Garry McCoy has become the ꦡlatest GP veteran to be forced out of the premier-class, with the news that the 'Slide King' will replace Regis Laconi in the NCR Ducati team in ܫthe 2004 World Superbike championship.

McCoy quit Kawasaki at the end of a demoralising 2003 season, in which the former GP winner was rarely able to show his talent - ❀citing frustration at a lack of development as convincing him to leave in search of a more competitive ride.

However, with the likes of Neil Hodgson, Ruben Xaus, Kurtis Roberts, Shane Byrne and Alex Hofmann moving to MotoGP for 2004, Garry was left without a competitive offer. A return to WCM looked like the 31-year-old's only realistic chance ♒of remaining in the class, but that wouldn't have given the #8 the level of equipment he - and others - felt he deserved.

Thus the former Speedway rider was forced to consider Superbike racing - in either the World, British or AMA championships - and will now provide WSBK with a much needed big name for the 2004 season, following the departure of Hodgso🔥n and Xaus.

Importantly for Garry, the NCR ride will almost certainly a🌌llow him the chance to win races and perhaps even the title, with Laconi having taken regular podiums for the team in 2003 - on his way to fourth in the championship.

Fans' favourite McCoy made his GP debut as a wild-card in the 1992 125cc Australian Grand Prix - having only started road ra𝓡cing four months previously - and made his full time world championship debut the following year. made his GP debut as a wild-card in the 1992 125cc Australian Grand Prix - having only started road racing four months previously - and made his full time world championship debut the following year.

'Gaz' stayed in the eighth-litre class until 1997, tak𝓰ing victory in the 1995 Malaysian GP, and finished seventh in the series standings in his final year before jumping to the then 500cc cla👍ss (in 1998) to ride a Honda V-Twin, in what would be an injury struck season.

McCoy then moved to the Red♐ Bull Yamaha team in 1999, taking his first premier-class p🧜odium at Valencia, but it would be the 2000 season which would prove most memorable.

With dominating countryman Mick Doohan having retired due to ⛦injury, the class was thrown open and although Kenny Roberts Jr would win the world crown - chased all the way by a certain Valentino Rossi - McCoy also starred, winning three races and taking a further three podiums to finish the year fifth overall.

However, McCo♕y's fortunes began to 'slide' after that season, and although 2001 would bring three more podiums, a leg breaking accident in pre-seaso🍬n testing for 2002 effectively ended his hopes for further premier-class glory.

Garry finished that year 19th as the new four-strokes ruled the season, and left Red Bull Yamaha to🤡 join the factory Kawasaki team for 2003. He would claim a best result of ninth in this year's wet/dry French Grand Prix - the ZX-RR's best finish to date - on his way to a meagre 19th in the championship.

Team-mate Pitt has also been left out of ride, after Kawasaki signed Shinya Nakano to join Hofmann in 2004,💯 and is believed to be a🧸lso chasing a Superbike ride.