Keith Farmer has died

Multiple British and National Champion Keith Farmer has died at the age of 35.

The ‘Clogher Bullet’ won the Superstock 600 title in 2011 with his own team and that brought him to the attention of BSB team owner Paul Bird who leant his support for the following 2012 season when Mr Farmer moved up to the Superstock 1000 series.

Mr Farmer repaid the faith shown in him and further demonstrated his potential as five wins on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki helped him defeat the official Honda entry of Jason O’Halloran by an impressive 50 points.

A promotion to Bird’s BSB team followed in 2013 but despite showing glimpses of form, fourth at Knockhill the highlight, the duo parted ways two thirds of the way through the season with Mr Farmer being replaced by Noriyuki Haga.

A switch to the PR Racing team was made for 2014 and although results were hard to come by, it was in this season that he recorded his solitary BSB podium, third place behind Josh Waters and Richard Cooper coming at Brands Hatch.

Mr Farmer then further emphasised his versatility by winning the British Supersport Championship in 2017, stepping in as a late replacement for the injured Luke Jones at Appleyard Macadam Yamaha.

Nine wins were taken during the season and he was rewarded in 2018 with a ride with Northern Ireland’s TAS Racing team. Contesting the Superstock 1000 series once more, Mr Farmer took his second title in the class, this time on the BMW S1000RR.

He remained with the team in 2019 and returned to the BSB series but after taking six top ten finishes at the first four rounds, he crashed in qualifying at Knockhill with two broken legs bringing his season to a painful end.

Back to full fitness for the delayed 2020 season, Farmer lined up with