Kilmacrennan’s Rhys Irwin has landed the opportunity of his young racing career with a coveted invite to compete in the USA at the Daytona 200.
The 20-year-old will take the 57 lap ( 2 hour) race that attracts seasoned racers from all round the globe.
Rhys got the phone call that every racer dreams of with an offer to race at the most famous and challenging event on the race Calendar in the golden state.
He said: “I am just over the moon, I can’t stop smiling since I got confirmation that I am racing in Florida,” Rhys said.
“It is just a massive World event. I was looking at the entry list and I am the only Rep. of Ireland Racer for 2023 which is huge pressure to take the tricolour to the US.
“Obviously my team believes in me but I have no illusions that this is one of the biggest challenges I have had. It’s a whole new bike manufacturer that I won’t have the chance to test in advance of the race so I will be going into FP1 expecting to make many changes, but for next weekend I just want to try and keep my nerves in check and enjoy the experience. I have to take this opportunity to thank all those who have made this possible and I will let you all know how it goes.”
Rhys in action on track
