Lisburn men on Bank Holiday form
by ANDREA CAMPBELL
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| Gareth Evans in action on the Superstock machine. Photographs by Philip Campbell | Ian Lowry celebrating the wln in the Supersport race. |
IT was a mixed day of fortunes for the Lisburn riders in action at Kirkistown on Bank Holiday Tuesday, in the race promoted by the MCRRCI and Killinchy and District Motor Cycle Clubs, supported by Ards Tourism. The weather was a little unseasonable for the middle of July but that did not hinder the hot action on the track with Ballinderry's Davy Haire and Moira's Ian Lowry both taking a victory a piece.
Luck was not so good for Carl Philips from Lisburn, who registered a DNF in the opening Cardy Timber 125cc GP / Moto 450 race and was then a non starter in race two. Philips bad luck continued to dog him in the NuttTravel.com 250cc GP & Supersport 400 race when he failed to finish in both races. Bruce Moulds from Hillsborough has better luck in the 125's when he picked up ninth place in race one and eighth in race two.
Ashley Hamill from Moira was also in action finishing 17th in the opening Enkalon Motorcycle Club Clubmans 600cc / 1000cc race, before taking 14th in his second outing.
It was again mixed luck for Lisburn's Declan Hoey and of course Lowry. Lowry picked up a ride with the IFS Global Logistics team having had a one of rider for Relentless by TAS Suzuki at the recent Superstock 1000 race held during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone' having previously parted company with the Rob Mac Racing team after a disappointing couple of rounds in the British Superbike Championship. Lowry proved that he had not lost any of his racing skill taking the race victory in the opening Walter Bell & Son Oil Fired Heating Services Supersport race' ahead Lisburn based Mar-Train Racing's Kirk Jamison. Lowry also had the satisfaction of setting a new track record of 56.477 seconds. Hoey just narrowly missed out on a podium in the Supersport Cup being better into fourth by Jonny Irwin, Hoey was credited with 15th place in overall race.
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| Davy Haire heads Marshall Neill during the Superbike race. | lan Lowry on way to the victory in the Supersport race. |
Luck was not on Lowry's side in race two when he was forced out of the 12 lap race on lap nine, leaving the way clear for Glenn Irwin to take the win with Mar-Train's Jamison in third place. Hoey was further down the pecking order this time out in the Cup, finishing sixth' despite moving up one place in the overall race, taking 14th place. Hillsborough rider Linton Irwan secured a seventh and a fourth place in the 250GP race, which run concurrent with the Supersport 400's.
Luck was not on the side of the Mar-Train Racing team in the Ards Tourism Superbike & Superstock race when both their riders Gerard Kinghan and James Dickson crashed out of the action and took no further part in the days racing. Dickson was uninjured in his crash at Fisherman's during practice, whilst Kinghan was slightly more unfortunate' sustaining a broken collarbone in his accident during the first race at the Hairpin. Luck was however on the side of Haire who was forced into second place by Marshall Neill in the first race' which saw another of the Lisburn local's Gareth Keys taking 12th place overall and second place ahead of Gareth Evans in the Superstock race. Keys was lucky to finish the race having struggled during practice, but was on the pace in the race, although he did manage to hit the kill switch' causing his Keys Suzuki to stall briefly on the opening lap when he had a slight moment at the chicane, but he managed to restart the machine and get back in the action and pick up 12th place. Evans was disappointed to have to settle for 13th place and fourth in the Superstock, but on reflection was happy to have picked up more Championship points to bring him back up to third place in the Superstock Championship' despite having sustained a shoulder injury and broken ribs less than a month previous in a moto crossing accident' the Hillsborough man put the qutck healing down to time spent in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy he has been receiving.
Race two saw a reversal of fortunes for ftrst and second place with Haire taking the honours from Neill' despite having a moment when Brian McCormack came off in front of Haire at the Hairpin on the last lap' whilst in the lead of the race, Haire composed himself to snatch victory with Neill in second place. Keys had a much better race two' claiming seventh place overall and a win both in the Cup and Superstock, with Evans taking third in both and 11th overall on board the Joe Evans Garage / TM Martin& Sons Suzuki.
All star line-up for the Ulster Grand Prix
THE Dundrod & District Motorcycle Club (DDMC) has revealed an all-star line up for the McKinstry Skip Hire Ulster Grand Prix 2010 from August 8 to 14.
World renowned international road racers such as Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson' Ian Lougher' Ian Archibald and Gary Johnston have all signed up, as well as local favourites, Ryan Farquhar, William Dunlop and Michael Dunlop.
Noel Johnston' Clerk of the Course at DDMC said; The deadline for riders to sign up for this year's event was 17 July, and I'm very pleased with the final line up. "All classes have been well supported, including the Classics race which is new to the programme this year. "There are several newcomers this year, including David Johnston, Dan Sayle and Scott Wilson. It's great to see, as these young men are the future of the sport and I'm glad to have the opportunity to show them what the circuit at Dundrod is all about'" he said. "Regrettably, John McGuinness won't be with us this year due to a lack of suitable machinery."
Noel concluded; "All in all, the quality of the riders will ensure some excellent racing this August, it'll be a real thrill for spectators and competitors alike. Don't miss it."
Ulster Star
26/07/2010
