Derek Sheils' Walderstown victory 'irrelevant' following Darren Keys' fatal crash, says team boss John Burrows

Derek Sheils made it five wins in a row on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki at Walderstown on Sunday, but the Dungannon team was in no mood for celebration after the event was marred by a fatal crash.
Derek Sheils won the Open Superbike race at the ill-fated Walderstown Road Races on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki. Picture: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press.Derek Sheils won the Open Superbike race at the ill-fated Walderstown Road Races on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki. Picture: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press.
Derek Sheils won the Open Superbike race at the ill-fated Walderstown Road Races on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki. Picture: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press.

Ballyclare man Darren Keys (34) died following an incident in the Senior Support race. He was airlifted to the Mater Hospital in Dublin and sadly succumbed to his injuries.

Racing at the County Westmeath meeting was abandoned, but Sheils had earlier won the Open Superbike event for his fifth victory on the spin. He beat Michael Sweeney by 3.5 seconds, with the returning Derek McGee fighting back to third after a mistake whilst leading the race cost him dear in the early stages.

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It was a continuation of Sheils’ excellent form of late, but team principal John Burrows said Sunday’s success paled into insignificance following the tragedy that unfolded.

Ballyclare man Darren Keys was killed in a crash at the Walderstown Road Races on Sunday. Picture: Pacemaker Press.Ballyclare man Darren Keys was killed in a crash at the Walderstown Road Races on Sunday. Picture: Pacemaker Press.
Ballyclare man Darren Keys was killed in a crash at the Walderstown Road Races on Sunday. Picture: Pacemaker Press.

“Derek showed that he’s in terrific form at present with victory in the Open race, but sadly it was irrelevant in the end given the tragic circumstances that unfolded,” said Burrows.

“I didn’t really know Darren Keys all that well personally, but I am gutted for him and more so for his family and his children. I wasn’t at Walderstown myself because I’m on holidays at present with my own wife and children, and it certainly puts things in perspective when you hear tragic news like this.”

Reflecting on the race, Burrows said he felt Sheils would have had a big say regardless of whether or not McGee had made a costly error.

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“Derek’s win was his fifth in a row on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and it was a great result for him,” said Burrows.

“Derek McGee made his comeback from injury at Walderstown, as we thought he would, and was leading when he overshot; but I believe it would have been a great race between the two Dereks. They were very close in terms of their lap times and Derek Sheils set the fastest lap of the race, which shows the excellent form he has been in of late.

“Derek missed a few of the Irish National road races in 2018 so it’s nice to be back in winning form again, especially for our sponsors because it was a relatively low-key year at the Irish National races for us last season.”

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