By Back on Friday afternoon in an extremely busy Oliver’s Mount paddock, 2023 Senior Manx Grand Prix runner-up Marcus Simpson, gave Road Racing News the lowdown on why Leyton Orient Football Club’s logo is-emblazed upon his 2026 Supersport berth (765 RS Triumph).
“The reason we have got Leyton Orient football club on the Triumph 765 this year is because David & Donna Buckley who are friends of my mum’s and her partner, they are actually-involved-in Leyton Orient football club.
They sponsor the junior side of that football club, so David grew up in London and has links to Ireland as well.
As part of his heritage, got involved with the football club in the area and that’s why we’ve got Leyton Orient football club on the bike.”
Going into the past weekend’s Bob Smith Spring Cup, off the back of in his own words “the best pre-season I’ve ever had, feel really-good and very happy” ‘Spartacus’ was looking to fine tune the re-built 765 RS Triumph, the same steed he parted company with at Casey’s in the second Supersport race of TT 2024.
Electing to forgo the Spring Cup feature race, due to circuit conditions, the prior Supersport (A) race would see the twice Oliver’s Mount race winner, finish top IOM rider in eighth, lap in the 1.50 seconds’ bracket.
Next week marks Simpson’s opening Irish road racing salvo of 2026, piloting his own Fireblade Honda, 765 RS Triumph, Duckshaw Racing Classic Superbike Kawasaki (ZXR 750) metal at the Bear Competitions Cookstown 100.
After Cookstown, Simpson reunites with WH Racing, riding the same CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Honda he rode in 2025 at roads scene ‘Majors’, the Briggs Equipment Northwest 200 and TT Races.
He additionally confirmed last week that Super Twins competition this year, is not presently on the horizon.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
