Irish Motorcyclist of Year Glenn Irwin targets British Superbike title and more North West 200 glory in 2023

The Carrickfergus man was presented with the coveted Joey Dunlop trophy for the first time at the Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast on Friday night after getting the verdict over Jonathan Rea.

Irwin finished as the runner-up in BSB in 2022 and claimed another two Superbike victories at the North West 200, extending his unbeaten run in the blue riband class to six wins in a row. He also became the fastest newcomer ever at the Isle of Man TT, lapping at 129.849mph.

This year, the 32-year-old will ride for Paul Bird’s Ducati team after deciding against continuing with Honda Racing UK for a third consecutive season.

Irwin said: “I guess to win this trophy when you have the likes of Jonathan Rea on it and Joey Dunlop, and I saw Tom Herron’s name on it earlier, is an amazing feeling.

“But to win it in an era when Jonathan is still competing is really special for me.”

On his hopes for 2023, he said: “My number one thing is to win the British Superbike Championship and it’s all I want to do – it’s my number one goal and I’m working hard towards it.

"But I can’t look past the North West and I don’t know if there will be three (Superbike) races or not this year, but if there is and I win them all, I’d be tied with Joey Dunlop for the most Superbike wins ever.”

Irwin also won the award for Short Circuit Rider of the Year on UK Circuits.

Six-time World Superbike champion Rea was made a lifetime member of the MCUI on Friday and presented a new award commissioned by the body – the JR65 trophy – to Alastair Seeley as the first recipient. The award will go to the best rider on Irish soil each year.

Seeley was named Short Circuit Rider of the Year on Irish Circuits while the IFS Racing team won the Team of the Year accolade, with Seeley’s hat-trick at the North West 200 and Ulster Superbike and Supersport title successes swinging the judges’ decision.