By Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed is on the cusp of historic, ground-breaking IRRC series feats.
Superbike Championship leader post-the ‘Czech TT’ at Horice, the Never Be Clever Racing rider is nineteen points clear of nearest title rival, twice Supersport Champion Laurent Hoffmann.
“It is going my way at-the moment enjoying it hopefully we can keep the ball rolling over there.
I have got a hand on it fingers on it, lot of competition out there too I have a good point advantage over the third placed man, unfortunately I don’t think Adam (McLean) is coming back.
That gives me about a forty-point lead over the third placed man, but he is a very experienced rider, he is a good rider, Laurent Hoffmann been doing the championship a long time, so I know I have a fight on my hands.”
Tomorrow the Ballymoney rider heads to Schleiz for rounds seven and eight of this year’s series then will travel back to the Isle of Man for next Monday’s Classic TT qualifying burst.
“Fly out here on Friday head to Schleiz head to Prague actually, then drive to Germany to Schleiz then back here for Monday, hopefully take in Monday practice.”
Seventh speediest from Wednesday night’s Lightweight qualifying contest (second fastest 400 mounted competitor), Tweed only has the M&D Racing ZXR 400 Kawasaki at his disposal for the reintroduced Classic TT.
“Just the 400 was meant to have a Classic Superbike, just one thing led to another, and it was not ready in time.
It was unfortunate because I had ridden it at home, I won the Classic SBK championship at home on it.
There were a few things we needed to sort before we got to the Isle of Man and time just got on top of us and then me not been at home been away racing so often, it was just difficult to get it all together, so we opted to go with the old trusty 400 the M&D Racing 400.”
Potentially the last ever IRRC Superbike Champion, ‘Tweedy’s honest thoughts on the dropping of 1000cc steeds in favour of Super Twins from next season onwards, are as follows:
“Personally, my opinion is its’s a silly idea because at the end of the day there are going to the Super Twins class, having been now in the IRRC for a couple of years they can’t police the classes they have so, they are never going to police the Super Twins class.
So, I don’t see it been very fair and there is a full grid of Superbike riders, are they going to sell their SBK and buy a Twin I do not think so. So, they are going to lose a lot-of entries in my eyes.
But look they are trying to do it in the interests of safety but in my experience also you look at the SBK classes, it is probably the safest.
Yes, they are the fastest bikes, but it has the least amount-of accidents because at the end of the day you are not riding the bike like a maniac, your sitting on the bike steering it.
As for the Super Twin, you are hanging everything out on the Super Twin, you are riding it as hard as it will go everywhere, so think they have caused themselves a few problems there.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
