Bangor man Dwayne McCracken forms Irish road racing's newest team after being given six months to live in 2023

McCracken, who is well-known in the racing paddocks, has worked with riders in the past including 23-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness and more recently Ulsterman Paul Jordan.

He received a devastating cancer diagnosis in June 2023 when he learned he had Stage 3 inoperable pancreatic cancer.

However, after extensive treatment McCracken has defied the doctors’ prognosis and has a new lease of life as he works towards the launch of his new LionHeart MotoRacing team in April.

The Northern Ireland man told the News Letter on Friday he is ‘feeling good’ and has been spurred on to set up his own motorcycle road racing team following his cancer battle.

“It was a hard battle and your mind goes to different places, so you don’t really know who to tell because you’ve other priorities to try and sort out,” he said.

“I was only given six months in June 2023 and it was shocking – it was terrible.

“At the time my little boy was six and I said listen, I’m going nowhere, I’m going to beat this.

“I fought it all the way and it’s still a constant battle, but I’ve gone through lots of treatment and different things and I’m in a really good place; I feel really good and that’s why I’m doing the team.

“I’ve done it in the past for so many people and it kind of put the seed in my mind, and then a rider approached me and that’s how it all happened.”

An official team launch will be held in April and McCracken is targeting the top-ten results as the team’s objective at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.

“On the 11th of April I’m doing a full red carpet launch at Hinch Distillery for invited guests only with the rider and a title sponsor who’s coming on board,” he said.

“The sponsor will be announced before the event, but the whole night will be to launch the rider, the bike and the whole team.

“It’s a completely new title sponsor from outside the industry, which is brilliant for the sport.

“It’s amazing and because I’ve been ill it’s given me a purpose, and it’s what I’ve done all my life with being involved in running teams.

“We’re not going to mess about, we’re going to be competitive and I think our goal is top ten at the North West and TT, and I think that’s achievable,” McCracken added.

“We’ll be doing all the local road races, Cookstown, Tandragee, the North West – all of them.

“I’m building the bikes myself from my house and it’s a local team and sponsor, so it’s quite humbling the support I’ve had because I’ve had a lot of people coming on wanting to help us and support us, which is just fantastic.”

Explaining the background behind the name of his new team, McCracken said it was based on the dance track Lionheart by Joel Corry and Tom Grennan.

“The team mis named LionHeart MotoRacing because Lionheart the song was on the radio, it’s very inspirational and my wife said to me ‘that’s you’.

“It came on every time I went for treatment, it didn’t matter if it was in the morning or afternoon, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it.

“One thing I did have after my treatment was an overwhelming urge to give back to the charities and the people who helped me and my family.

“The charity side is very important to me too because of the help I had with mindset and things through the whole trip, which isn’t a nice trip.”