Mar-Train racing kick start their 2016 racing season this weekend as they take part in the traditional Easter Monday Irish Superbike races at Kirkistown.

The Lisburn based outfit are entering their second year as the official Yamaha UK road racing team and will be hoping to continue the momentum they found at the tail end of 2015. After a challenging beginning the team gradually made headway in their development of the all new YZF-R1M Yamaha in the second half of the season and signed off in style by winning the Gold Cup at Oliver’s Mount.

This year the team, led by husband and wife duo Tim and Sonya Martin, will again concentrate on pure road racing however the short circuit meeting at Kirkistown will give new boy Dan Kneen the opportunity to test his new machinery in proper race conditions before ‘the roads’ start a few weeks later.

Kneen has completed a series of tests in Spain and at home and is looking forward to beginning his tenure as a Yamaha UK rider. The twenty eight year old Manx man was twice a podium finisher in the superbike races at the same event two years ago so knows his way around the County Down airfield circuit.

Rider – Dan Kneen

“I’m excited the season is finally here and can’t wait to get a race under my belt for Mar-Train. I’m still feeling the effects of the crash in Spain slightly but I am starting to gel with the bikes and am sure it won’t hamper us too much on Monday. The bikes are mega, a lot of hard work and preparation has gone in and I’m enjoying working with Andy and the boys so Kirkistown will be another good opportunity to test as we build up to the road race season.”

Team principal – Tim Martin

“I said at the end of 2015 how much progress had been made with the YZF-R1M and we have made a lot more since then thanks to the hard work of Yamaha UK and my team. We lost some testing time in Spain but Dan has applied himself very well during the remainder of our programme and we have Kirkistown, Tandragee and Cookstown all booked in so we will be more than ready come the Internationals. Monday is predominantly a test for us but Dan has run well at Kirkistown before so we will be hoping to run near the front and give the fans a good show.”