ARAI RIDERS WIN BIG AT ADELAIDE IRISH RACER AWARDS NIGHT!

2010 deemed a vintage year for riders from the Emerald Isle…

The great and the good of Irish, British and International motorcycling gathered for the eighth annual Adelaide Irish Racer Awards on 14th January, 2011. The gala black tie event is the brainchild of Irish Racer magazine publishing Editor Paul Lindsay and BBC Sport NI’s Stephen Watson, and is regarded as the most prestigious motorcycling awards ceremony on the Emerald Isle.

Arai’s racers – from WSB, BSB and Road Racing – all looking forward to and training hard for the start of the 2011 season, did very well on a night spent looking back at 2010 and one late, great legend of motorcycle racing also received an honour from Arai itself;

Arai Lifetime Achievement – Joey Dunlop

The Arai Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded posthumously to the late Joey Dunlop MBE OBE. It was presented by Phillip McCallen and fittingly collected by his youngest daughter Joanne, on behalf of the Dunlop family. She received a rousing reception and a standing ovation from the appreciative and respectful crowd.

Adelaide Irish Motorcyclist of the Year – Jonathan Rea

WSB star Rea impressed the Irish Racer magazine judging panel after a magnificent 2010 in the hotly contested World Superbike Championship, scoring four wins and ten podiums, which included a double at Assen on his way to fourth place in the series.

The 23-year-old from Ballyclare, now based in the Isle of Man, becomes the first rider to win this prestigious award for a third time. In fact Rea has won every award available to a short circuit rider in the eight years the Racer Awards have been in existence. Rea also won the Blackhorse Short Circuit Rider of the Year Award.

Jet2.com Fans’ Race of the Year – Alastair Seeley

Seeley’s outstanding North West 200 Superbike race victory, the first Superbike race win for a local man since Phillip McCallen thirteen years ago, was voted for by the Jet2.com fans.

IFS International Racer of the Year – Ian Hutchinson

Hutchy won the IFS International Road Racer of the Year award after taking an unprecedented, ten International Road Racing victories last season. This included another major milestone, becoming the first rider ever to win all five solo races during a TT.

Arai Europe’s Managing Director Ingmar Stroeven was delighted at the news of their sponsored riders’ accolades, and for Arai to support the Adelaide Irish Racer Awards themselves; “This is truly great recognition of all the efforts our racers make across many disciplines. Racing is fundamental to everything at Arai, and always has been so to do so well on the night is great for us. It’s also a pleasure for us to award the Arai Lifetime Achievement Award to Joey; he did so much for our brand and for the sport of motorcycle racing itself.”

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