Adam McLean and Darryl Tweed fired up for 2021 road racing season with McAdoo Racing

The news was confirmed on Thursday, with Ballymoney man Tweed joining Ulster Grand Prix winner McLean after impressing during a one-off ride on the McAdoo Supertwin at the Cookstown 100 in September.

Tweed clinched the runner-up spot behind McLean to seal a dream one-two at the team’s home event in Co Tyrone.

That performance has earned the 30-year-old the chance to ride an MSS-prepared Kawasaki Supertwin full-time next season in addition to a ZX-10RR, with the former Manx Grand Prix winner continuing to ride a Yamaha R6 in the Supersport class for personal sponsor Stanley Stewart.

“I grew up watching the likes of Ryan Farquhar riding for the McAdoo team and it’s just a dream to have the chance to ride in those famous colours myself,” said Tweed.

“I talked with Adam before the race at the Cookstown 100 and he told me I had a really good chance to shine, so I went out and tried hard and I think I must have impressed Winston and Jason (McAdoo) enough.

“It was really my first proper run on a Kawasaki Supertwin because I only rode a 650cc Suzuki before that. They’re a fantastic team and the machinery is top class.”

Tweed was left nursing injuries including a broken hip, ankle and heel bone after crashing in the Lightweight Supersport race at Cookstown, but says he expects to be fully fit next year.

Tobermore’s McLean will be entering his fourth season with the Cookstown-based team and hopes to be ready for the start of the new campaign after a suffering a fresh injury setback in October.

The 24-year-old re-broke his right arm in a crash during qualifying for the National Superstock 600 race on the Binch Racing Yamaha at Brands Hatch.

The setback comes after he missed last season following a crash at the Tandragee 100 in May 2019, fracturing his right arm.

McLean made a successful roads return at the Cookstown 100 with a double in the Supertwin and Supersport classes, but now finds himself back on the recovery trail.

“It was a short return so it’s disappointing for sure but we’ve got a few months now when there’s nothing happening and I can just concentrate on the healing process,” he said.

“These thing happen and it’s just something that will take a bit of time.”

On his new team-mate, McLean said he expected Tweed to continue to show his true potential in 2021 with competitive machinery at his disposal across every class.

“He showed his potential on the McAdoo Supertwin and also on the Yamaha R6. I was helping with some feedback with the set-up of the R6 from riding the Binch Yamaha in the British championship and that helped a bit, but he’s never really had good machinery and last year the Honda he was riding was a 2007 bike and relatively uncompetitive,” he said.

“Now that he’s got competitive machinery he’s shown what he can do and I think he’s a very underrated rider.”

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