TAS Racing is owned by father and son pairing, Hector and Philip Neill, and whilst Philip now oversees the day-to-day management of the team, it was Hector who got the ball rolling in the late 70s. He ‘pitched a tent in the paddock and used a picnic table as a workbench’ as he remembered vividly, with what was quite simply – Hector Neill Racing.

A 17-year sabbatical ensued before TAS Racing was formed, taking the title name from the initials of the family business, Temple Auto Salvage. Road Racing has always been one of the mainstays for the team, but since 2003, the Northern Irish team has competed in the British Championship paddock in a number of classes – with 2021, the team’s twenty-first year of competition under the TAS Racing banner, with 18 of those representing a manufacturer in an official capacity.

Supersport titles were won in 2007 and 2011 when employing homegrown talent in Michael Laverty and Alastair Seeley, with the diminutive Carrick ace Seeley also collecting the National Superstock crown in 2009. All three titles coming with support from Suzuki GB.

The Superbike class is undoubtedly the holy grail in British Championship racing and having come close with Aussie Josh Brookes in Relentless Suzuki livery and won races in the premier class with other notables like Laverty, Seeley and Tommy Bridewell; then more recently with Danny Buchan on SYNETIQ backed official BMW Motorrad machinery, the BSB title remains their optimum goal.

This season TAS Racing are again the officially supported team of BMW Motorrad with SYNETIQ Intelligent Solutions the title partner. Essex ace Danny Buchan and Ulsterman Andrew Irwin remain the two riders who Hector and Philip have pinned their hopes on for success as the next chapter in the long rich history of TAS Racing gets underway.