Suzuki dealership Powerslide Motorcycles is set to return to the International North West 200 this year, with a two-rider lineup.
Dealer principal Brad Clarke will return to the event after making his debut last year, while the team will also field Leon Jeacock. Jeacock boasts plenty of experience aboard GSX-R machinery, having raced them in superstock and superbike spec in the British Superbike Championship. However, he will be making his road racing debut when he heads to Northern Ireland with the team next month.
Clarke said, "I can't wait to get back to the North West 200 this year. On a personal level, having achieved what I set out to achieve last year, I can return this year knowing how it all runs and what to expect, and hopefully improve on my top-20 result, although the goal remains the same; to qualify and finish.
"This year sees us take Leon over to compete in both superstock and superbike. With such little track time the expectations are to qualify and build in every session, but with Leon’s vast experience in BSB and with the GSX-R I have every confidence that he can be this year's fastest newcomer. But while we all know that he is fast, the main thing is being safe and completing the races."
Jeacock said, "I am really looking forward to competing at this year's North West 200. This is something I have wanted to do for many years and doing it on familiar machinery- having built, test ridden, and raced many GSX-Rs in recent years - gives me confidence that I can go and do a good job.
"I haven’t set any sort of goals other than to learn the track and just be as fast and as safe as I can. Having spoken with Brad I think it will be easy enough for me to learn without, sounding too confident, but learning it and going fast on it are two different things and I know that it will be completely different to what I am used to in BSB."
The 2023 running of the North West takes place from Tuesday 9 to Saturday 13 May, around the famous Triangle road circuit in Northern Ireland, connecting Portrush, Portstewart, and Coleraine.