- Conor Cummins
-
Conor Cummins 
Conor at Ballaugh Bridge.Nationality Manx Born 27 May 1986
Douglas, Isle of ManMotorcycle racing career statistics Isle of Man TT career TTs contested 5 (2006 - present) TT wins 0 First TT win – Last TT win – Podiums 3 Conor Cummins (born 27 May 1986 in Douglas, Isle of Man) is a British motorcycle racer. Conor rides extensively on the British Road Racing Circuit competing in the British Superstock Championship as well as his home event the Isle of Man TT.
Contents
Early career
Cummins began his career riding in the British Championship and the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup. However the lack of opportunities in these competitions led him to decide to make the switch to Road Racing.[1]
Road Racing
2006
Cummins picked up awards as the Fastest Newcomer at the North West 200, the Southern 100 and the Isle of Man TT. Cummins also won the Newcomers Race at the Ulster Grand Prix.[2]
2007
In 2007 Cummins became both Irish Superbike Road Race Champion and Irish Superstock Road Race Champion in a season that saw him record 13 Irish National Road Race wins. He finished second in 2 races at the Ulster Grand Prix as well as scoring a podium finish in the British Superbike Cup riding as a wildcard at Donington. At the Isle of Man TT Conor produced a series of sensational performances to record four Top 8 finishes including two 5th places.[1] Also during the Superstock Race Conor claimed the record for the fastest local Isle of Man competitor after lapping at 18 minutes and 10.78 seconds from a standing start on lap 1. For all his success Conor claimed the Duke Road Race Rankings Champion.[3]
2008
For 2008 Cummins rode for Team VanFit Yamaha in the British Superstock Championship, starting with a third place at Oulton Park. He also rode at the North West 200 but mechanical problems destroyed any hopes of a podium finish. Conor then rode in the Isle of Man TT and claimed a 5th place in the Superstock[4] on Monday 2 June before recording a 7th place in the Supersport Junior TT[5] on Wednesday 4 June. It was a good result for Conor in another week plagued by mechanical problems where he was forced to retire in the Senior and Supersport Race 1. On 20 August it was announced that Conor had parted company with the Vanfit team and would miss the final 4 rounds of the British Superstock Championship.[6]
2009
Cummins signed a deal with Cookstown-based McAdoo Kawasaki Racing for 2009's international road racing season.[7] Cummins recorded his first Isle of Man TT podium on June 10, 2009 when he finished third in the second Supersport Junior TT race, behind Michael Dunlop and Bruce Anstey.[8] Two days later, he went one place better, finishing second in the Senior TT, 19.54 seconds behind race winner Steve Plater.[9] Cummins also became the first ever Manxman to record an average lap speed of over 130 mph on his third lap of the Senior TT with a speed of 130.22 mph.[10] Cummins also record Top 10 finishes in the first Supersport Junior TT race and the Superstock race.
On 13 August, Conor became the fastest man in the world when he won the Dundrod 150 Superbike race, part of the Ulster Grand Prix Bike week. After a race long duel with Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson and Ryan Farquhar, a final lap of 133.284 mph on the McAdoo Kawasaki saw him take the win and shatter the lap record.
He then took his first ever International road race victory when he won the feature Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race.
2010
2010 has brought a mixed year for Conor with a great start to the TT on his Macadoo Kawasaki and a good NW200 it all ended with a nasty crash at the senior TT. The 24-year old sustained a badly broken left arm, fractures to bones in his back, a dislocated knee and ligament damage, bruising to his lungs and a hairline fracture to his pelvis in the spill before being airlifted to Nobles Hospital.
The crash occurred on the second lap of the Senior race, which was restarted, ironically, after a heavy crash involving Conor's good friend Guy Martin, who fortunately escaped serious injury. In the re-start, a lap of 131.123 mph saw Conor slot into third place just over two seconds off the race lead. By Ramsey on lap two, he was up to second and still only three seconds adrift of race leader Ian Hutchinson only for his crash to occur just a few miles later on the high speed right hand bends at the Verandah.
It had been a mixed race week for Conor prior to Senior race day with both highs and lows in his previous four races on the McAdoo Racing Kawasakis. The low came in the opening Superbike race which he seemingly had in the bag. Two laps in excess of 131 mph, including a stunning opening lap of 131.511 mph (the second fastest of all time and just a fraction outside the outright lap record), helped him seize control and with a lead of over 20 seconds, everything was looking good for his debut TT win. However, the machine refused to fire after his second pit stop and he saw his lead reduced to just four seconds but he then reluctantly had to retire on the fifth lap at Laurel Bank with engine problems.
The Superstock race saw Conor have his best result of the week as he took his third TT podium with an excellent third place, a best lap of 129.309 mph helping him move up to third place on the second lap, a position he maintained until the chequered flag. In the two Supersport races, Conor took a solid eighth in the first four-lapper and followed this up with a fighting sixth in the second, just 0.23s behind John McGuinness, also recording his first 125 mph+ lap in the class.
2011
Conor started testing for the upcoming season in late February.
References
- ^ a b Conors NCT Racing Profile
- ^ Conors Race Record
- ^ Conor is Duke Rankings Winner
- ^ 5th Place For Conor at TT 2008
- ^ 7th Place for Connor in Junior TT
- ^ Cummins and Vanfit Split.
- ^ "McAdoo sign up Cummins for 2009". BBC Sport. 2008-11-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7714931.stm. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
- ^ "Cummins Grabs TT Podium". BBC Sport. 2009-06-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8093367.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
- ^ "Cummins 2nd in Senior TT". BBC Sport. 2009-06-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8098227.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
- ^ "Cummins Record 130mph Lap". BBC Sport. 2009-06-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/8098227.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
External links
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- Manx people
- Manx motorcycle racers
- Isle of Man TT Riders
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