News Letter Sport can reveal that the ‘Ramsey Rocket’ is in talks with Robin Croft’s SMT Honda team and Shaun Muir’s British championship Milwaukee Yamaha outfit after a year on the Tyco Suzuki machines.

Ulsterman William Dunlop has already signed on the dotted line for Muir, who is looking for a second rider to join his roads line-up after Ian Hutchinson was sidelined for next season as he continues to battle back to full fitness following the latest surgery on his injured left leg.

However, Croft - who saw Michael Rutter claim a record eighth victory on his SMT Honda Fireblade at last month’s Macau Grand Prix - isn’t giving up hope of luring Cummins to his team to contest the North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Southern 100, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau meetings next year.

Team boss Croft - who also ran TT king John McGuinness on a Honda at Macau - told the News Letter he was keeping his fingers crossed that Cummins would agree to spearhead his roads effort next year in a one-man team built solely around the 26-year-old.

“The aim is to do the five road race meetings next year - North West 200, TT, Southern 100, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau - I don’t have the budget to do the British Superbike Championship,” said Croft.

“The aim is to pull together the rider and the budget. I’m talking to one or two riders and one of those is a certain Manxman, but the problem is there’s a certain team owner from Guisborough chasing the same man!

“All I can say is that Conor asked the advice of Michael Rutter and John McGuinness at Macau and the advice he is getting is to come and ride a Honda.

“We’ve got a Superbike and a Superstock sorted and I’m going to build a World Supersport version of the 600cc Honda for him should he commit to us.

“Everything Conor would have would be good enough to do the job and the infrastructure is all in place. I’m offering Conor my full team, all the mechanics and the lorry - the team would be built around Conor for 2013 and it would be his team,” added Croft.

“I’m a massive fan of road racing and of the TT in particular and I’d love to get Conor on board.

“He knows what I’m offering and I’m just waiting on a phone call.”

Rutter, who joins McGuinness and Michael Dunlop in the Honda TT Legends team for 2013, is also in line to ride for SMT Honda in the Superstock class at the North West and Isle of Man TT.

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire’s Gary Johnson is considering running his own bikes next year after riding an ex-WFR Honda at Macau, while Kiwi Bruce Anstey is understood to be staying put at Padgetts Honda.




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