| Ryan
Farquhar
For Dungannon’s Ryan Farquhar, the 2006
season was going to be all about him and, having teamed
up with Ireland’s number one team, TAS Suzuki,
he was aiming to dominate the National scene in Ireland.
More importantly than that, however, he was aiming to
rack up further International successes to add to those
already achieved on Kawasaki machinery, with the number
one goal success in the Superbike class, especially
at the TT, which had so far eluded him.
There were no excuses this time either. The bikes were
up to the job, as had previously been proved by Farquhar’s
new team mate Bruce Anstey and his predecessor Adrian
Archibald, the rest was down to Farquhar himself.
Alas, he never got the chance to show what a fully
fit Ryan Farquhar could do on such a competitive Superbike.
Practicing in the opening road race of the year –
his home event the Cookstown 100 – Ryan crashed
whilst riding the PJ Flynn supported 250cc Honda, clipping
the rear end of a touring riders machine.
This innocuous crash would have far reaching implications
on Ryan’s season and he would not return to action
until late July, when he raced (and surprisingly won)
at the Faugheen 50 event. He suffered arm, neck and
back injuries and when he returned he was clearly far
from being 100% fit. Ryan struggled on to the end of
the season, putting in some solid performances, but
far from his best, before going back under the knife
in November to try and improve some of the now restricted
movement in his arm.
It could have been a sensational year for Ryan but,
in the end, it was a disaster and shows how cruel sport,
especially motorsport, can be at times. Ryan was never
comfortable in the TAS set up and left in the off-season,
setting up his own team with a consortium of sponsors.
Whether or not his best chance of Superbike success
at the three International Road Races has passed him
by remains to be seen but don’t discount Flyin’
Ryan in 2007 – the most determined and dedicated
rider in road racing is back to prove a point.
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