Roads: Ryan Farquhar is OFFICIALLY the most successful road racer ever with 357 road race victories.

With the International North West 200 road races getting underway yesterday (Tuesday), one of the sport’s greatest ever road racers has entered the Guinness Book of World Records with Ryan Farquhar officially awarded the title of having won more road races than any other rider. 

In a career that spanned 20 years, the Dungannon rider won races throughout that period on the road racing circuits around the British Isles including International race victories at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix. 

Riding in all classes from 125cc to Superbikes and from Supersport to Classic machines Farquhar was victorious at all of the Irish National road races, which earned him Irish Road Racing Championships, as well as at circuits elsewhere in the UK including the Manx Grand Prix, Southern 100, Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough and Aberdare Park. 

The now 43-year old stopped racing at the end of 2012 before making a return in 2014 where he was soon back to winning ways. However, a heavy spill during the opening Lightweight race at the 2016 North West 200 left him with serious injuries and whilst he thankfully made a full recovery, he’s subsequently focused his efforts on running his successful KMR Kawasaki team which he continues to do with great effect today. 

Farquhar amassed a stunning total of 357 road race wins during his career and with all of the necessary documentation submitted, the total was officially verified last month.

He entered the Guinness Book of World Records with the most career motorcycle road race wins on 12 April 2019. 

He said: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d win the amount of races that I did and win more than people like Joey Dunlop so it’s pretty special for me to have entered the Guinness Book of Records! It’s been a long hard road and an awful lot of effort has gone in over the years but when I started racing it was purely for fun and only over the course of time did it take precedent. Work was getting in the way of racing and racing was getting in the way of work so I made the decision to go racing full time and give it my all.

“I needed to win races to make ends meet but it’s something I’ve always loved doing and at places where there was no financial gain, like at the Manx Grand Prix, I put in the same amount of time and effort as I did at any other race. I’ve always considered myself a true road racer which, in my eye, is someone who races in all of the classes and at all of the meetings and whilst that was very tiring to do it was also very rewarding. There have been some amazing road racers over the last 50-60 years and we’ve all got our own stories to tell so I’m proud to have played my own little part in our sport.

“To end up with the number of wins that I have is something that makes me very proud especially as a lot of the wins came on my own bikes which I’d prepared myself. At the same time, I was also very grateful to have some excellent sponsors including the likes of Winston McAdoo, Kenny Harker, Nick Morgan and Roger Winfield so I hope they all enjoyed the journey as much as what I did. The injuries I received in 2016 meant I haven’t been able to race since but I haven’t officially retired and who knows, maybe one day I’ll be in a position to have another go on some form of bike and add to the total!” 

Farquhar has a busy North West 200 ahead of him with no less than six bikes contesting the two Lightweight races with riders Jeremy McWilliams, Derek McGee, Michael Rutter, Darren James, Matthew Rees and Ryan Gibson.