Derek McGee (rider), Jason McGee (sponsorship and merchandise co-ordinator), Roddy Hayes (crew chief) and Noel Doyne of NJ Doyne Construction (main sponsor) at Clog Na Léinn in Collinstown on Saturday afternoon for the launch of Derek’s 2021 road racing season.

McGee set for first event of curtailed road racing season

Strong results on the short circuits have set Derek McGee up well for the first big event of a curtailed 2021 road racing season, Armoy, this weekend.

Backing up a podium finish at Kirkistown on July 10, Derek scored two fifth places at Bishopscourt in the Mid Antrim 150 on July 17. He attended only the Saturday of the two-day meeting, but was “right in the mix” and in qualifying recorded his fastest lap on a superbike at that track.

“It was very close and a couple of tenths would have brought me up to second place, so I was happy with that,” Derek said. He made a good start in the superbike race and gained one place, though following a race-long battle with Mick Sweeney, he dropped back to fifth at the finish.

“So I came home with that. It was a steady enough ride. We’ve definitely improved on the big bikes on the short circuits and that was the main goal for the weekend.

“In the supersport race, I got another good enough start was up into third place but unfortunately the fuel pump started to go. I still managed to bring it home and got another fifth, but in the last couple of laps I had a misfire so I dropped off the pace quite a bit. I was still happy to get fifth, it’s where I qualified anyway, though I had been sitting in third till that problem.”

There was strong competition over the weekend, so Derek is pleased with the results. “It was all about keeping it steady and getting a bit more mileage under our belts before Armoy,” he said.

“We’re going [to Armoy] with the same bikes, the same crew, and it looks like it’s going ahead. Tickets have sold out, and there seems to be a lot of people going up from Mullingar as well. It’ll be great to see the crowds back – you need them, especially for the cool-down lap.”

Racing at Armoy takes place on Friday, July 30, and Saturday, July 31. Derek will be riding his own superbike and supersport machines, plus Ryan Farquhar’s supertwin, and Francesco Faraldo’s Moto 450.

Derek began racing with Farquhar in 2018 and is well established in that camp; and he has also developed a good relationship with Francesco Faraldo, who is providing a different type of bike for him this year, a new FR450GP.

Isle of Man-based Faraldo Racing built the bike from a FTR Moto3. It features a modified frame to accommodate a single-cylinder 450 Yamaha engine in place of the 250 Honda motor, and Derek will race it in the new lightweight supersport class. He said it will provide a different challenge, and one he is looking forward to.