Irish Superbike Champion Michael Pearson will take part in his first National Road Race in Southern Ireland this weekend, saying that the ISB is no longer a priority.
   
Pearson who was to compete in this weekend's Irish Superbike Championship meeting at Ballykelly in Co-Londonderry, has decided that the time is right to spread his wings, and try some of the Irish National Road Races.

After a week that saw Pearson take four podium positions at the recent Scarborough Cock O The North Races, and after deep conversation with his race Team,  it was agreed that a new way forward was the next step for the team, and no better time to start it than this weekend.
 
Michael Pearson:  "I have wanted to do the Kells Races now for a couple of years, but it always seems to clash with ISB Rounds. I have given the ISB Championships alot of thought this past couple of days, and have decided that it is no longer my priority.   I am not turning my back on the ISB Championships, and I do intend racing at them, if they do not clash with other race meetings that I want to do.   

"A round of the ISB Championships take place on the same week-end as the Gold Cup at Scarborough, and I owe it to my sponsors Boost Energy Drinks who are based in Leeds, to take in what is their local circuit, so I will be going to the Gold Cup.    I won the ISB title last year, and what I got for it was pathetic.  I have been there and done it, so there is no point going through the same old motions again this year.  To be honest, the ISB just does not have the pull for me anymore, so its time for a change."
 
Team manager Willis Marshall said: "I fully back Michael's decision to go to Kells this weekend.  The Kells Club are very keen to have Michael there, and I know that he will be well looked after.  I agree with Michael that the ISB Championships are no longer a pull to most riders.  

"I think that once you have won it, it means little after that.   There really is no prize for the ISB guys at the end of the year, and I think it is something that needs to be looked at very soon.    I am hoping to get a late entry for Michael at Faugheen, but at the moment it looks like all class's are over subscribed.  I will now by Wednesday of next week if he will be going there or not, but at the moment this weekend is what we must concentrate on."