Mike Browne in action on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki at the Cookstown 100 in September.

Northern Ireland’s Burrows Racing/RK Racing team will go back to their roots in 2022 in a full-scale return to the Irish national road races with promising Cork rider Mike Browne.

Browne, a Superbike winner at the Cookstown 100 in September, will be the team’s sole representative between the hedges next season, when he is also set to make his debut at the North West 200 prior to the Isle of Man TT.

Road racing has been particularly hard-hit by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic over the past 18 months, with only three Irish national meetings taking place during that time, while the headline events such as the North West and TT suffered back-to-back cancellations.

However, a full calendar is in place for next year, including a return to racing in the Republic of Ireland for the first time since 2019, and the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Team will provide Browne – a Superbike winner at the Cookstown 100 in September – with top-class Yamaha YZF-R6 and Suzuki GSX-R1000 machinery, in addition to a Moto3 250 Honda.

Team owner John Burrows’ 11-year-old son Jack will also be a prominent member of the team in 2022 as he makes the step up to the Ulster short circuits on a Moto3 after cutting his teeth on two wheels this year in the Irish Minibike Championship.

The Co Tyrone schoolboy will continue to race in the thriving IMC series next year as he builds his racing knowledge and experience, with the ultimate aim of joining the prestigious British Talent Cup grid in 2024 – a move put on hold for the next two years following the introduction of a new minimum age rule.

Team owner Burrows said:

“Next year the plan is to concentrate solely on Mike Browne at the Irish national road races plus the three major events: the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix, if it returns. “We’re focused on making sure Mike has the best opportunity possible going to each and every race: he’s happy within the team and we are happy with him, so it’s a productive environment and we’re all looking forward to next year.

“Mike has had time to gel with the team over these past two seasons and we have got a solid base setting going into 2022, so he is in a comfortable position ahead of next year. I felt he really raised his game and he was rewarded with a good win on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 this year at the Cookstown 100, which was very impressive considering that Mike had never rode a big bike before prior to joining the team in 2020.


“We’re going into 2022 with strong foundation for Mike and I fully believe in his ability to do a good job. I don’t have any expectations or goals set out for him, but I do believe he will achieve good things for us at the national and major road races.”

Browne, who made eye-catching progress in particular on the team’s 1000cc Suzuki at Armoy and Cookstown this year, said he is confident can continue on an upward trajectory next year as the sport gears up for a return to a full calendar of events.

“It’s great to have signed again with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Team for 2022,” he said.

“John and the lads put so much work put into the bikes this year to get them to suit me.

“We got them right towards the end of the year, got some decent results, and now we can go into next year with a bit of a head-start.

“The Irish nationals are obviously a big focus for us as a team but the main event in 2022 will be the Isle of Man TT, because I won’t be expecting too much at the North West 200 or the Ulster Grand Prix, where I’ll be going as a newcomer.

“I’m just praying and hoping for a good, dry two weeks at the TT and my main aim will be to try and do a good job for the team over there.”