After the two opening rounds of the season, the Tandragee 100 and the Cookstown 100, there is no doubt that Irishman Derek Sheils is once again the man to beat at the National Road Races.
Derek Sheils in Tandragee last week (ph: Chris Usal)
The 34 years old from Dublin literally dominated the big bikes races onboard the GSX-R1000 Suzuki Cookstown/Burrows Engineering, a team Sheils has been with since last year. And a team which suffered far too much for the premature passing of young gun Malachi Mitchell-Thomas last year and Jamie Hamilton’s TT crash the year before. Now, though, the Northern Irish squad has its new bright talent, who recently triumphed in the Superbike races at Tandragee and Cookstown with a huge margin as well.
Sheils was not born and bred in the road races though, starting racing at the “home circuit” of Mondello in early 2000s; but from 2007 the lure of pure road racing had the best of him: first were the Nationals, where he battled with his actual team manager Burrows, too; then came the Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man, where Sheils secured a second place in the 2009 Newcomers Race.
His debut at the TT came only in 2013, backed by Chris Dowd’s CD Racing Team; Sheils shined during the whole season winning his first Irish Superbike Championship. However, 2014 was a bit of a stepback for the Dubliner: few days before the TT, Sheils announced his withdrawal from the big event because not fully committed after the recent incidents in racing.
The following year saw Sheils eventually back and focused, missing the Irish Superbike Championship’s crown for just 6 points. He hit the target in 2016 with John Burrows’ squad with an impressive sequence of winnings at Cookstown, Tandragee, Mid Antrim, Walderstown, Faugheen, Skerries. The season was enlightened also by an amazing 13th place in the Senior TT, a lap of the Mountain Course at almost 127 mph, one of the Ulster GP at 131 mph and a 9th place in Macau with the title of best newcomer of the event.
This year has started in an equally positive way for Derek riding in the Superbike, Superport and Supertwin classes with the same Cookstown/BE Team.
Double winner in Cookstown in 2016 too
Derek, you showed a great form in the opening rounds of the road racing season. Are these National Road Races just a kind of training for the TT or do you give your 100% in them too?
The national road races for me are the bread and butter of road racing which I really enjoy as there is minimal fuss and you know most of the folk at these meetings. I always try to give 100% wherever I go weather it be a circuit race or the TT.
I saw the new GSX-R1000 under Burrows’ awning in Cookstown, are you already riding and enjoying this new model?
The new model is sitting there ready to go, I haven’t rode the bike yet but I have a test in two days time on that bike which I am looking forward to.
Do you have a target for this year’s Isle of Man TT (mph, position)?
The TT for me is all about progression, so once I am going in the right direction I am happy, I don’t think it’s a place where you can force the speed, you just have to let it come to you. As for goals I have a lap speed in my head but it’s my own goal and I would rather not let it out.
When did you get involved with motorbikes and why did you start road racing?
My father was a motorcycle courier and gave me the passion for riding bikes at a young age.
You recently got married, is your family supporting you 100% in this dangerous sport?
Yes my family are behind me, they probably would prefer if I didn’t do it but they leave the decision with me.
How do you usually train for the season?
Training for me means mountain biking, road cycling, motocross and trials. I hate the gym.
Derek in Cookstow last weekend (ph: Diego Mola)
You are not a professional rider, so what’s your everyday job?
No I am not a professional rider, I recondition gearboxes full time, racing costs me quite a bit of money unfortunately.
Did you grow up with a particular rider you admired?
Both Joey and Robert Dunlop were big heroes of mine when I was a child, I had a vhs video of the TT which I must have watched a million times.
The Cookstown 100 Open Race had an all-Irish podium and most of the winning riders in the Nationals are Irish too. Do you think this has a particular meaning whilst in the past the core of road racing was the Ulster?
No I don’t think the all southern podium had particular meaning, but it is harder for southern lads to get proper sponsorship backing which may hinder their international progress as that is where the big purse is needed. It boils down to the sport just not been so popular in the south as it is in the north so in turn doesn’t get the media coverage. The national races are more technical in my opinion and you do not need factory backing to go well at a lot of them whereas the Internationals you do.
Thanks a lot Derek and good luck for your season!
