Northern Ireland racer McCoy determined to return after second serious crash in 13 months

Northern Ireland road racer Gary McCoy suffered a serious crash in June at the Isle of Man TT, breaking five vertebrae in his back — one of which was crushed — along with his shoulder blade. The accident occurred on the third lap of the race in damp conditions at the Kerrowmoar section of the circuit.

It was the second major crash for the 27-year-old in just 13 months. In 2025, another rider collided with him from behind near the Mill Road roundabout during the North West 200, leaving McCoy with a brain bleed, a punctured lung and 22 broken bones.

Despite the toll of both accidents, McCoy intends to return to racing next year. He says the prospect of competing again is what drives both his physical recovery and his motivation to get back to work, adding that without motorbikes he would have no sense of drive.

McCoy grew up following road racing across Ireland with his family but did not begin competing himself until age 21. He made his North West 200 debut in 2022, earning best newcomer honours, and went on to record several top-10 finishes.

After recovering from his 2025 crash, McCoy made his Isle of Man TT debut in June with the family-run MadBros team, showing strong form in qualifying as a newcomer. He noted that several experienced riders also had difficult moments in the same damp section on the day of his crash.

McCoy is married to Leana and has two young children. He acknowledges that road racing is a "very selfish sport" and that his wife would prefer he stopped, though she remains supportive. Following his 2025 crash, he moved in with his parents for three months while Leana cared for their newborn.

McCoy says his focus now is on returning to both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT, where he hopes to keep progressing.