As the 2024 Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship got underway with pre-season testing on March 23rd & 24th, Kildare based Builders Work Solutions providers, Daracore, announced an expanded involvement with the returning championship.
The specialist construction company confirmed that they will remain as a sponsor of the championship for a fourth season, as they continue to expand their brand in both Ireland and the UK. Daracore will also return to the championship as a race team, with an increased three bike line-up and a new young rider academy.
Daracore is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading concrete cutting, drilling and demolition specialists operating out of Irish depots in Kildare and Cork and UK locations in Hatfield and Luton. Having previously backed Irish racers competing in the Masters and at the British Superbike Championship, as well as their championship sponsorship, the Rathangan based company will continue to use their involvement with the Masters to grow their brand, as well as entertaining clients and staff at Masters events.
In tandem with their Masters sponsorship, the Daracore Racing team will run 2021 Masters Supersport champion Kevin Keyes, alongside former Pre-Injection and Classic Superbike front runner Kevin Madigan. Keyes will campaign Superbike and Supersport machinery at the Masters as well as making his North West 200 and Isle of Man TT debuts for the team. Madigan will return to the Superbike Cup class where he will be looking to build on the maiden podium placing he achieved at the end of 2022.
The team will also take a young racer under their wing for 2024 as the first Daracore Racing Academy rider. Fourteen year old Cork youngster Fionn O’Connell will be part of the team at all Masters events as he takes his first steps in the Junior Supersport category. The team will provide him with technical assistance and guidance while Kevin Keyes will act as rider coach to the teenager.
Speaking of their return to the Masters Championship, Daracore’s Keith Farrell said “Following the insurance related cancellation of the 2023 Irish season we transferred to racing in the UK where we had great success with Kevin Keyes. We’re delighted to now be back racing at home in the Masters and we are looking forward to challenging for the Superbike and Supersport titles as well as the Superbike Cup. It’s also really exciting to be up and running with our new rider academy where we are kicking off 2024 with Fionn O’Connell as our chosen rider and hope to expand the initiative in future years. We’re also looking forward to being able to bring guests to the Masters events once again, to share in what we expect will be a very successful season.”
Championship manager Fergus Brennan welcomed the return of Daracore saying “We are delighted to have Daracore continue their involvement in the Masters for 2024. It would have been understandable if Keith and his team had decided to continue to race in the UK after our year off in 2023, but once again they have stuck with us and even expanded their involvement. The professionalism of the team and the Daracore organisation makes them a valuable addition to our championship and we look forward to working with them once again.”
The Masters Superbike Championship kicks off with the opening three races at Mondello Park on April 20th and 21st. To follow Daracore Racing’s progress in the Masters Championship see www.masterssuperbike.ie, or follow the series and Daracore’s social media channels.
