Glenn Irwin back at the North West 200

Glenn Irwin will return to Superbike race action at the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200 during May 4-9 race week aboard a Nitrous Competitions Ducati V4R.

The 35-year-old Carrickfergus man, who holds the outright lap record holder around the 8.9 mile Triangle course after remaining unbeaten in 11 successive Superbike races at the north coast event between 2017 and 2024, sat out last year’s North West saying he wanted to take a break from road racing.

A change of heart will now see the Carrickfergus man return to the grid in May and go head to head once again with leading riders like Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd, Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison during this year’s three Superbike contests.

“Everything has fallen into place to allow this to happen and the package is too good to turn it down,” Irwin explains.

“The North West is a big part of why I have the new deal with the Nitrous Competitions team for the BSB series on the new Ducati. The team wants to get its first North West win so we will come from the first British Superbike round at Oulton Park to the north coast and I have no doubts about the plan.”

Irwin, who has also won at Portrush on Kawasaki and Honda machinery, claimed a brilliant hat-trick at the 2024 North West on a PBM Ducati to become the event’s most successful Superbike competitor ahead of previous record holders Michael Rutter and the late Joey Dunlop, who both notched up nine premier class successes.

“I want to pick up where I left off last time,” Irwin says of his return.

“I love it up on the north coast, it feels like my back garden for a reason and I will be chasing three North West Superbike wins again. I will feel my way back into it again and hit the ground running. The next ten weeks will be spent in Spain with the family, training and taking in some track days so that I can bring the best prepared Glenn Irwin to BSB and the North West.”

Irwin’s North West wins have been greeted with huge celebration by his legions of fans and the Carrickfergus man says he hopes they will now understand his decision to return to the north coast event.

“I hope people respect my decision and understand that my career was nearly over last year,” he says, referring to the fractures he suffered to his hip socket and pelvis in a practice crash at Snetterton last June.

“Now I am back with a very competitive package for BSB because of the North West 200 and we are all in again and going to do a job.”

North West 200 Race Director Mervyn Whyte is understandably delighted with the news.

“This is undoubtedly the biggest and most exciting news in road racing for 2026 and we are delighted to welcome Glenn back to the North West 200,” he says.

“Glenn is a huge favourite with the fans who will be thrilled at the prospect of seeing him battling wheel to wheel once again with his arch-rivals around the famous Triangle course.

"He lit the north coast up when he last raced at the North West in 2024 and I have no doubt Glenn will do the same again come May.”