Boost for Ulster Superbike Championship as new title sponsor and prize fund announced

At a press conference hosted by the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland in Lisburn, it was confirmed that Northern Ireland businessman Alun Gorman, who runs telecommunications company SBT Ireland, would become the first title sponsor of the championship since 2019.

Launched in 2018, the Ulster Superbike Championship was sponsored by AJ Plumbing with Pirelli providing a tyre support package in a two-year deal.

However, after the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out almost all of the short circuit calendar in 2020, save for the King of Kirkistown meeting which took place after lockdown restrictions were eased, organisers had been unable to secure a new main backer until now.

The nine-round championship gets underway on April 5 at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in Co Down and concludes in October.

A £12,000 prize fund will go to the top six finishers in the SBT Ireland Superbike Pro standings at the end of the season, with the winner collecting £5,000. A separate prize fund will also be provided by each promoting club.

Ballynahinch racer Korie McGreevy, who won the Ulster Supersport title in 2024 and finished third in the Superbike championship for Ulster team McAdoo Kawasaki Racing, said: “It’s an incentive and your efforts are being rewarded, and we’re all still working-class people – there’s no one with silver spoons in their mouths.

“We need to have a decent national series and that’s what it is now, and last year I think we saw some of the best racing in this country since probably the Regal (Championship) days.

“It’s a fantastic line-up of riders as well, really good riders, and I hope to be in among it.”

Along with former British Junior Superstock champion McGreevy, contenders for 2025 include reigning USBK champion Jonny Campbell, former 250 Grand Prix winner and MotoGP podium finisher Jeremy McWilliams, past Ulster champion Carl Phillips, ex-British Superstock and Supersport race winner Andy Reid; Ryan Gibson, Ross Irwin, Christian Elkin and Mark Conlin.

SBT Ireland director Gorman said: “We are proud to be able to sponsor the Superbike class within the USBK Championship for 2025 and hope this will encourage other businesses to get involved.”