Ireland will be broadcasting a highlights programme, and it will be shown on ITV4. Full coverage can be viewed via kingoftheroads.tv.
The Armoy Road Races are part funded by the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.