Jeremy McWilliams quits due to “vendetta”, Ulster claim he's “abusing the system”

Former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams has quit the Ulster Superbike Championship amid a fallout with the organisers during a recent meeting at Kirkistown.

Jeremy McWilliams has continued to have an active racing career into his 60s, having become a regular at the North West 200 and a competitor in the Ulster Superbike Championship.

However, due to “ongoing differences” between himself and the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, he has elected to step away from the latter.

This stems from an incident during the 7 June Kirkistown meeting of the Ulster Superbike Championship, in which McWilliams was contesting the Supersport class with JMCC Racing.

In a statement issued earlier this month, McWilliams says he - along with several other competitors - were unable to have their race equipment checked at 8:30am on 7 June.

This meant he missed qualifying and had to start from the back of the grid, with McWilliams saying this was done as “a reminder to us who calls the shots”.

He then mentioned a second incident where he was not allowed to start a race due to pitlane exit closing, with McWilliams claiming “it has become apparent that I’m not welcome to race in USBK anymore”.

The full statement reads: “My team arrived at 8am on Saturday morning and proceeded to have the JMCC Racing bikes taken to technical control.

“By 8:30am the bikes were passed and I then I walked up to tech control garage with my documents, wearing my helmet, leathers, boots gloves etc.

“To find that the shutters had been closed at 0830.

“There are seven, eight of us attempting to complete the necessary checks, but unable to enter the technical control building.

“As this went on, most of us missed our qualifying sessions. Then after most had missed our qualifying sessions, they said ‘ok we can do your kit now and you’ll have to start at [the] back of your respective grids’.

“Just a reminder to us who call the shots.”

On the second incident, he added: “Literally as I rolled up to it they closed the access to the pit exit.

“The rider in front wasn’t half way up pit lane and that was that. I was told ‘you’re not going’.

“It has become apparent that I’m not welcomed to race in USBK anymore, for whatever reason.

“I feel that there is a vendetta from some small minded people to make sure I’m not on the grid.”

The MCUI hit back with its own statement, saying - without mentioning McWilliams by name - that he has “been abusing the system” in regards to technical check times.

“Over the last 12-18 months one competitor has consistently turned up late and expects the scrutineers to carry out the checks especially for him,” its statement read.

“Every event across the world has set times for attending technical control and if you miss them without reasonable cause, you cannot take part.

“Just as recently as Easter this one competitor failed to get his PPE equipment checked on time and didn’t get signed on to the event until the following day when the technical control reopened for the same time set in the regulations.

“Unfortunately on Saturday 7 June the scrutineers did enforce the times set out in the regulations leaving several competitors without technical control being completed.

“This included the same competitor who has been abusing the system and states himself that he went to technical control at 8:30am.

“The MCUI (UC) do not condone the action on the day of the panel but understand the frustration of the members.

“170 entrants made technical control within the time allocated and many had travelled several hundreds of miles from all over Ireland to be there and compete.”

It also hit back at his claims that pitlane was closed explicitly for him.

This response from the MCUI, however, has proven to be the last straw for McWilliams, who announced a few days ago that he will not return to the series.

“In light of the content of that statement and ongoing differences, I have made the difficult decision to step back for now,” he said.

“As much as I would like to remain involved, the current organisational atmosphere has unfortunately taken away the enjoyment I’ve always found in competing at local events, the fun aspect has always been the main reason I’ve continued to participate at home.

“I genuinely hope that these differences can be addressed and resolved in due course, and that I’ll be able to return to support and enjoy grassroots racing at home once again.”