Ballymoney road race ace William Dunlop is already setting out his plans for an assault on the 2009 road racing calendar which will include the Irish Nationals and the three big International events.
Dunlop, who for a number of reasons had a mixed year in 2008, with personal tragedy and machines problems early on in his season, making it difficult for the Chris Dowd-backed rider to really get dialled into the season – but for 2009, Dunlop will receive help from many sources, including MSS Colchester Kawasaki.
"Things are looking pretty good at the moment. I have agreed to ride for the Chris Dowd Team in 2009, with Chris providing Supersport and Superbike machines for me again," said Dunlop.
"We are going with the R1 Yamaha again in 2009, but we have decided to switch to Kawasaki for the Supersport 600 events. Nick Morgan from MSS is going to build us a special 600 for the 2009 season, and it should be on a par with the British Supersport 600 Kawasakis.
"I am really looking forward to getting that machine. I will again be riding PJ Flynn's 250 Honda in the Irish National Road Races, and another special addition to the camp this year will be my dad's old 125 Honda that he won his last North West 200 on.
"Paddy Flynn owns the bike and he has agreed to let me use it next year, so that is really good from alot of different points of view. I think the name Seabiscuit is still on the bike - it was something that dad had put on it.
"I have a tyre deal sorted out from Dunlop tyres for 2009, plus my manager is trying to sort out a deal with some leathers people, so we are getting there.
"People think that I have all the sponsors that I will ever need, but nothing could be further from the truth. I have to tyre and fuel all my bikes, so I will be looking to try and attract about £18,000 for 2009, to see the season out. It's not all plan sailing. I am going over to Daytona Beach in Florida at the end of February to race in the Daytona bike week.
"I will be riding one of Chris Dowds 600 Yamahas which was shipped out just this week, so the season you could say has already started for me. I will not have the same pressure on me next year. 2008 was very difficult for me personally, but it's time to move on, and the sooner the season starts the better."
