Ulster road racing great Phillip McCallen says a collective effort between motorcycling’s governing bodies and individual promoting clubs is needed to safeguard the future of the sport.

The divide between the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre) and the corresponding organisation in the Republic of Ireland, Motorcycling Ireland – was laid bare last month when MCI President Sean Bissett criticised ongoing plans to run the Cookstown 100 in September.

All Irish national road races in the south were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and although the North West 200 and Armoy meetings were shelved until 2021, the Tandragee 100 and Cookstown events are technically still on.

No alternative dates have been suggested by the Tandragee organisers, but the Cookstown Club has been vociferous in its commitment to running the race from September 11-12, with restrictions in place in accordance with relevant government guidelines at the time.

Multiple North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix winner McCallen says the rift between the sport’s governing bodies is painting road racing in a bad light.

“The governing bodies of the sport and the individual clubs all need to work tighter together for the good of road racing,” said McCallen.

“There’s no point in five or six clubs all trying to work on their because it’s not going to work – there just isn’t enough resources in each club.

“I’m not just talking about better co-ordination between clubs here in Northern Ireland, I think we also need to have stronger ties north and south. If we had better overall organisation we could work much better together,” he added.

“If people can come together and the governing body can come together, I think they can put a plan in place to promote road racing in the best way. Don’t forget, we’re going to have to find sponsors again next year when it’s going to be tougher than ever after the situation with coronavirus this year.”

The Portadown man, who runs his own motorcycle dealership and works as a road racing pundit for BBC Sport NI, is also advocating the formation of one main championship incorporating road races on both sides of the border.

“There has been too much of a split over the years where the Ulster Centre and Southern Centres have just decided they are doing their own thing, independent of each other,” he said.

“Instead of having separate Ulster and Irish championships, why not have a one main championship covering races in the north and south. If they could run as one, then you could try and bring on an overall sponsor and have full support to pay the riders, pay entries and have a better prize fund.

“I think it would benefit the sport overall and would only be good for road racing.”

McCallen has also revealed that he is quietly optimistic that the Ulster Grand Prix could return to the calendar in 2021.

The Dundrod Club is facing liquidation over debts of more than £290,000, but McCallen hopes a resolution will be found.

He said: “Dundrod has always thrown up incredible racing because it’s some circuit and we can’t lose it. Shall we say there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes.

“The government knows we can’t lose it and the real motorbike people know we can’t afford to lose it either.

“I hope and pray that it does all come together. It’s going to be hard work to make it work, but listening to the people out there, I believe there are a lot of good people and clubs who can make it work.

“Road racing is a massive part of our sporting heritage and we cannot afford to lose these historic events. It’d be like flushing a huge part of our history down the drain.

“It’s going to take serious commitment for this to work and we need someone who is capable of pulling it together.”