Adam McLean warms up for Cookstown 100 with Snetterton test on McAdoo Racing machines

The Tobermore man travelled on to the Norfolk circuit after competing in the third round of the National Superstock 600 Championship at Silverstone on Sunday.

McLean has been contesting the series on the Binch Racing by Ugly & Co Yamaha R6 after returning to the short circuit scene for a full campaign for the first time in seven years.

He had hoped to ride the McAdoo Racing machines during a test day at Kirkistown last week prior to Silverstone, but poor weather forced the team into a rethink.

Fortunately, there was a window available to test at Snetterton and McLean travelled to England with the McAdoo Kawasaki ZX-10 and ZX-6 machines in his van for a timely shakedown before the only Irish road race of 2020 this weekend in Co Tyrone.

“After Silverstone, we had the chance for a test at Snetterton so I took the ZX-10 and ZX-6 McAdoo bikes with me in the van,” McLean told the News Letter.

“We planned to go to a test day at Kirkistown last week, but it turned out to be a bad day weather-wise, so we needed a plan B.

“It turned out there was an opportunity to go to Snetterton after Silverstone, so we had a bit of luck in that respect.

“I haven’t rode the big bike so it’s good to have the chance to get some time on it at Snetterton because I haven’t been on one since last year’s Tandragee,” he added.

“I had a run out on the McAdoo 600 and the new Z650 Supertwin at a test day at Kirkistown in June, which was my first time out on a bike since my accident at Tandragee.

“I’m home on Wednesday and then basically we’ll be going to the Cookstown 100 after that.

“Winston and Jason (McAdoo) are excited to get the team back together again so we’ll see how we get on and hopefully everything turns out well.”

McLean was ruled out for the 2019 season after crashing in the Supertwin race at Tandragee, suffering a string of injuries.

A badly broken right arm proved most problematic but the enforced motorcycling lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic allowed more time for the injury to fully heal.

In June, a visit to his surgeon yielded some welcome news for McLean, who was given a clean bill of health.

A Supersport winner at Cookstown last year, the 24-year-old is among the big favourites on Saturday at the Orritor course.

His main opposition includes the new-look Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team of Paul Jordan and Mike Browne, plus Skerries man Michael Sweeney.

Derek McGee will be absent after the Mullingar man decided to return in 2021, opting to focus on regaining full fitness following a crash at the Isle of Man TT last year.

A question mark remains over the appearance of fellow top Irish rider Derek Sheils, who has dominated the Superbike class at Cookstown with six wins from seven starts since 2016.

Sheils won the ‘King of Kirkistown’ title last weekend as he made his race debut on the Roadhouse Macau BMW.

Practice takes place from 12 noon on Friday, with racing scheduled shortly after 10am on Saturday. Spectators are asked to be in their positions by 11am and 9.30am respectively.

Admission is strictly by wristband only.

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