Top Ulster Superbike team confirms racing return in 2026 after owner 'pulled the pin because of the way I was treated' - NW200 also in plans
Banbridge team J McC Racing will be back in 2026 for a renewed assault on the Ulster Superbike Championship and North West 200 after a short break from the sport this year.
Team owner Jason McCaw said he “pulled the pin” halfway through the season following a spat between his rider Jeremy McWilliams and the sport’s governing body, the MCUI (Ulster Centre) in June.
Former Grand Prix star McWilliams said he was stepping back from competing in the series due to “ongoing differences” with the MCUI and claimed in an open letter posted on social media that it had “become apparent” that he was not welcome to race in the USBK series.
However, McCaw’s championship-winning outfit will be on the grid next year with former British Superstock and Supersport race winner Andy Reid set to switch to a BMW M1000RR.
McCaw is also set to run his team again at the North West 200 in May, where the evergreen McWilliams clinched a podium in the Supertwin class this year on the J McC Racing Aprilia.
“After what happened with Jeremy and the MCUI and myself last year, I pulled the pin because of the way I was treated,” McCaw said. “But we’ve bikes coming for next year and I’ve Andy Reid with me for next year, and I’ll be talking to Jeremy.
“I’ve a wee fella Warren Knowles and I’m giving him a shot, probably on the Ducati (Panigale V2 in Ulster Supersport Championship). I’ll be back but I don’t know if I’ll be doing the full championship.
“I might do something in BSB next year because I’ve been sponsoring Luke Mossey for a couple of years and he’s with Clive (Padgett) again this year. But we’ll do the North West 200 too, so a wee bit of everything.
“Hopefully we’ll do the North West with an Aprilia Supertwin and the Ducati Supersport. We’ve been talking a bit about it and we’ve got our usual spot in the paddock again.
“We’ll try and put a show on at the North West and we got a third at it this year and we blew up an engine, but a third at the North West for a wee team from Banbridge is still a good achievement in my eyes.
"Many a person have gone there and got nothing so we were happy with that,” added McCaw.
“Andy will be riding a BMW in the Ulster Superbike Championship but we still have the Kawasakis there because there’s a lot of history with those bikes.”
In 2023, Ballymena’s Jason Lynn wrapped up a title double for J McC Racing, winning the Ulster Superbike and Supersport Championships in a memorable year for McCaw’s team.