Armoy road races 'will be happy to break even' - clerk of the course Kennedy
- Published
Michael Dunlop has won the feature 'Race of Legends' event at Armoy for eight consecutive years
Armoy road races clerk of the course Bill Kennedy says the organising club "will be happy to break even" in 2021.
It was confirmed last week that the event is set to ahead on 30-31 July after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 race.
Potential restrictions on the number of spectators and reduced sponsorship may limit the Armoy club's income.
"If we get the race run successfully and don't lose money that will be a positive outcome," said Kennedy.
The meeting has been given the go-ahead by the Motor Cycling Union of Ireland (MCUI).
Regular sponsors saying 'count me in'
A maximum of 1600 spectators were permitted to attend last year's rescheduled Cookstown 100 in September, the only road race to be staged in Ireland during 2020.
"If we had 1600 people and knew they were all buying a programme and contributing through the official car parks then we would probably break even," explained Kennedy.
"The cost of running an Irish national road race is astronomic. Every year you are talking in the region of £120,000.
"It will be very difficult to get sponsorship this year but we have a wonderful Supporters' Club who have been working hard in the background and very loyal members.
"We understand we will also get good support from the local council while several of the businesses who usually sponsor us have been in touch to say 'count me in'.
"Some of those businesses have barely been open over the past year because of the pandemic so we really appreciate their commitment."
Club 'will work within guidelines laid down'
With the Tandragee 100 and North West 200 both having been cancelled, the Armoy is now scheduled to be the first road race held in Northern Ireland in 2021, with the Cookstown 100 again pencilled in for September.
"We are taking our optimism from the fact that the number of deaths and hospital admissions are falling and there is a vaccine being widely rolled out," said Kennedy.
"We are of course taking our lead from the state of Covid in the country and the community but even though we may have to limit numbers we are very much looking forward to going road racing in July circumstances permitting.
"We will work within whatever guidelines are laid down for us by the Department of Communities and Sport NI and there will no doubt be social distancing to take into account.
"We are far from through this and we will have to be careful but we are hoping that by that time things will be better."