Dowling Property gets involved in Superbike racing

Kilcullen businessman John Dowling is passionate about motorbike racing, writes Brian Byrne. He has his own road bike, though he doesn’t race himself, but from now on he’ll be doing it by proxy — Dowling Property has just become a sponsor for one of Ireland’s seriously up and coming riders, Edenderry native Kevin Keyes.

John feels the Irish Masters Superbike champion is a good fit with DP. “He’s a winner, he presents well, and he’s a nice guy,” he told the Diary at the weekend when Kevin visited the Kilcullen office. “Also, it gives me a good excuse to go to all the races ... in case a presentation has to be made, for instance.” Any excuse, guys.

John is a regular spectator anyway at bike racing events across the island of Ireland, and also to the annual Isle of Man TT, the iconic venue in these islands for motorbike racing. "Kevin raced there last year for the first time, and he won the Fastest Newcomer title there."

Motorbikes have been an integral part of life for the 26-years-old Keyes since he was three. His father, a keen rider though not a racer, gave him a Mini Moto machine at a stage when most other youngsters would be wobbling on their first tricycle. "After that it was just a case of going up through the ranks, from Juniors through the different levels," he says. "I was always quite quick and getting championship wins and just moving on and on." 

From 2015 to 2022 he competed in Britain at weekends, racking up five wins and nine podium places in his first year in the British Junior Cup in what is probably the most competitive track bike racing environment in the world. He transitioned in 2022 to road racing. 

His main sponsor since 2023 is Daracore Racing, owned by Rathangan-based Daracore Builders Work Solutions which operates in Ireland and the UK. They provide the technical expertise and support for the two Yamaha R1 Superbike and R6 Supersport bikes on which Kevin currently campaigns. Last year he made history by winning both classes in the Principal Insurance Irish Masters championships.

Though now competing at professional level, Kevin isn't yet earning a wage from the sport he loves. His day job in construction is driving a digger ("not nearly as satisfying as riding a racing bike") and sponsorship is a critical issue. "The budget for a season is up to €60,000, so having as many personal sponsors on board as possible is important."

For John Dowling, his support of Kevin is a way of giving something back to the sport he enjoys so much as a spectator. "The guys in this are a very loyal group, very close-knit, and any support you can give goes down well," he says.

So, if you happen to call John over any weekend during the season, and the background is a whine of high-performance engines, you know he's somewhere indulging his own passion. And doing his bit to help keep it going.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy