Road Racing News rising roads star of the year award goes to, Irish road race Junior Support/Senior Support champion Joe Loughlin.
Dominant in the support classes within the Irish national roads scene, The Visor Shop.com/G2-Tech backed Joe Loughlin has impressed many throughout 2017 with his consistently spectacular, exuberant and accomplished performances.
Photo by Tommy Vennard
Beginning the season with wins at Tandragee and Cookstown, he went onto enjoy an ultra successful July, scoring victories at Skerries, Walderstown, Faugheen and Armoy.
Outside of continuing his Junior Support/Senior Support dominance, he it’s fair to say sprung a few shocks to the established front running 650 exponents by securing Super Twins honours at the Walderstown and Faugheen 50 meetings.
Ending the Irish roads season in style with his 13th and 14th wins of 2017 at the newly formed East Coast Racing Festival, he had achieved a quite unique feat not reported by many, going the whole season in the support classes bar one race at Armoy, unbeaten.
An ambitious rider, Joe is tipped by multiple astute figures within the real roads fraternity, to in years to come contend regularly for rostrum finishes at the premier international events.
A definite one to watch next year, it wouldn’t at all be a surprise to see him claim more famous scalps at the Irish nationals, as the Castleblayney racer steps up to the national classes.
Words by Stevie Rial