By Kyle White

The owner of a top Northern Ireland short circuit venue is refusing to throw in tꩲhe towel in his bid to bring a round of the British Superbike Championship across the Irish Sea.

Jim O'Brien, who owns the Bishop🃏scourt race track neat Downpatrick in County down, has long harboured an ambition to host a round of the prestigious series.

Following extensive resurfacing work at the circuit plus the addition of a new 'loop' secti🌊on which was use🦹d for the first time at last weekend's Sunflower Trophy meeting,

O🧸'Brien has be෴en in talks with the organisers of the British championships about the possibility of Bishopscourt being included on the BSB calendar in the next few years.

He is confident the circuit now represents the standard required for๊ hosting an event at that level following significant financial investment provided by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in Northern Ireland t🐻hrough Sport NI.

And although O'Brien admits that negotiations are proving tougher than expecte🌃d, he has not given up hope completely that a compromise can be achieved.

"𝐆It's taking longer than we would have thought," he explained.

"We've been in hard n⭕egotiations to be honest and whether it⛦ comes off or not remains to be seen, but we haven't given up hope.

"In saying that, we have other irons in the fire ⛦if the BSB plans don't work out but I'm just not prepared to go into th꧑at in any further detail at present."

Bishopscourt benefited from a ?2m motorsport funding package as part of DCAL/Sport NI-funded Investment in Motorsport Programme 2009-2011🐼, administered by motorsport body 2&4 Wheels, which concluded earlier this year.

A totဣal of ?1.2m was set aside for development work at the Bishopscourt, Kirkistown and Nutts C🐻orner circuits in Ulster.

O'Brien added: "The only thing that may go against us is the lack of pit garages at the😼 circuit, plus it would take a considerable amount of money to bring the riders and teams.

"I think the fans would turn out in their thousands if we had a BSB race here♔ and hopefully we can make it ♏happen."