Rising star Adam McLean hoping for a change of luck at North West 200
The 22-year-old only finished one race in 2018, taking fourth in the first Supertwin event.
He was also fortunate to escape injury following a spectacular crash during qualifying after clipping a kerb on the exit of Juniper chicane on his Kawasaki Supertwin.
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Hide AdMcLean, though, has shown his potential at the North West after clinching a superb fourth place in the Supersport class in 2017.
“I had no luck at last year’s North West,” said McLean
“I only finished one race, taking a fourth place in the first Supertwin event.
“I’ve shown I have the pace for some decent results. I just need to bring it all together to get some solid results,” added McLean, who was a regular podium challenger at the Irish national road races in 2018 and a Supertwin winner at the Ulster GP.
“I’m still learning my way around the ZX10-RR Superbike. At the minute it’s really taking me for a sail!
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Hide Ad“But my priority is to get lots of miles in during testing and to learn. I know it can take two to three years to get to grips with a Superbike - I’m not panicking.”
The young Ulster rider was left stunned last year following the tragic death of his McAdoo team-mate, James Cowton, in a crash at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man.
However, McLean decided he would race on and he really came to the fore at the Ulster Grand Prix, sealing a podium in the Supersport race and taking victory in the Supertwin class – his first international road racing victory.
“I felt really down after what happened to James,” he said.
“But I wanted to race on and at the Ulster Grand Prix I put the visor down and rode the best that I’ve done in my career.”