North West 200 'a go-to event' for Isle of Man rider Cummins
Isle of Man road racer Conor Cummins says he is looking forward to his "brand new" start with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team at this year's North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.
The Manxman has been competing at the North West since 2006 with best finishes of second in a Superbike race in 2010 and a Supersport event in 2014.
He picked up fifth and sixth places at last year's meeting but his long-standing association with the Padgett's Racing outfit ended soon after as they parted ways during the Isle of Man TT.
The 37-year-old will ride a BMW in the Superbike and Superstock classes and a Ducati Panigale V2 in the Supersport category.
"I'm very optimistic, really excited about it," Cummins told BBC Sport NI.
"John [Burrows] and the team have had a lot of experience on these bikes [the BMWs]. It's still new to me although I did have a run out in July [at Armoy] on another BMW.
"I realised then definitely the next step on my career [was] to jump on a BMW and I'm grateful to John for giving me a shot at it."
The Ducati represents a new challenge for Cummins.
"The Ducati Supersport is something completely different for me. I've never ridden a Ducati before but obviously it's an iconic brand and the V2 is going to be some weapon on the track, no doubt.
"The North West 200 is a go-to event for me. It was my first international road race back in 2006. I love coming back to it and coming back to Northern Ireland and racing at one of the most iconic events on the calendar."
Cummins described his 2024 season as "far from ideal" but adds that he is "definitely raring to go" for the new campaign.
"I go racing to win races, that's my goal, and the TT remains top of the priority list for me, that's why I do all this testing, all this racing, just to put me in a good position, I'm excited. Brand new team, new bike, new manufacturer.
"I'm definitely going to come back and do Armoy. I did that last July and loved it."
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