Marty Nutt to join Coates at Padgett.

Having announced their return to British Superbikes with Adrian Coates, Padgett Racing have signed Marty Nutt as a second rider this week. Clive Padgett will be officially launching the Padgett BSB team at the open and direct Ulster Motorcycle Show on February 27.

Coates and Nutt are fellow Ulstermen and have know each other for a while. They will rider the Suzuki GSX-R1000s throughout the 2002 season, which begins at Silverstone on April 1.

"After last year's success with the team, I'm really excited about moving up to the Superbike class," said Coates. "Marty and I are great friends, but you always want to beat your team-mate."

Nutt came fourth in last year's European Superstock Championship and also won the Sunflower Trophy Race. "I was actually at Adrian's house when we received the call from Clive. It's a dream opportunity for me to ride for such an accomplished team. I'll be using all my four-stroke experience to make sure Adrian doesn't rest on his laurels."

Padgett Racing took part in the ACU Shell Oils TT F1 British Championship in 1988, but this was the last time the team had entered in a national Superbike Championship. It was during this year that Darren Dixon beat a group of youngsters called Carl Fogarty, James Whitham and Steve Hislop to the title.