LIMAVADY-BASED quad-racer Michael McAneney has clinched his second Ulster Quad Championship – eight years after his previous success.
McAneney also competed for Team Ireland and the recent ‘Quadcross of Nations’ – the World Quad Racing Championships in Cingoli, Italy, where his team finished in third place. It was McAneney’s first experience of the international scene.
Following an impressive set of results, Michael was joined on the team by Mark McLernon (Hillsborough) and Justin Reid (Comber).
“We would have been racing against professional teams – boys who do nothing else but race quads. The three of us, we have normal nine to five jobs and we fit in the training and practising around our jobs.”
Quad racing has been a family tradition. His father Gerry won the Ulster title in 1999, making them the only father-son team to have achieved the feat in the history of the sport.
It all began for McAneney junior at the age of five.
“He (Daddy) went in to get a lawnmower and came out with a quad for me the brother (Sean) and we started messing about in the yard,” McAneney joked.
“I started racing at age of 5 on the 50ccs (quad). You start moving up to the 80s, then to the blasters and all the way to the premier class.
“Sean did race whenever we were younger, but he phased out of it. He is helping now as a mechanic and supporting me – it’s all about the team behind me, I am only a small part.”
Michael’s success was built a six race winning streak at the start of the season. On the back of the early morning training and weekend practice - he went on to win 10 of his 15 races.
“Quad racing is a little-known, but fantastic sport,” he commented. “I'm delighted with the success of this year - and being crowned Ulster Champion tops it off. It was an honour and privilege to be selected for Team Ireland.
“I'd like to say thank you to all my friends and family, and to my Quad team - Ricky Toye and Stephen Toye who have helped and supported me throughout the year. I look forward to 2018, and getting back on the quad and defend my title.”
It was been a season to remember for the 30 year-old Building Surveyor. His wife Emma-Jane gave birth to their daughter Eden at the start of the year.
“If you can watch your wife going through child-birth, everything else is easy,” quipped McAneney.
Now it’s time for some well-deserved time at home, with the racing season now over until March.
“I will just relax and spend time with the family for the next while,” Michael explained. “A lot of the weekends are taken up with the racing. There are six races in the year and other weekends I practise.”
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