Yamaha TZ750 coaxing McCoy out of retirement
He hasn’t raced competitively since the tail end of 2009, but five-time GP winner Garry McCoy has accepted an invitation to race a Yamaha TZ750 in the Sureflight Superbike Masters class at the final round of the 2023 #asbk title at The Bend (SA) from December 1-3.
The TZ750 was previously ridden to second place in the first Superbike Masters round of 2023 by Troy Corser, and now it will be ‘Mr Squiggle’s’ turn to fire up the two-stroke.
McCoy leads Rossi in the 2001 500 GP season
“I’ve always wanted to ride a TZ750, so this was the perfect opportunity,” said McCoy. “I won’t ride the bike until first practice on Friday, so there will be a lot to get my head around in a short period of time. It’ll be interesting to see how it all goes.
“I’m certainly not putting any pressure on myself, but I still pump out heaps of laps on a (Yamaha) R1 at Morgan Park at my coaching schools so at least I’m not starting from a low base.
“I’m certainly not as fit I was in my racing days, but it’ll be all good.”
The Superbike Masters cameo at The Bend will be in addition to McCoy’s normal duties as head coach of the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup, so the 51-year-old is likely to be very weary by Sunday night…
Corser on the TZ750; McCoy next!
McCoy’s five GP victories were split between 125GP – one a gripping hometown success at Sydney Motorsport Park in the last round of 1996 – and 500GP, where he won three times in 2000 en route to fifth in the title on the Red Bull Yamaha.
McCoy’s career in the premier class also included a stint with Kawasaki’s factory team before switching his focus towards production-based racing in world Superbike (where he won at Phillip Island in 2004) and world Supersport.
His last competitive race was the 2009 world Supersport finale in Portugal where he finished third on the Triumph Daytona 675.
The Sureflight Superbike Masters class attracted a massive grid in the penultimate round at Phillip Island, and The Bend finale is expected to be another exciting showcase of motorcycle racing history dating back to the 1970s.
Keo Watson (Yamaha FZR1000) is the current outright leader in the Superbike Masters from Murray Clark (Suzuki GSX-R1100) and Brad Phelan (Suzuki Katana).
