Kirk McCarthy

Kirk Richard McCarthy (18 November 1966 – 15 August 2004), in Melbourne Victoria, Australia, was an Australian motorcycle road racer who competed in several major championships both at home and internationally. He was killed in an Australian Superbike Championship race at Queensland Raceway in 2004.

Superbikes

McCarthy began racing in the Australian Superbike Championship in 1992, for the Ansett Suzuki team. In 1994 he joined the crack Winfield Honda team, and went on to win the 1995 title.

This earned McCarthy a factory Superbike World Championship ride with Suzuki for 1996, finishing 13th overall without a podium. In 1998, he did five Supersport World Championship race's (one step below World Superbike, with less powerful machines) on a Castrol Honda finishing only one race in the points.

A year in the German Superbike Championship for Suzuki, and two years back with Castrol Honda but in the British Supersport Championship, followed. In 2002, McCarthy won the AMA Pro Thunder series on a Ducati (having initially entered the season-opener as a one-off rider), before he returned to Australia, running his family's farm alongside his racing commitments. He was seventh overall in the Australian Superbike Championship in 2003.

Grand Prix

McCarthy contested the 1997 500cc World Championship on a Red Bull Yamaha, (with a best result of 12th and best grid position of 18th)

Legacy

In conjunction with a number of industry partners, McCarthy's family has established an award program to assist young riders in contesting future Australian Superbike Championship (ASC) seasons.

Each year, one rider will be selected to receive the Kirk McCarthy Memorial Award, which will be in the form of financial and product support to contest the following year's ASC. The award is open to riders in all ASC classes.

A perpetual trophy will be awarded to the recipient, who will also receive a replica of the trophy at the annual ASC presentation dinner.

Career results

Grand Prix Year Class Team Machine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Points Rank 1997 500cc World Championship Motorsports ROC-Yamaha MALRet JPN16 ESP15 ITA14 AUT17 FRARet NEDRet IMO15 20 21st Red Bull Yamaha WCM Yamaha YZR500 GER15 BRA12 GBR12 CZERet CAT13 INA15 AUS13

World Superbike Championship

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1992 Suzuki SPA1 SPA1 GBR GBR GER GER BEL BEL SPA2 SPA2 AUT AUT ITA1 ITA1 MAL MAL JPN JPN NED NED ITA2 ITA2 AUS AUS NZL NZL 75th 1 1994 Honda GBR1 GBR1 GER GER RSM RSM SPA SPA AUT AUT IND IND JPN JPN NED NED ITA ITA GBR2 GBR2 AUS AUS 29th 21 1995 Honda GER GER RSM RSM GBR GBR ITA ITA SPA SPA AUT AUT USA USA EUR EUR JPN JPN NED NED IND IND AUS AUS 33rd 8 1996 Suzuki RSM RSM GBR GBR GER GER ITA ITA CZH CZH USA USA EUR EUR IND IND JPN JPN NED NED SPA SPA AUS AUS 20th 22 1999 SuzukiRSA RSA AUS AUS GBR GBR SPA SPA ITA ITA GER1 GER1 RSM RSMUSA USAEUR EUR AUT AUT NED NED GER2 GER2JAPJAP NC 0

Supersport World Championship Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Pts 1998 Honda GBR ITA SPA GER SMR RSARet USARet EUR22 AUT21 NED13 44th 3