The Coleraine and District Motor Club is delighted to announce this year’s fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 will take place as planned on May 7-13.

As has been well documented over the past month, this year’s event had been thrown into jeopardy by a huge increase in the cost of public liability insurance. A new insurance deal has finally been secured and the crucial intervention of Co. Tyrone businessman, Derek Keys, with a generous donation from his company, Euro Auctions, has ensured the 2023 NW200 can go ahead.

“March 2023 represents the 25th anniversary of Euro Auctions and helping the North West 200 gives us the ideal chance to thank all of those people who have supported us over that 25 year journey,” Mr. Keys said, “The event sees over 195,000 people visit the region and many businesses, both large and small, depend upon events like this to bring trade and prosperity into the North West area. This event is part of our region’s heritage and I am delighted that with a little help from Euro Auctions, the event can now proceed this year.”

“We are very grateful to Derek Keys and Euro Auctions for this very generous support,” the NW200’s Mervyn Whyte said. “In the absence of any financial assistance from government, the sport has been left to its own devices to deal with the insurance crisis. Mr Keys intervention has been crucial in saving this year’s North West 200. We also wish to express our gratitude to the many members of the motorcycle racing community who donated so generously to the crowd funding initiative launched by the Motorcycle Union of Ireland, Ulster Centre.”