2017 Irish Road Racing Season

Mr Excitement

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The start of IRR season starts tomorrow at the legendary Tandragee 100.:D
This will also be the first race for Guy Martin after his nasty crash at the UGP in 2015 and will be riding for factory Honda on the new Fireblade.:punkrocke


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http://roadrahttp://roadracingnews....-sheils-dominates-opensenior-open-qualifying/

57th Tandragee 100 – Derek Sheils Dominates Open/Senior Open Qualifying

Defending Irish road race Superbike champion Derek Sheils dominated Open/Senior Open qualifying, at the 57th Tandragee 100, as he got his 2017 roads campaign underway in the best possible fashion.

Propelling the Cookstown BE Racing GSX-R 1000 Suzuki to a lap time of 3 minutes point 737 seconds, he finished over four seconds quicker than nearest pursuer William Dunlop, who impressed hugely on the Superstock Mar Train Racing YZF R1M Yamaha.

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Derek McGee and Michael Sweeney third and fourth quickest both showed good form, same applied to Davy Morgan aboard the Bumblebee Barn backed ZX10R Kawasaki, finishing a fine fifth fastest in front of Noel Williamson Racing’s Alan Bonner, who lead the BMW Motorrad challenge.

The top ten in qualifying was completed by Kevin Fitzpatrick, leading 600 mounted competitor Paul Jordan, Andy Farrell and Stephen McKnight.

Guy Martin’s high profile return to Irish roads action, saw him finish a lowly 17th quickest.

Qualifying times for the Open/Senior Open races, at the Around A Pound Tandragee 100, are as follows:

1 Derek Sheils 3.00.737
2 William Dunlop 3.04.737
3 Derek McGee 3.05.102
4 Michael Sweeney 3.05.632
5 Davy Morgan 3.07.877
6 Alan Bonner 3.08.477
7 Kevin Fitzpatrick 3.12.245
8 Paul Jordan 3.12.415
9 Andy Farrell 3.13.286
10 Stephen McKnight 3.13.587
11 Michael Weldon 3.14.107
12 Richard McLoughlin 3.14.317
13 Seamus Elliott 3.14.318
14 Adam McLean 3.14.907
15 Damian Horan 3.14.922
16 Frank Gallagher 3.15.083
17 Guy Martin 3.15.670
18 Graham Kennedy 3.15.689
19 Gareth Evans 3.16.345
20 Steve Tobin 3.17.090

Words by Stevie Rial



 
57th Tandragee 100: Mullingar Missile Secures Supersport Honours
http://roadracingnews.co.uk/57th-tandragee-100-mullingar-missile-secures-supersport-honours/
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Living up to his nickname, the Mullingar Missile, Derek McGee stormed to victory in the Supersport race, at the 57th Tandragee 100.

Piloting his own teams YZF R6 Yamaha, he finished the reduced five lap race 16 seconds clear of reigning Irish road race Supersport champion, William Dunlop.

Open race winner Derek Sheils was third, prospective TT newcomer Paul Jordan aboard the Site Sealants B&W Racing Kawasaki sealed fourth, whilst one of the undoubted performances of the race came from fifth place finisher, Graham Kennedy.

Completing the top six finishers was Welshman Paul Williams, whilst it was a case of experience and rising star quality behind in seventh and eighth, sealed respectively by Michael Weldon and Sean Connolly.

Darryl Tweed and the evergreen Paul Cranston wrapped up the top ten, two times Junior Manx GP winner Michael Sweeney was the most high profile non finisher, having slipped off uninjured at Castle Corner.

Full results from the Supersport race, at the Around A Pound Tandragee 100, are as follows:

1 Derek McGee
2 William Dunlop
3 Derek Sheils
4 Paul Jordan
5 Graham Kennedy
6 Paul Williams
7 Michael Weldon
8 Sean Connolly
9 Darryl Tweed
10 Paul Cranston
11 Thomas Maxwell
12 Rhys Hardisty
13 Sam Johnson
14 Steven Procter
15 Gareth Evans
16 James Chawke
17 Callum Laidlaw
18 Allan Brodie
19 Steve Tobin

Words by Stevie Rial
 
http://roadracingnews.co.uk/57th-tandragee-100-derek-sheils-takes-commanding-open-race-victory/

57th Tandragee 100: Derek Sheils Takes Commanding Open Race Victory

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Derek Sheils surged to open race success, at the 57th Tandragee 100, following a textbook world class display aboard the Cookstown BE Racing GSX-R 1000 Suzuki.

Leading from the start, he ended the six lap race over 14 seconds clear of race runner up William Dunlop, who carried on his good form from qualifying with the Superstock spec Mar Train Racing YZF R1M Yamaha.
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Photo’s by Rod Neill

Finalising the top three finishers was Derek McGee, whilst Michael Sweeney (Martin Jones Racing) lead the BMW challenge in fourth place, in front of Noel Williamson Racing’s Alan Bonner.

Davy Morgan was a very creditable sixth, Shaun Anderson piloting his new GSX-R 1000 Suzuki mount finished seventh, Kevin Fitzpatrick impressed in securing eighth as Andy Farrell and Richard McLoughlin completed the top ten.

Additional standout performances included Seamus Elliott on his return to real roads action, finishing 11th and Rigsby Racing’s Steven Procter recording a respectable top 16 finish.

Drama a plenty was the best way to describe Guy Martin’s opening race outing in Honda Racing colours, having been involved in an incident on lap 1 at Marlacoo Corner with Paul Jordan, forcing him out of contention.

57th Tandragee 100, Open race results, are as follows:

1 Derek Sheils
2 William Dunlop
3 Derek McGee
4 Michael Sweeney
5 Alan Bonner
6 Davy Morgan
7 Shaun Anderson
8 Kevin Fitzpatrick
9 Andy Farrell
10 Richard McLoughlin
11 Seamus Elliott
12 Damian Horan
13 Gareth Evans
14 Sean Connolly
15 Darryl Tweed
16 Steven Procter
17 Rhys Hardisty
18 Michal Dokoupil
19 Allan Brodie
20 Paul Cranston

Words by Stevie Rial

And these pics sum up Guy Martins race.

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No one was hurt and they talked about the crash over a cup of tea..:lol2:
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KDM Hire Cookstown 100: Derek Sheils Secures Open/Grand Final Pole Position
http://roadracingnews.co.uk/kdm-hir...sheils-secures-opengrand-final-pole-position/

Derek Sheils continued his great form from the Around A Pound Tandragee 100 at the KDM Hire Cookstown 100 today, by topping the time sheets in a close Open/Grand Final qualifying session.

Lapping at 1 minute 25.159 seconds, the reigning Irish road race Superbike champion proved again this afternoon, why he is so hard to beat within the nationals scene on the Emerald Isle.

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Nearest challenger to the Cookstown BE Racing rider, was namesake Derek McGee, who finished just under half a second adrift aboard his own teams Kawasaki.

William Dunlop, now backed by the Temple Golf Club, showed good form in finishing third fastest, whilst McAdoo Kawasaki’s James Cowton impressed in sealing the fourth quickest time in qualifying.

The top six spots on the grid for tomorrow’s Open/Grand Final races, where sealed by Michael Sweeney (Martin Jones Racing BMW) and TAG Racing IRL’s Brian McCormack.

Graham Kennedy underlined his status as one of pure road racing’s most improved riders, in recording the seventh fastest time in front of Davy Morgan and Honda Racing’s Guy Martin who looks more at ease around the Orritor Circuit, than he did last weekend at Tandragee and Oliver’s Mount.

Adam McLean wrapped up the top ten in qualifying, which saw 23 riders in total seal their place within the Open/Grand Final fields.

KDM Hire Cookstown 100 – Qualifying times – Open/Grand Final races, are as follows:

1 Derek Sheils 1.25.159
2 Derek McGee 1.25.650
3 William Dunlop 1.25.701
4 James Cowton 1.26.930
5 Michael Sweeney 1.27.079
6 Brian McCormack 1.28.642
7 Graham Kennedy 1.28.790
8 Davy Morgan 1.30.006
9 Guy Martin 1.30.040
10 Adam McLean 1.30.351
11 Kevin Fitzpatrick 1.30.370
12 Alistair Kirk 1.30.549
13 Paul Jordan 1.30.933
14 Andy Farrell 1.31.198
15 Thomas Maxwell 1.31.219
16 Neil Kernohan 1.31.637
17 Mike Norbury 1.31.865
18 Michael Weldon 1.31.866
19 Dean Campbell 1.31.885
20 Seamus Elliott 1.32.263
21 Matt Rees 1.32.286
22 Paul Cranston 1.32.348
23 Dominic Herbertson 1.32.422

Words by Stevie Rial
 
Derick Shiels is crushing it early on in the IRR season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/northern-ireland/39756973

Cookstown 100: Derek Sheils races to double in feature and Open events
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  • Derek Sheils was a double winner at the 2016 Cookstown 100
Derek Sheils repeated his double of 12 months ago by winning the Feature and Open races at the Cookstown 100.

The Dubliner won the main event by 11 seconds from Derek McGee, who took an impressive five second places overall.

William Dunlop won Supersport 600cc race one, with Adam McLean taking his first win in that class in race two.

James Cowton overhauled McGee on the final lap to clinch a thrilling Supertwins triumph, with Sam Wilson taking victory in the 125cc/Moto3.

McLean completed the podium in the Supertwins, with Sweeney, Sheils and Jordan making up the top six leaderboard.

Ballymoney's Paul Robinson followed Wilson home in the 125cc, then Justin Waring, Nigel Moore and Gary Dunlop.

Yamaha-mounted Dunlop edged out Mullingar man McGee in Supersport race one, McLean taking third and Cowton, Sheils and Jordan completing the top six.

Kawasaki rider McGee was again forced to settle for second best in the Open race, with Dunlop third on the Temple Golf Club Yamaha which he will ride for the remainder of the season.

Skerries competitor Michael Sweeney was fourth, Guy Martin fifth and Waterford's Brian McCormack sixth.

McLean saw off McGee and Cowton in the second Supersport event, while Dunlop was fourth, then Sheils, Jordan, Sweeney and Martin.

The racing was punctuated by a number of red flag incidents throughout, but none of the riders involved are thought to have been seriously injured.

Czech rider Michal Dokoupil crashed in Friday night's Supersport outing and McAdoo Racing pilot Cowton was off in the Open race without injury.

Cookstown 100 Results

Feature Race - 1 Derek Sheils; 2 Derek McGee; 3 Michael Sweeney; 4 William Dunlop; 5 James Cowton; 6 Brian McCormack

Open Race - 1 Derek Sheils; 2 Derek McGee; 3 William Dunlop; 4 Michael Sweeney; 5 Guy Martin; 6 Brian McCormack

Supersport 600cc Race 1 - 1 William Dunlop; 2 Derek McGee; 3 Adam McLean; 4 James Cowton; 5 Derek Sheils; 6 Paul Jordan

Supersport 600cc Race 2 - 1 Adam McLean; 2 Derek McGee; 3 James Cowton; 4 William Dunlop; 5 Derek Sheils; 6 Paul Jordan

Supertwins - 1 James Cowton; 2 Derek McGee; 3 Adam McLean; 4 Michael Sweeney; 5 Derek Sheils; 6 Paul Jordan

125cc/Moto3 - 1 Sam Wilson; 2 Paul Robinson; 3 Justin Waring; 4 Nigel Moore; 5 Gary Dunlop
 

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TT 2017: McGuinness: 'It could have been mint'

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer


John McGuinness has put Honda’s nightmare 2017 Isle of Man TT down to a lack of development time with the new CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Late delivery of the machines meant McGuinness and team-mate Guy Martin would spend most of their pre-season test schedule riding Superstock-spec machinery before getting their first run out on the Superbike-spec SP2 in April at Castle Combe.


And while the 23-time TT winner was able to run a similar pace at the Wiltshire track as to what he did on the old bike, he was the first to admit they needed more testing time ahead of the North West 200.

McGuinness’ 2017 season was cruelly brought to a premature end after technical issues with the machine led to a crash during practice at the North West.

This would then lead Honda to switch from the kit ECU they had been testing to the proven MoTeC system used in BSB and while sole rider Guy Martin was said to be happier with the bike, it proved to be a difficult TT for the Lincolnshire TV ace.

After a lack of track time in practice week due to poor weather conditions and a crash, caused by a false neutral, on the opening lap of the Superbike race, Martin would eventually withdraw from the Senior TT to bring an early end to Honda’s nightmare.

  • “We thought this new bike would be the step forward, but we haven’t had the time to develop it,” McGuinness told MCN after the Senior TT. “It was the dream team for Honda really. They had the most experienced rider out there, the bloke with the most wins and then Guy who hasn’t won a TT but is very popular!

“It could have been mint; we could have worked off each other but he’s ended up on his own trying to develop the bike. We never really found a base setting, so he’s found it difficult and with the lack of track time I’m sure that’s got his confidence down. Old Neil is retiring, Jonny Twelvetrees has got the reins, it’s a real difficult one. They’ll learn from it. They’ll lick their wounds, go back, bash their heads together and make a plan for the future.”

For McGuinness' full 2017 Isle of Man TT round-up, pick up this week's MCN.

Pick up a copy of our special edition McGuinness: Ordinary bloke. Extraordinary Racer. This special from MCN, celebrates the career of one of the sport's best-loved road racers. Affectionately known as McPint, John's career has wowed and entertained bike racing fans for more than 20 years. Buy it here.

Looking for the perfect two-wheeled companion? Visit MCN Bikes For Sale website or use MCN's Bikes For Sale App.

By Oli Rushby

British Superbike reporter and covering a bit of every other sport too!
 
Derek Sheils Reflects On Sparkling Skerries Hat Trick
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Home / Ireland / Derek Sheils Reflects On Sparkling Skerries Hat Trick
Derek Sheils has recently reflected on his sparkling hat trick of big bike victories, at the Skerries 100, as he maintained his 100 percent Superbike winning record, within the national meetings this year.

Dominating the Open, Open Non Championship and Grand Final races, winning every race by in excess of ten seconds, a delighted Derek couldn’t speak high enough of the Cookstown BE Racing GSX-R 1000 Suzuki.

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Photo by Rod Neill

He stated:

“It’s been a great day apart from the Super Twins breakdown. The Cookstown Burrows Engineering Suzuki GSX-R 1000 Superbike went like a dream and in the three Superbike races I was not really under any pressure at any point.

Conditions in the Grand Final were iffy but thankfully I was able to pull away at the front in the early stages and then just back off a little and maintain a good advantage.”

Going onto add his thoughts, about been involved in one of the all time great Supersport races, which saw him finish second just 0.012 of a second behind Derek McGee, he said:

“Although I didn’t win it, the Supersport 600 race was my most enjoyable experience of the day. Derek, Michael and I were together the whole time; I hope the fans enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Cookstown BE Racing, Team Owner, John Burrows, absent at Skerries, due to been at Nutts Corner with his son Jack, who was competing in the Kart races, went onto add:

“Derek and the whole team did a great job in my absence. Obviously the big Suzuki GSX-R 1000 was working well, that’s partly due to Mark Arnott from Moto Shock who worked late into Friday night to sort out some suspension issues.

I’m really pleased for Derek who had a frustrating time at the TT; it’s great to see him back to winning ways.

Apparently, the 600 race was unreal and a great advertisement for the sport. Mr McGee got the verdict by the width of a sheet of paper but we’ll have another go at him at Walderstown where I’m confident more success will follow for Cookstown Burrows Engineering Racing.”

Words by Stevie Rial
 
Guy Martin/Honda Billown Non Starters

What a disaster this year has been for Guy and the new Fire Blade.:sad:

http://roadracingnews.co.uk/guy-martinhonda-billown-non-starters/
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Following on from speculation a plenty, as to whether Guy Martin and Honda, would be taking in the Southern 100, it’s been announced today that the fans favourite will be missing, his favourite roads meeting.

This hasn’t come as a surprise at all to many, given the various spate of problems, that have afflicted Honda’s 2017 international roads campaign to date.

At the start of the year, all the components, seemed to be there for both rider and team, to enjoy a successful season on the roads.

This hasn’t materialised, for a number of reasons, in particular in my opinion, the performance of Honda’s new CBR 1000RR Fireblade SP2.

There has been clever PR a plenty, as to what’s gone wrong, the reality is, it’s just pure and simply not worked out so far, with the high profile new machine.

It remains to be seen, if Guy Martin will be taking in the Armoy Road Races and Ulster Grand Prix, with Honda.

What started out as the titled “Dream Combination”, has turned into another sporting example, which showcases that there’s no guarantee of success, when moving to a new team/outfit.

Words by Stevie Rial
 
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