James Walsh, a motorcycle road racer from Cork in the Republic of Ireland, died Saturday after crashing during the Senior Support race at the Tandragee 100 in Northern Ireland.
Walsh was treated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital by air ambulance. The crash brought the race to a halt with a red flag. He had won the Junior Support race earlier that same day.
The North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club (Tarmac Section) Ltd, which organises the event, confirmed his death. According to BBC Sport, the club released a statement expressing grief for the loss.
"We are completely heartbroken by this tragic loss, and our entire club is mourning a truly valued member of our racing community," the statement read. "Road racing is a sport built on shared passion and tight bonds, which makes a loss like this resonate deeply with every rider, official, and fan."
The club also expressed gratitude to the medical personnel who responded. "We want to express our immense gratitude to the MCUI UC Medical Team, the air ambulance crew, and the medical staff who fought so hard to save him," the statement said.
After a two-hour delay, officials attempted to restart the Senior Support race, but a second red flag stopped it again.
Walsh is the first rider to die at the Tandragee 100 since Italy's Dario Cecconi was killed in a crash there in 2017. He is the second rider to lose his life at a Northern Ireland road race in 2026. Czech Republic rider Kamil Holan died in May after an incident at Station Corner at the North West 200. England's Daniel Ingham was also killed in a crash during qualifying at the Isle of Man TT in June.
The club said its thoughts were with Walsh's partner Claire, his mother Geraldine, and the rest of his family, friends, and club members.
