Conor Cummins

Conor Cummins (born 27 May 1986, Douglas, Isle of Man) is a Manx motorcycle road racer who rides in British racing events, competing in the British Superstock Championship, as well as in specialist closed-road events at his home Isle of Man TT races and in Northern Ireland. A part-time seasonal racer, his normal income is derived from his business as a barista.[1][2]

Conor Cummins
Cummins emphasising a point when being interviewed by a film crew in Isle of Man TT Paddock 2012
NationalityManx
Born (1986-05-27) 27 May 1986
Douglas, Isle of Man
Current teamPadgett Racing
Bike number7
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested9 (2006 – present)
TT wins0
First TT win–
Last TT win–
Podiums4

He currently competes aboard a Honda CBR1000RR and a Honda CBR600RR. He was born during TT week in 1986, and became a professional rider in 2006. His father William 'Billy' Cummins contested the TT and Manx Grand Prix events and is still road racing.[3][4]

Early career

Cummins began his career riding in the British Championship and the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup. However, the lack of opportunities in these competitions led him to decide to make the switch to road racing.[5] 'The more I raced I realised it was time to switch over to pure roads and it's a decision I've not regretted once', he commented.

Road racing

2006

Cummins picked up awards as the Fastest Newcomer at the North West 200, the Southern 100 and the Isle of Man TT. Cummins also won the Newcomers Race at the Ulster Grand Prix.[6]

2007

In 2007, Cummins became both Irish Superbike Road Race Champion and Irish Superstock Road Race Champion in a season that saw him record 13 Irish National Road Race wins. He finished second in two races at the Ulster Grand Prix as well as scoring a podium finish in the British Superbike Cup riding as a wildcard at Donington. At the Isle of Man TT, he produced a series of performances to record four Top-8 finishes including two 5th places.[5] During the Superstock Race Cummins claimed the record for the fastest local Isle of Man competitor after lapping at 18 minutes and 10.78 seconds from a standing start on lap 1, and would claim the Duke Road Race Rankings Champion.[7]

2008
Cummins at Ballaugh Bridge in 2008

For 2008, Cummins rode for Team VanFit Yamaha in the British Superstock Championship, starting with a third place at Oulton Park. He also rode at the North West 200 but mechanical problems destroyed any hopes of a podium finish. He then rode in the Isle of Man TT and claimed a 5th place in the Superstock[8] on Monday 2 June before recording a 7th place in the Supersport Junior TT[9] on Wednesday 4 June. It was a good result for Conor in another week plagued by mechanical problems where he was forced to retire in the Senior and Supersport Race 1. On 20 August, it was announced that he had parted company with the Vanfit team and would miss the final four rounds of the British Superstock Championship.[10]

2009-2011 - McAdoo Kawasaki & 2010 Senior TT Accident

Cummins signed a deal with Cookstown-based McAdoo Kawasaki Racing for 2009's international road racing season.[11] Cummins recorded his first Isle of Man TT podium on 10 June 2009, when he finished third in the second Supersport Junior TT race, behind Michael Dunlop and Bruce Anstey.[12] Two days later, he went one place better, finishing second in the Senior TT, 19.54 seconds behind race winner Steve Plater.[13] Cummins also became the first ever Manxman to record an average lap speed of over 130 mph on his third lap of the Senior TT with a speed of 130.22 mph.[14] Cummins also recorded Top-10 finishes in the first Supersport Junior TT race and the Superstock race.

On 13 August, Cummins became the fastest man in the world when he won the Dundrod 150 Superbike race, part of the Ulster Grand Prix Bike week. After a race-long duel with Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson and Ryan Farquhar, a final lap of 133.284 mph on the McAdoo Kawasaki saw him take the win and shatter the lap record. He then took his first international road race victory when he won the feature Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race. 2010 had brought a mixed year for Conor with a great start to the TT on his Macadoo Kawasaki and a good NW200 but it all ended with a crash at the senior TT. He sustained a badly broken left arm, two bone fractures in his back, a dislocated knee and ligament damage, bruising to his lungs and a hairline fracture to his pelvis in the spill before being airlifted to Nobles Hospital. The crash occurred on the second lap of the Senior race, which had been restarted, coincidentally, after a heavy crash involving Conor's good friend Guy Martin, who fortunately escaped serious injury. In the restart, a lap of 131.123 mph saw Conor slot into third place just over two seconds off the race lead. By Ramsey on lap two, he was up to second and only three seconds adrift of race leader Ian Hutchinson only for his crash to occur a few miles later on the high speed right hand bends at the Verandah.

It had been a mixed race week for Cummins prior to Senior race day with both highs and lows in his previous four races on the McAdoo Racing Kawasakis. The low came in the opening Superbike race which he seemingly had in the bag. Two laps in excess of 131 mph, including a stunning opening lap of 131.511 mph (the second fastest of all time and just a fraction outside the outright lap record), helped him seize control and with a lead of over 20 seconds, everything was looking good for his debut TT win. However, the machine refused to fire after his second pit stop and he saw his lead reduced to just four seconds but he then reluctantly had to retire on the fifth lap at Laurel Bank with engine problems. The Superstock race saw Cummins have his best result of the week as he took his third TT podium with an excellent third place, a best lap of 129.309 mph helping him move up to third place on the second lap, a position he maintained until the chequered flag. In the two Supersport races, he took eighth in the first four-lapper and followed this up with a sixth in the second, 0.23 s behind John McGuinness, also recording his first 125 mph+ lap in the class. He continued his recover from injury throughout the 2011 season. He was a consistent finisher in the British Superstock Championship and recorded a 6th-place finish in the 2nd Supersport Isle of Man TT race.

2012

Cummins signed to ride for the factory TAS Tyco Suzuki Team in 2012 along with team-mate Guy Martin. He received an injured wrist during the North West 200 Superbike race, and this meant that his campaign at the 2012 Isle of Man TT had to be reviewed. As he entered the chicane at Mather's Cross, he was struck by Gary Johnson and the resulting collision also included Martin Jessop - who suffered a broken collarbone. As a consequence of the injury sustained to his wrist, he was only able to practice periodically for the TT. On medical advice, he withdrew from the week's opening Superbike race, together with further races during the week, in the hope that he would be passed fit to compete in the Senior TT which was scheduled for Friday 8 June. Due to adverse weather, the Senior race was postponed until Saturday 9 June, but again the effects of the previous day's rain meant that the Senior TT was eventually cancelled - the first time the race has been cancelled due to weather in its 105-year history. Therefore, Cummins did not compete in any of the races at the 2012 Isle of Man TT.

2013 - Milwaukee Yamaha

Cummins finished third in the Lightweight TT Race.

2016 - Padgetts Honda

In May 2016, Cummins announced his switch from long-term, Preston-based sponsor Jackson Racing to Batley-based team Padgetts for the Supersport 600 and Superstock classes at the 2016 Isle of Man TT. The decision was taken at short notice and is reported to have followed a disappointing Supersport race at the earlier North West 200.[15] Padgetts Motorcycles sold Cummins his first ever race bike, a pre-owned Honda RS125.[16] Conor joins rider Bruce Anstey at Padgetts, a long-term family-owned motorcycle dealership and race sponsor. Cummins will continue to campaign the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP in the Superbike and Senior TT races with the Honda Racing factory team.

TT3D Closer to the Edge

TT3D: Closer to the Edge is a documentary film about the 2010 Isle of Man TT races. The film examines what motivates the riders who race the TT and risk everything to become "King of the Mountain". Filmed in 3D, the film is a story about freedom of choice and the strength of human spirit. The film follows the leading riders in the 2010 race meeting, including Cummins.

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References
  1. TT star Conor opens coffee shop manx.net, 15 May 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2020
  2. Coffee Mann's shop is open in time for TT iomtoday.co.im 24 May 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2020
  3. "The Ultimate Race: Conor Cummins talks TT 2016". PokerStars. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. Competitor Profile: William Cummins IoM TT database. Retrieved 6 June 2016
  5. "Conor's NCT Racing Profile". Archived from the original on March 28, 2008.
  6. "Conor's Race Record". Archived from the original on September 5, 2008.
  7. "Conor is Duke Rankings Winner". iomtt.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  8. "5th Place For Conor at TT 2008".
  9. "Anstey overcomes disqualification disappointment". iomtt.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  10. "Cummins and Vanfit split". manxradio.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  11. "McAdoo sign up Cummins for 2009". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  12. "Cummins Grabs TT Podium". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  13. "Cummins 2nd in Senior TT". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  14. "Cummins Record 130mph Lap". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  15. "Cummins in last minute Padgetts TT switch". Motorcycle News. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  16. "Conor Cummins joins Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Motorcycles - Isle of Man TT Official Website". www.iomtt.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
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