Knipe brothers team up ahead of new season

COOKSTOWN’S Knipe brothers have united under the VTL/TAG Racing Ireland banner for the first time ahead of the new minibike season, which gets underway in the Spring.

Eight year-old Boyd will be entering his third year with Thomas ‘Tossie’ Fitzsimons team, while his younger brother, six year-old Sonny, has moved over from Strabane’s Boss E Racing after a successful debut season in the Irish Minibike Championship in 2023.

Both boys were well looked after by Thomas Galbraith and Eva Mullen at Boss E Racing last term and they will continue to enjoy a close relationship with them this year, but under the VTL/TAG Racing Ireland colours.

Boyd, who is a P5 pupil at Cookstown High School, is relishing the new season, having excelled on his BamBam and Junior Gearbox machines last term, winning races and earning podiums en route to finishing second and third in those classes respectively. This year he bids farewell to the BamBam category with the Junior Gearbox class bring his main focus in the Irish Minibike Championship, while he will also dip his toes into the British Minibike Championship waters for the first time in the Junior SM 90 class.

Sonny, meanwhile, is looking to build on a hugely promising debut campaign when he bounced back from adversity to finish strongly. The P3 pupil at Cookstown Primary School started the season brightly on his Boss E Racing machine but an off at Athboy in the wet dented his confidence, which he soon rebuilt by turning in improving lap times and race finishes.

After finding his feet in the Irish Minibike Championship BamBam class last year, Sonny will be looking for another season of improvement onboard his VTL/TAG Racing Ireland 90, again in the BamBam class.

The boys wish to tkank Thomas ‘Tossie’ Fitzsimons of Vanfleet Transport Ltd Dublin, TAG Racing Ireland,Harris Group,Kevin Watret of KW Electrical Services Ltd Scotland,and all their family and friends for their support.