Former leading national road racer John Burrows will field a🎃n all-Northern𒅌 Ireland team in 2013 after confirming Stephen Thompson and Nigel Moore will ride for his Cookstown/BE Racing outfit.

Burrows retired from the sport last year following the death of his friend, Trevor Ferguson, in a crash at the Manx Graꦬnd Prix.

The 40-year-old vowed to retain his links with road racing and this week unveiled Ulstermen Thompson and Moor𒆙e as his riders for the season ahead.

Thompson will ride the ex-Bruce Anstey TAS Superbike at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau Grand Prix for Burrows, wh💛ile Moore - who won the Lightweight Supertwin race at the Manx GP in 2012 on one of Ryan Farquhar's KMR Kawasaki machines - will compete in the Supertwin class at the national road race meetings in Northern Ireland plus the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix.

Burrows - whose career highlights include an eighth place finish in the 2008 Senior TT - told the Belfast News Letter: "I didn't just want to turn my back on road racing and walk away because I feel the sport is at a point where it is struggling a bit and🍸 it will be hard this year with obviously myself, Ryan Farquhar and Adrian [Archibald] having retired.

"I feel I have two🍌 riders who are very capable but at the same 🎉time there is no pressure on them.

"I'm delighted that I managed to keep Cookstown on board becausﷺe they are a good, local sponsor and without them none of this would be possible.

"H2 En🙈gineering are on board too and my supporters club and it's thanks to them that I can run a team this year."

Thompson, meanwhile, is relishing t🍨he chance to ride the Suzuki GSXR1000 this year, which is the bike on which Anstey set the outright lap record at th🍎e Ulster Grand Prix in 2010 of almost 134mph.

"I got talking with John a few weeks ago and the more we talked the better it sounded, so I thought I'd go forꦏ it.

"We need to keep people like John in the sport because he runs a 🤡good, professional set-up," added the former British Superstock Championship🎉 contender.

"Th🦂e TT is the main thing and I'd like to try and lap at over 125mph and I'm hoping John will bring me on a bit because of his experience.

"If I can lap consistently at 125mph then I don't think I'dℱ be far away from the top 12," he added. "I'm quite excited by it."

Thompson will also ride a BMW S1000RR Superstock machine with backing from The People's Bike team plus a K✱awasaki Supertwin in the Lightweight race at the TT.