Kirk McCarthy

Kirk McCarthy
Kirk McCarthy
Nationality	Australian
Born	18 November 1966
Died	15 August 2004 (aged 37)
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years	1997
Team(s)	Yamaha
Championships	0
Superbike World Championship
Active years	1992, 1994–1996, 1999
Manufacturers	Suzuki, Honda
1999 championship position	N/C
Supersport World Championship
Active years	1998
Manufacturers	Honda
position	44th (3 pts)

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]

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
1997	500cc	Red Bull Yamaha WCM	Yamaha YZR500									GER 15	BRA 12	GBR 12	CZE Ret	CAT 13	INA 15	AUS 13	20	21st

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
Year	Make	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	Pos	Pts
1992	Suzuki																							17	15			75th	1
1994	Honda											IND	IND									6	5					29th	21
1995	Honda																					IND	IND	8	Ret			33rd	8
1996	Suzuki	Ret	12	13	14	10	9	8	8	14	Ret	10	13	Ret	10	IND 13	IND 10	17	18	14	9	Ret	15	10	15			20th	22
1999	Suzuki	RSA	RSA							19	Ret	GER1 Ret	GER1 20															NC	0

Supersport World Championship[]

Year	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pos	Pts
	Honda						Ret	Ret	22	21	13	44th	3

References[]

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

Preceded by Anthony Gobert	Australian Superbike Champion 1995	Succeeded by Peter Goddard

[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

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]