Klaffi Honda will be the first World Superbike team taking part in pure road race events for the first time since Carl Fogarty and the Moto Cinelli team took part in the 1993 North West 200. Twenty five year old Irishman Martin Finnegan has agreed terms with Klaus Klaffenböck’s Klaffi Honda World Superbike team for the 2006 road race season. The North West 200, the Tourist Trophy Isle of Man and the Ulster Grand Prix are on the schedule. Martin will take part in the Superbike, Supersport and Superstock races. He is amongst the best riders at International level. This year he lapped the TT Mountain Circuit at 127.014mph to become the second fastest rider still competing at the event behind John McGuinness. Martin will make his debut for his new team at the upcoming Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix on the 19th of November, where he will ride a Klaffi Honda Fireblade machine. Callum Ramsey and Cameron Donald will join Martin in the team at Macau. In January 2006 Martin will also join up with the rest of the Klaffi Honda squad for a full testing schedule. Martin Finnegan: “I can’t hide how pleased I am to be joining Klaus’s team. We spoke briefly at the TT this year, but since then I had offers from five team’s altogether. But when Klaus came back to me with a firm offer, there was no doubt in my mind as to where I would be riding. Klaffi Honda has enjoyed a lot of success in a short space of time, and their machinery has proved to be very fast and very reliable, and we have terrific support from HRC UK. I think riding for Klaffi Honda gives me the best possible chance of achieving this ambition. This is the deal of my life and I can’t quite believe that it has happened!” Team Manager Klaus Klaffenböck: “I really enjoy racing at the TT and I like the atmosphere of the real road race scene over there in the UK. I have thought about running a team at The TT and some other events for some time, and started talking to a few riders. Martin was always top of my list however and I am delighted to be welcoming him into our team today. I am sure this is going to be a successful partnership and together we will win a lot of races. We are not going into this half heartedly, and Martin will get our full support and have access to our full team infrastructure. I want to win the TT myself in the Sidecar class, and I now want to win the Superbike races as well with our team and our new rider Martin Finnegan.” Martin Finnegang Age: 25 Nationality: Irish 1999 Winner Irish Junior Support Championship 2000 Winner Manx Newcomers Grand Prix 2001 2004 one of Ireland’s best road racers, regularly winning at national level 2004 Winner Irish Senior Road Race Championship 2005 TT Isle of Man Third