Irish Road racing 2015

Irish Road Racing 2015.

William Dunlop winner of the Supersport 600 Championship.

2015 Irish Road Race Champions Superbike -William Dunlop Supersport - William Dunlop Supertwin - Derek McGee 250 GP - Neil Kernohan Moto 3 (125 GP) - Paul Jordan Supersport 400 - David Howard Senior Support - Kevin Fitzpatrick Junior Support - Brian Coomey Classic 250 - Philip Shaw Classic 350 - Barry Davidson Classic 500 - Freddie Stewart Classic 1000 - Richard Ford

Front cover photograph:- William Dunlop 2015 Irish National Superbike and Supersport Championship winner.

All Photographs Š Copyright Derek Wilson 2015.

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After great success in the British Superbike Series MarTrain Yamaha with Dean Harrison entered a select number of the national and international road races throughout 2015, debuting at the Cooktown 100.

The Moto 3 (125GP) race saw a first win for Joey’s Bar 125cc Honda with Sam Wilson.

Derek McGee had an impressive debut on the Wilson Craig Hondas.

Jamie Hamilton and James Cowton chase Michael Dunlop in the Supertwin race.

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Ryan Farquhar made the perfect return to Irish National Road racing at the Tandragee 100 winning a thrilling race with Tyco BMW’s William Dunlop.

The organisers brought the race forward to the Friday night due to the weather that was forecast for Saturday.

Jamie Hamilton on his Cookstown BE Racing Suzuki took to the front off the line, Farquhar and Dunlop both past him on the third lap and it was a wheel-to-wheel battle from then on to the chequered flag, it was Farquhar who took the win by 0.4 secs, Hamilton taking third some 12 seconds behind the leading pair.

William Dunlop on his Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Caffrey Yamaha blitzed the opposition in Saturday’s Supersport 600 race. Jamie Hamilton got the better start in what can only be described as less than favourable conditions but it didn’t take long for Dunlop to move to the front opening up a commanding lead and taking the chequered flag 8.6 seconds in front of Wilson Craig Hondas Derek McGee who had demoted Hamilton into third.

Dunlop also had his first win on the Tyco BMW Superstock in the Tandragee 100 feature race. Fridays Superbike winner Ryan Farqhuar was a non starter. In the shortened race due to the conditions Dunlop led from the start, opening up a gap of almost 20 secs by lap three and eventually winning by 29 secs from second place man Jamie Hamilton and third place Derek McGee. Ryan Farquhar also had wins in the Classic race on Roger Winfields Patton and completed a treble by winning the Moto 3 race after a close tussle with Ian Morrell.

The some what depleted Supertwin race was won by McGee from Hamilton.

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William Dunlop blitzed the opposition in Saturday’s Supersport 600 race.

William Dunlop also had his first win on the Tyco BMW Superstock

Farquhar completed a treble by winning the Moto 3 race after a close tussle with Ian Morrell.

The some what depleted Supertwin race was won by McGee from Hamilton.

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Ryan Farquhar had a win in the Classic race on Roger Winfields Patton

Northwest 200.

Alastair Seeley equalled Robert Dunlop’s record of 15 North West 200 wins when he came from fourth place on the opening lap to win the first Superbike race from Ian Hutchinson and Bruce Anstey with less than a second covering the trio at the chequered flag.

Seeley led off the line but firstly Hutchinson and then Lee Johnston overhauled him with Bruce Anstey doing the same along the coast road and at the end of the first lap it was the PBM Kawasaki of Hutchinson that led.

Michael Rutter and John McGuinness were right on their tail in fifth and sixth.

Hutchinson had a slight moment on the second lap when his foot slipped off the peg at close to 200mph on the run to University but he was extremely strong on the brakes and led Anstey, Rutter and Seeely across the line at the end of lap two. Johnston had overshot the Mathers Cross chicane but stopped and rejoined without gaining a time penalty.

Lap three saw Gary Johnson, Conor Cummins and Dean Harrison all retire but at the head of the field Hutchinson still led with less than two seconds separating the top six. Seeley had worked his way back up to second with Anstey, Johnston, Rutter and McGuinness crossing the line in that order.

Hutchinson and Seeley exchanged the lead on the fourth lap but the PBM rider was in determined mood and again got the better of Seeley on the brakes. Indeed, Johnston did the same and he crossed the line in second as they went on to the fifth and final lap.

It looked like Hutchy would take a dream win but Seeley wasn’t to be denied and he edged ahead going into the Magherabuoy chicane and his exit speed was enough to allow him to open up a slight gap. Try as he might Hutchinson couldn’t close the gap on the final run along the coast road and Seeley crossed the line just ahead of Hutchinson and Anstey with 0.5s covering the trio.

Johnston held off Rutter for fourth with Honda’s McGuinness in sixth. The two Tyco BMW’s of William Dunlop and Guy Martin were some way adrift in seventh and eighth as newcomer David Johnson enjoyed an excellent ride for ninth with Keith Amor completing the top ten.

Michael Dunlop was another early retirement on the Milwaukee Yamaha.

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Alastair Seeley took the win in Supersport race after a breathtaking threeway battle with Glenn Irwin and Lee Johnston which all came down to a last lap shoot-out.

The lead changed hands frequently but at the final Juniper chicane, Johnston overshot and Irwin took to the grass which allowed Seeley to come home for his 14th NW200 victory.

It was Irwin who took the lead going into York Corner on the opening lap and at the end of the first 8.9 miles he led from Seeley, Johnston, Michael Dunlop and Bruce Anstey but it was already becoming a three-way battle as Johnston went ahead on the approach to University. Just 0.3s covered the top three at the end of the second lap but Michael Dunlop and Conor Cummins both retired to the pits and Dan Kneen stopped at the Metropole.

Seeley, Johnston and Irwin were three abreast at 165mph but the latter was proving to be the quicker along the coast road and he led at half race distance as William Dunlop moved up to fourth and John McGuinness fifth.

However, a heavy rain shower at University saw a major shuffle in the order on the following lap and Seeley led by 1.6s at the end of the lap with Keith Amor coming up to fifth as McGuinness and James Hillier eased off slightly.

Johnston and Irwin had soon reeled Seeley in though and going into the last lap it was anyone’s race. With six changes in the lead, the result was in doubt and as they came into Juniper, they were again three abreast with Johnston on the inside. However, he was too quick and had to overshoot whilst Irwin had his feet down as he took a trip through the grass.

It allowed Seeley to take the win from Irwin by 2.5s and although Johnston received a 10 second penalty for not stopping after his overshoot, he was still able to hold onto third. William Dunlop had a lonely ride in fourth with Amor just holding off Dean Harrison, showing no ill effects from his earlier Superstock spill, for fifth. McGuinness took seventh from Hillier, Ben Wilson - who continues to impress on his debut - and Michael Rutter.

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Lee Johnston Supersport 600 Race.

Michael Dunlop Supersport 600 Race.

Lee Johnston stopped Alastair Seeley’s dominance of the International North West 200 road races when he won a superb Superstock race by just 0.1s from his fellow BMW rider. Ian Hutchinson was only a couple of tenths further back in third as he set a new lap record of 121.680mph on the final lap.

At the head of the field, Johnston, Seeley and Dunlop had opened up a small gap over Hutchinson and it was the Yamaha of Dunlop that hit the front on the run down to University on the third lap although Johnston was back in the lead when they crossed the start and finish line. The gap between the top four was just 1.5s as William Dunlop moved ahead of Jessopp for fifth.

Metropole with just the coast road to negotiate.

Johnston was close enough to make a challenge though and timed it to perfection going into the Juniper chicane and he successfully held off Seeley to claim his third NW200 win and first on a big bike. Hutchinson’s lap record saw him take third with Dunlop slipping back to fourth.

It was Seeley who led into York Corner from Martin Jessopp but by the end of the opening lap it was Johnston as Michael Dunlop moved up to third and Hutchinson, who started from the fourth row, slotted into fourth. Bruce Anstey was an early retirement and fellow Honda rider John McGuinness was also out of luck with a holed radiator.

The front four were nose to tail going into the final lap as Hutchinson clawed his way back into contention and at Ballysally it was all change as Seeley grabbed the lead and Hutchinson pushed Dunlop back to fourth. Johnston regained the advantage going into Mathers Cross but Seeley outbraked him into the

Brother William had a good ride into fifth just ahead of Jessopp with James Hillier getting the better of Keith Amor on the final lap to claim seventh. Conor Cummins took ninth with David Johnson rounding out the top ten.

Didier Grams

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Ian Hutchinson’s lap record saw him take third in the Superstock Race

Jeremy McWilliams took his second North West 200 victory in three years winning the 2nd Supertwin race.

Jeremy McWilliams took his second North West 200 victory in three years when he won Saturday afternoon’s Supertwins race by half a second from team-mate and SGS International KMR Kawasaki boss Ryan Farquhar.

Despite a heavily depleted field, that included James Hillier, Martin Jessopp and Glenn Irwin all being non-starters, McWilliams, Farquhar and Jamie Hamilton ensured it was well worth watching as they exchanged places and continually slipstreamed each other throughout the four laps.

At one stage, Farquhar and McWilliams were doing 150mph less than two feet apart and giving each other the thumbs up but all that did was allow Hamilton to take the lead!. However, on the final lap, McWilliams made a break and although he had a major moment both coming into and exiting the Metropole he had enough of a lead to hold on despite Farquhar being the stronger along the coast road.

It gave the team their second successive one-two and although Hamilton made a mistake on the final lap at Magherabuoy and lost the tow, he was well clear in third with Christian Elkin taking fourth ahead of Jamie Coward and Michael Russell.

CAROLE NASH KELLS ROAD RACES Meath’s Alan Bonner carried his excellent form from the Isle of Man TT into this years Carole Nash Kells Road Races.

The Irish national meeting returned to the calendar last year following a two-year absence and it was local star Bonner who clinched a brilliant big bike double.

The Stamullen rider sealed victory in the Open Superbike race from Mullingar’s Derek McGee on the Wilson Craig Honda, with Alan Kenny completing the podium places in third and Waterford rider Brian McCormack fourth on the TAG Racing Honda Fireblade.

Bonner also had the upper hand in the feature Carole Nash Grand Final, again taking the win on his Kawasaki ZX-10R to complete a double with McGee having to settle for the runner-up spot once more.

McCormack secured the final place on the podium ahead of Kenny in the big race of the day.

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William Dunlop made his racing return on the Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Caffrey Yamaha R6 for the first time since his crash at the Isle of Man TT, he finished fifth in the RST Superbike event on the Tyco BMW, but he 29-year-old was a comfortable winner of the Supersport 600 race coming home with four-and-a-half seconds in hand over Seamus Elliott, Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan had a brilliant ride to third place to take his position on the podium alongside Dunlop and Elliott. Cullybackey’s Sam Wilson came through for fourth ahead of a disappointed McGee, who left himself with plenty of work to do after dropping to eighth place on the first lap.

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Andy Farrell

Seamus Elliott 2nd in the Supersport race

McGee did taste victory in the Supertwins race on the Wogan Performance Kawasaki, he took the win by almost four seconds from Cheshire’s Connor Behan on the Emerald Kawasaki and Czech rider Michal Dokoupil.

axa bike care SKERRIES 100.

Dublin’s Derek Sheils bagged a double in the Open and Grand Final races at the AXA Bikecare Skerries 100 on a day marred by the sad death of popular travelling doctor John Hinds.

News of Dr Hinds’ death cast a shadow over the event after the 35-year-old Tandragee man’s death was confirmed following his accident during practice on Friday.

Racing went ahead at the north County Dublin course and Sheils proved unbeatable on his BikeBits NI Kawasaki, taking a narrow win over Tyco BMW’s William Dunlop in the Open race by less than half a second, with third place going to the impressive Alan Bonner, who notched a brace on his Kawasaki at Kells in June.

In the feature Grand Final, Sheils made a flying start from pole and gradually edged away at the front from William Dunlop, who was riding a 1000cc machine for the first time since his accident at the TT, which left the Ballymoney rider with a broken rib.

At the finish, Sheils had more than four seconds in hand over 24 Dunlop, who was clear of John Walsh in third. Michael Dunlop finished fourth

Michael Dunlop was back in action for the first time since the Isle of Man TT on his MD Racing BMW

Paul Jordan won the 125 race from Paul Robinson.

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Mullingar man McGee won the Supertwins race on the Wogan Performance Kawasaki

William Dunlop took victory in the Supersport class on the Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Yamaha.

Cullybackey’s Sam Wilson clinched victory in the27 250cc race on the Joey’s Bar Honda.

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walderstown race of the south.

In the first race of the day Derek Sheils continued his form from last weeks Skerries races with a win in the Open Superbike Race on his Bikebits NI 30 Kawasaki ZX 10R with Derek McGee at his home circuit second and William Dunlop who broke the lap record finished third.

After sitting out the Southern 100 races on the Isle Of Man due to an on-going rib injury sustained at the TT, William Dunlop had a double win at the Walderstown Races.

He rode his Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Caffrey R6 to victory in the Supersport 600 race, he also won the feature Race Of The South Grand Final on his Tyco BMW Superstock machine.

After a shower of rain some parts of the circuit were a bit tricky for the feature Race Of The South, this time it was local man McGee who was quickest off the line and took to the front, him and Dunlop broke away from the rest in the32opening laps.

On lap four, Dunlop took the lead but was pushed hard all the way to the flag by McGee

the pair never separated by more than a fraction of a second, only three tenths at the finish, this was his first big bike win since the rain swept Tandragee back in May, Open Race winner Derek Sheils took the final place on the podium.

McGee didnt go home from his home races empty handed, he had a win in the Supertwin Race after a close fight with Conor Behan who33 finished less than a second behind him and Andy Farrell third.

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Armoy road races The Race Of Legends.

Guy Martin won the Open race for the second year in a row, seeing off36nearest challenger and Tyco BMW team-mate William Dunlop by 2.3 seconds.

Michael Dunlop won this years feature Armoy 'Race of Legends' event for the fifth year in a row.

Guy Martin took victory in the Open race. William Dunlop was a double Supersport 600cc winner at the meeting William Dunlop began the event in style, triumphing with 3.4 seconds to spare over Guy Martin in the opening 600 race held on Friday night, with Harrison occupying the final podium spot.

He then made it a double in the class by winning Saturday's race which was reduced to six laps after twice being halted because of red flag incidents.

The CD Racing Yamaha rider, again got the better of Martin and Harrison to take his career tally of successes over the three-mile course to nine.

Guy Martin won the Open race for the second year in a row, seeing off nearest challenger and Tyco BMW team-mate William Dunlop by 2.3 seconds.

Dubliner Derek Sheils was third on his Bike Bits NI Kawasaki, Michael Dunlop fourth on the BMW and Harrison fifth.

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William Dunlop was a double Supersport 600cc winner at the meeting

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Sam Wilson headed off a strong challenge from Michael Dunlop to41 take the 250cc honours, with Paul Robinson third.

metzeler Ulster grand prix

A thrilling Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race went the way of Bruce Anstey after a red flag brought the race to an end half way round the sixth lap.

With the result being taken at the end of the fourth lap - the last lap completed by every rider - the Valvoline Racing by Padgetts Honda rider 42 got the verdict over Ian Hutchinson by 0.337s with Lee Johnston in third.

Lee Johnston won three of the other six races.

The 26-year-old from Maguiresbridge landed his maiden UGP victory in the opening Superstock event, beating early race leader Peter Hickman.

Johnston, on an East Coast Racing BMW, beat Ian Hutchinson's 2010 lap record by posting an average of 132.793mph on his final circuit.

He then beat William Dunlop after a thrilling duel in the Supersport event. Riding a Triumph machine, Johnston achieved another lap record with an average speed of 128.913mph.

Dunlop had to be content with his 12th Ulster GP podium while British Supersport star Glenn Irwin finished in third place.

Johnston later won a curtailed Supersport Race Two, heading the standings after three laps, with Irwin in second place and Hutchinson third.

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Peter Hickman claimed his first ever International road race when he won a thrilling second Superbike race. Riding the Briggs Equipment BMW, Hickman led from start to finish but was under intense pressure in the closing stages from Conor Cummins and there was just 0.028s between them at the chequered flag. Michael Dunlop took third Heavy rain had left the circuit wet but the rain had stopped by the time the race started although it was cut to four laps and it was Hickman who grabbed the lead the minute the lights turned green. He maintained his advantage all the way round the lap and led Dunlop by 0.8s with Keith Amor showing well in third. Dan Kneen was in fourth and Cummins fifth.

Second time around and Hickman’s lead stayed the same but Cummins was now up to fourth and 44 Russ Mountford fifth as Kneen slipped back to sixth. Meanwhile, Ian Hutchinson was an early

retirement.

On the third lap, the leading quartet started to bunch up and there was just 0.6s between Hickman, Dunlop and Cummins with Amor still well in contention in fourth. Hickman continued to lead and any hopes that Dunlop had of taking the lead were thwarted when Cummins got ahead of him before the Windmill.

The Manxman edged ever closer to Hickman for the remainder of the race and tried on more than one occasion on the final run to the line to move ahead. Each time Hickman just did enough to keep him behind although it was tight and Cummins tried the inside line as they took the chequered flag.

It was Hickman who got the verdict though for a stunning win with Cummins, Dunlop and Amor flashing across the line in close formation. Mountford held on for an excellent fifth ahead of Kneen,

Christian Elkin was the winner in the ultra lightweight class.

Sam Wilson won the lightweight race, with Neil Kernohan in second place.

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It was a close fight for second place in the ultra lightweight race.

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William Dunlop scored his 12th Ulster grand Prix Podium.

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Country Crest

Michael Dunlop ended the Irish road racing season with a double in the Superbike class at Killalane.

Riding his BMW S1000RR Superstock machine, Dunlop opened his account with a comfortable win in the Open Superbike race by five seconds from local favourite Derek Sheils, with William Dunlop completing the rostrum places on the Tyco BMW to clinch the Superbike Championship title.

The elder of the Dunlop brothers also won the Irish National road racing Supersport title earlier in the season on the Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Yamaha to make it a championship double.

In the showpiece race of the day, the Grand Final Superbike event, Dunlop was made to work harder in the early stages of the race as Sheils set the pace on his Kawasaki ZX-10R. However, the Irish rider was forced out with a machine problem as he held a narrow lead of less than half-asecond over Dunlop, leaving the 11-times TT winner clear at the front.

Dunlop coasted home with more than 12 seconds in hand over Derek McGee, who sealed the runner-up ahead of William Dunlop, who also secured a double on Sunday.

The 30-year-old maintained his stunning form in the Supersport class, winning both races on the YZF-R6 to end the Irish National season unbeaten.

Dunlop won the first race by 1.5 seconds from Derek McGee and Seamus Elliott and completed a brace in the second outing, taking victory by 0.9 seconds over 50 Elliott with McGee third on this occasion.

Killalane Road Races.

Michael Dunlop was made to work harder in the early stages of the race as Sheils set the pace on his Kawasaki ZX-10R

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William Dunlop ended the season unbeaten at the National meetings on the Chris Dowd/Ivan Curran Racing Yamaha.

The 30-year-old, who clinched the championship at Armoy, held off McGee to win by 1.5 seconds in the championship race with Southern 100 winner Elliott eight seconds down on Dunlop in third.

Kilkenny’s John Walsh, the evergreen Davy Morgan and Czech regular Michal Dokoupil rounded out the first half dozen.

Dunlop also prevailed in the non-championship Supersport race, which was redflagged due to a non-serious accident.

The race had been restarted over four laps and Dunlop was credited with the win by 0.9 seconds from Elliott with McGee in third.

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Davy Morgan won the 250 race.

Sam Wilson leads davy Morgan on the Joeys Bar 250.

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Neil Kernohan clinched the National 250 Championship.

Micky Sweeney leading the chasing pack in the 250 race.

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William Dunlop Walderstown, Supersport winner.

All Photographs Š Copyright Derek Wilson 2015.