North West 200 and other Northern Ireland race get green light

The North West 200 will go ahead as planned from 11-13 May after a new insurance deal was signed to allow the world-famous road race and other meetings to take place this year.

It is a huge boost for the sport after all motorbike racing in Ireland, on the road and on the tracks, was cancelled in February because of soaring insurance costs.

A revised insurance quote was received by the Ulster centre of the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, while over £92,000 was raised through a crowdfunding campaign.

The intervention of Tyrone businessman Derek Keys, who made a donation via his Euro Auctions company, has also ensured the North West 200 can go ahead.

While racing in the Republic remains in limbo, the Temple Motorcycle Club will host round one of the Ulster Superbike Championship at the Bishopscourt circuit in Downpatrick this weekend.

In February, Mondello Park cancelled its Dunlop Superbike series due to the insurance costs and at the moment they will not be in a position to reactivate the series.

"We are still in talks with the Motorcycling Union of Ireland as regards getting a lower insurance cost, but for the moment nothing has emerged," Superbike series co-ordinator Fergus Brennan said.

"If we get the go ahead, we will probably have to rejig the calendar, but we would be ready to go soon enough if we get the insurance costs sorted and we get the go ahead."

Alastair Seeley will head into the new Ulster Superbike Championship as favourite after he clinched the title last year.

His main opponents will be Jason Lynn, Carl Phillips, Christian Elkin and the evergreen former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams.