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.[1]

Not to be confused with Kirk McCarty.

Kirk McCarthy
NationalityAustralia Australian
Born(1966-11-18)18 November 1966
Died15 August 2004(2004-08-15) (aged 37)
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1997
Team(s)Yamaha
Championships0
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
15 0 0 0 0 20
Superbike World Championship
Active years1992, 1994–1996, 1999
ManufacturersSuzuki, Honda
1999 championship positionN/C
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
35 0 0 0 0 52
Supersport World Championship
Active years1998
ManufacturersHonda
1998 championship position44th (3 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
5 0 0 0 0 3

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 him a factory Superbike World Championship ride with Suzuki for 1996, finishing 13th overall without a podium.[2] 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 he won the AMA Pro Thunder series on a Ducati (having initially entered the season-opener as a one-off rider),[3] before he returned to Australia, running his family's farm alongside his racing commitments. He was 7th overall in the Australian Superbike Championship in 2003.

Grand Prix

He contested the 1997 500cc World Championship on a Red Bull Yamaha,[4] (with a best result of 12th and best grid position of 18th)

Legacy

In conjunction with a number of industry partners, his 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 MAL
Ret		 JPN
16		 ESP
15		 ITA
14		 AUT
17		 FRA
Ret		 NED
Ret		 IMO
15		 20 21st
Red Bull Yamaha WCM Yamaha YZR500 GER
15		 BRA
12		 GBR
12		 CZE
Ret		 CAT
13		 INA
15		 AUS
13

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
17		 AUS
15		 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
6		 AUS
5		 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
8		 AUS
Ret		 33rd 8
1996 Suzuki RSM
Ret		 RSM
12		 GBR
13		 GBR
14		 GER
10		 GER
9		 ITA
8		 ITA
8		 CZH
14		 CZH
Ret		 USA
10		 USA
13		 EUR
Ret		 EUR
10		 IND
13		 IND
10		 JPN
17		 JPN
18		 NED
14		 NED
9		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
15		 AUS
10		 AUS
15		 20th 22
1999 Suzuki RSA RSA AUS AUS GBR GBR SPA SPA ITA
19		 ITA
Ret		 GER1
Ret		 GER1
20		 RSM RSM USA USA EUR EUR AUT AUT NED NED GER2 GER2 JAP JAP 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
 RSA
Ret		 USA
Ret		 EUR
22		 AUT
21		 NED
13		 44th 3

References
  1. "Motorcycling Australia". Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. "worldsbk.com". Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
  3. ADV Rider
  4. The Age 19 August 2004
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