Garry McCoy debuted in the125cc World Championship in 1992, only four months after his first road race of any kind. He spent seven years in 125cc, winning just two Grand Prix, until briefly riding a 500cc Honda V2 in 1999. The Australian moved to Yamaha in 2000 where he opened the year with a shocking win in South Africa. His unique sliding style surprised opponents and delighted spectators, but after three victories, McCoy was hampered by injuries that continured over the next two seasons. He joined the largely unsuccessful factory Kawasaki team in 2003, and had three wildcard appearances with Aprilia in 2004. McCoy worked as a test rider for Ilmor's 2007 MotoGP prototype, competing in the final two rounds of the 2006 MotoGP season as a wildcard.