Young prospect Rory Creith reaching for the stars after joining Leon Haslam's ROKiT Rookies for 2026 Junior Sportbike National Championship

The Bushmills rider will be mentored by former Grand Prix star Ron Haslam and his son and ex-British Superbike champion Leon, with backing from Affinity Sport Academy.

Creith hails from a legendary racing family steeped in motorcycling history.

His grandfather, Richard ‘Dick’ Creith, famously won a round of the Grand Prix World Championship at Dundrod in 1965 in the 500cc race after finishing as the runner-up the previous year.

Creith also triumphed at the North West 200 in the 500cc class in 1964 and ’65, writing his name into Ulster road racing folklore.

Aspiring young gun Creith’s father John was also a fine rider in his own right, winning five Irish road racing crowns in the 1990s and securing numerous podiums, excelling in particular in the 250cc class.

The 16-year-old’s grandfather on his mum’s side of the family was Errol McCready, a road racer in the 1970s who enjoyed success at the Manx Grand Prix and had the honour of becoming the first 250cc race winner at Mondello Park.

His son, the late Rikki McCready, also became a motorcycle racer and won the Newcomers Lightweight at the Manx Grand Prix in 1998.

He tragically died aged 27 while participating in a charity biking event in Garvagh following a collision with a car.

Creith only began racing last year after joining Coleraine and District Motor Club and obtaining his racing licence.

He started off riding in the MotoOne class on a borrowed 250 Kawasaki in the Ulster and Irish Championships.

Midway through his debut season, Creith purchased a Ninja 400 Kawasaki and moved into the Junior Supersport 300 class, sealing seven podiums in the Ulster championship and seven in the Mondello Masters Championship in the corresponding class.

This year, Creith rode a Kawasaki ZX4-RR prepared by MSS in the Ulster Superbike Championship and No Limits Championship in England.

“The main aim of competing in the No limits Championship 2025 season was to learn all the GB tracks for the 2026 season,” said Creith.

“I feel that I got a lot of laps, track time, valuable experience and made significant progress over the six rounds I attended.

"Overall, I finished second in the No Limits championship after missing two rounds.

“Coming from a rich racing background, motorbikes have always been a passion of every part of my family and I am not without an abundance of family support.

"Needless to say I have always loved motorbikes. I can remember as a boy watching MotoGP, BSB, World Superbikes and the local North West 200 with my dad at the weekends, and thinking to myself that someday I will be one of those racers lined up on the start line.”

Creith ended the season with 10 wins and four podiums across the water and also competed in selected Ulster Superbike rounds, earning two wins from four rounds in the Lightweight Supersport class.

His deal to ride under the ROKiT Rookies banner in 2026 is a golden opportunity, and Creith is determined to grasp the moment with both hands.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the ROKiT Rookies for the 2026 season in the Junior Sportbike class,” he said.

“This is an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to get started.

“I’m looking forward to learning, growing, and having lots of fun with the team.

“I am ready to develop every aspect of my racing,” added Creith, whose dream is to one day become a British Superbike champion.

This year, Co Tyrone’s Cameron Dawson joined the ROKiT Rookies to ride in the British Supersport Championship before parting company from the team after four rounds.

Dawson said the decision was “one of the toughest” he had ever made in his career.

“Following mutual agreement, myself and the ROKiT Rookies team have decided to part ways for the remainder of the 2025 season,” he said at the time.

“That is also due to me sustaining a shoulder injury, which has unfortunately impacted my ability to compete at the level I expect from myself.”

Dawson later joined the Sportbike Championship riding a Triumph for CD Racing by PHR at the final four rounds.