jack eager tomake history

The Dubliner wrapped up his third crown in 2021 on the Bournemouth Kawasaki to join the late Karl Harris as the only riders ever to clinch a hat-trick of Supersport titles.

Kennedy is back on Yamaha machinery this season with Northern Ireland’s Mar-Train Racing team, renewing his ties with Tim Martin’s outfit 10 years after he narrowly missed out on the title in 2012.

The 34-year-old makes no secret of his desire to set himself apart as the most successful British Supersport rider ever, and Kennedy believes he has the tools to get the job done once again.

“I want that fourth championship to set me aside from everyone else in the record books and there’s no reason why we can’t try for five either, because I’ve got plenty of years left in me,” he told the News Letter ahead of this weekend’s opening round at Silverstone.

“That’s my number one goal this year and that’s what Tim wants as well; he brought me on board because he wants to win races and he wants to win another championship – that’s why we started this partnership again.

“We want to win and we won’t settle for anything less. I know everyone who goes racing says that but I feel we’ve got the package to achieve our goals, as in the Yamaha R6 and the team I have behind me to get the job done.”

Kennedy’s former crew chief Andy Jamison is back in his corner this year while the Irishman will again work with mechanic Tom Brown, who was part of his title-winning team last year.

“I know Tim (Martin) well and Andy Jamison was my crew chief when I last rode for Mar-Train, and he’s back again so I’m really happy about that,” he said.

“I brought a mechanic with me from last year, Tom Brown, and Derek McLaughlin is the other mechanic who’s already in the team, so it’s a case of