Ulster update
Published: 05th May 2008
The postponed Round 2 of the In Touch Ulster Open Championships hits Downpatrick Motocross Park on Saturday 10th May with the most surprising title battle in years, this should please the title sponsors as it is their home raced, In Touch being based five miles from the track.
In the Watt Motorcycles KTM Premier Class, none of the pre season favourites leads the table. TM UK’s young Dubliner Stuart Edmonds has a 10 point advantage over reigning Champion, Comber man Wayne Garrett on his Moto One by TAS RMZ 450 Suzuki. He is followed by Greysteele teenager Edward Allingham on his PAR Homes 250F Honda, and Graeme Irwin, Garrett’s teenage team-mate and BYMX2 reigning Champion in fourth. English visitor Stephen O’Connor is a healthy fifth on his Maggoteaux Yamaha 250F, and Philip Laughlin rounding out the top six on his Kawasaki.
However, with round three of the Irish Championship at Doon, Athlone the next day, will the riders throw caution to the wind, or ride conservatively?
This may be an opportunity for the chasing pack to make up ground, particularly Banbridge’s Davy Gorman on the AJ Plumbing/Elite Bathrooms two stroke KTM, always spectacular round Tandragee, and GOMX rider Naas man Ross Brown, adapting to the change in machinery from Honda to Suzuki.
Young Comber charger Gary Gibson should feature if he can stay on board his Scott Honda, and Richard Bird is never far away on then RB Racing Honda 450F either, and a recovering Michael Sinton will be looking to back up his scintillating performance at the Irish Round in Seaforde on Monday with a good run on his GOMX/JRM Honda 450F.
Spicing up the Premier Class is the return to racing of former Grand Prix rider, and multi Irish and Ulster Champion Brian Steel. The Castlewellan man has made only sporadic appearances in the past few years, but he is sure to be a front runner and show the young lions a thing or two.
Turning to the McBurney Solicitors Semi Expert Class, Moto One by TAS Suzuki rider Larne’s Michael McCammond leads the pack on form, but Combers Emmett Scott, Lurgans Mark Dynes, and Aran Fethestone are hard on his heels. Also impressing in his debut season in the Semi Experts is reigning Ulster and Irish Grade C MX2 Champion, Stewartstown’s Donal Teague.
However, the hardpack and off cambers of Downpatrick present different challenges from the sand of Donemana, and this alone should mix things up a bit in this class.
In the exciting new Russell’s Motorcycles Grade C Championship, the change to pre qualifying paid off with fantastic racing, and the unusual sight in 2008 of two 2 stroke Suzuki’s heading the table, with Antrim’s Adam Clifford 12 points ahead of Downpatrick’s young Gavin Jones, the two diminutive teenagers heading Kevin Lynch’s 4 stroke Suzuki 250F. Moneyreagh’s Shane Turkington is fourth on his Honda and Josh Quinn’s KTM is fifth, with Stephen Gamble rounding out the top 6.
Again, the hard pack of Downpatrick may work against the 125 two strokes, but the small size of the top two may negate the traction advantage of the more powerful four strokes.
Also, pre season favourite Stephen Arnott from Moira on his Holeshot Suzuki 250F had a shocker of a day on Easter Monday after winning the first race, he scored only one more point, so he will be hoping to make up lost ground, and Tandragee favourites such as Hillsborough lad Michael Huddleson on his GOMX Honda, and riders such as Cookstown’s Gary Ferguson on his KTM and Coleraine’s Barry Donaghy can be relied upon to put up a good show round the scenic County Down venue.
Downpatrick Motocross Park is located off the main Clough/Newcastle Road signposted past the Racecourse heading out of Downpatrick, and racing is due off at 1130, entry £5.00, under 14s free.