Belfast Newsletter
Ryan Farquhar is set to return to the Vauxhall International North West 200 in May with a formidable Supertwin team that may include highly-rated Grand Prix rider Danny Webb.
Farquhar is coming out of retirement this season along with old rival Keith Amor and the pair will join last year’s Supertwin race winner Jeremy McWilliams at the north coast meeting in May on the KMR Kawasaki ER6 machines, which will run in the SGS International colours in 2014.
Cheshire’s Connor Behan will also line up on one of Dungannon star Farquhar’s Supertwins at the first major international road race of the season, but the big question is whether or not 22-year-old prospect Webb will make his bow at the 8.9-mile ‘Triangle’ circuit in a little over three months’ time.
The Kent rider has already been confirmed for the Isle of Man TT races in June, when he will make his eagerly anticipated Mountain Course debut under Farquhar’s tutelage on the KMR Kawasaki machines in the Superbike, Superstock, Lightweight and Senior races.
And it now seems likely that 22-year-old Webb - who has seven years’ experience under his belt already at Grand Prix level in the 125cc and Moto3 classes - will become one of the highest-profile newcomers in many years to take his place on the North West 200 grid.
Event Director Mervyn Whyte told the News Letter he was hopeful Webb would join Farquhar’s team in Portstewart in May.
“We’re still at the negotiation stage and are looking at costings at present. We’d be very keen to have Danny come over because it would be a great boost for the North West 200,” he said.
“Things are looking reasonably positive at the moment. Hopefully we can come to an agreement and we can get him on the grid.”
Farquhar, who will ride in both Supertwin races at the North West 200 as he builds towards the Lightweight TT, is adopting a ‘wait and see’ stance over the prospect of Webb’s Triangle debut.
“I’d love to see Danny at the North West and hopefully we’ll be able to sort something out. I just wouldn’t have the budget myself to run Danny on another bike, but with a bit of luck we can get a bit of help and Danny will be there,” he said.
“I think Danny would go really well at the North West with the experience he has of riding at the top level.”
Farquhar, meanwhile, revealed there is also a possibility he will compete at the Tandragee 100 on May 3, where he could be joined by Amor and potentially even Webb, who would be making a sensational Irish national road racing debut.
