Davey Todd and Conor Cummins lead charge for Padgett’s Honda at North West 200

Todd has earned a full-time place in the Batley-based outfit alongside Cummins, who is recovering from a broken collarbone following a motocross training crash in Spain.

Yorkshireman Todd has already tasted victory around the 8.9-mile ‘Triangle’ course after mastering the tricky conditions to win a wet Saturday Supersport race in 2019, when team-mate Cummins completed the rostrum in third behind runner-up Derek McGee.

The 26-year-old is regarded as road racing’s brightest talent after he impressed with a 131mph lap as he finished sixth in the Senior TT in 2019 in his second appearance at the event.

Todd rode a BMW S1000RR for the Penz13.com team three years ago alongside the Padgett’s Honda 600, but this year he will switch to the new Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R, which he rode at the official British Superbike test at Snetterton at the weekend.

He made selected appearances last season for Northern Ireland’s Wilson Craig Racing team, but the English rider will return to a full schedule in 2022 as he competes in the British Superstock 1000 Championship, in addition to contesting the major road races.

“The set-up for 2022 with Padgett’s is exactly what I wanted to be doing with a full season in British Superstock and on the roads,” said Todd.

“I never felt comfortable on the BMW – it didn’t suit me and I struggled with the bike. I felt comfortable straight away on the new bike (at Snetterton).

“After the first couple of sessions I rode myself into the bike and was going a lot faster.”

New Zealand’s Bruce Anstey has a longstanding affiliation with Clive Padgett’s team but unfortunately the ‘Flying Kiwi’ – a 10-time winner at the North West – will miss the event this year. Anstey (52) was ruled out of the 2018 season as he battled cancer and made a victorious comeback at the Classic TT in 2019, winning the 250 Lightweight race.

Padgett said: “Davey and Conor will race at this year’s North West in the Supersport, Superstock and Superbike classes on Fireblades and CBR600RRs.

“The old Fireblade didn’t change much between 2008 and 2019 but the new bike is completely new. I think the new bike is a game-changer. Everything is different and we have a lot of learning to do.”

Cummins is recovering from his injury setback but the 35-year-old is looking forward to returning to the North West, where he finished on the podium twice in 2019 in the Supersport and Superbike classes.

“I am all back together and resting up before starting training again,” said Cummins.

“I know what the competition has done and I know what I need to do to deliver, but I don’t think the break will have much of an impact. Everyone has been racing at a competitive level.”

Meanwhile, triple British Supersport champion Jack Kennedy is a late entry for Saturday’s opening round of the Ulster Superbike Championship at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in Co Down on the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha.

Kennedy is set to renew his old rivalry with Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley this weekend.

British Junior Supersport champion Cameron Dawson is also entered.

Admission is £12 with the first race at 11am.

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