Irish Road Racing [merged]

[suzukimad07]

Farquhar ends TT with brilliant Lightweight race win

Ryan Farquhar completed his 2012 Isle of Man TT campaign with a brilliant victory in the re-introduced Lightweight TT race on Saturday. Having already taken third in the Superstock and second Supersport races, the KMR Kawasaki rider overcame a strong challenge from James Hillier and, having led on the first lap, a difference in pit stop strategies meant that he had to wait until the start of the third lap before re-taking the lead. His eventual winning margin though was almost 30 seconds as he swept to the third TT win of his career.

Adverse weather conditions on the Island meant that the race was postponed from Friday and also delayed heavily on Saturday but it eventually got underway at 6.25pm and over the full 3-lap distance. The gap between Ryan and Hillier at Glen Helen, 9 miles into the race, was just two seconds but Ryan continually extended his lead and with an opening lap of 115.088mph, he led the race by 14.11s. However, he opted to pit for fuel at the end of the lap whilst Hillier went stright through and that meant positions changed. Indeed, Hillier now led by over 20 seconds although this would probably be not enough of a cushion when it was his turn to pit. Ryan made sure it was immaterial though as he again reeled in his younger rival over the course of the lap and the deficit was down to just 6.76s as Hillier refuelled.

Through Glen Helen on the third lap, the race finally settled down again and it meant that Ryan was leading James by 28 seconds whilst fellow KMR Kawasaki rider Michael Rutter was up to third. Positions remained the same for the remainder of the lap and Ryan came home 28.99s clear of Hillier with Rutter setting the fastest lap of the race, 115.554mph, to take third. It was Ryan's first TT win since 2005, his third in total and also his 13th TT podium.

There was also a brilliant end to the week for Jamie Hamilton as he finished in a superb 10th place, to win his first silver replica. He also lapped at 112.149mph and the result earned him the coveted Newcomers Trophy.

Speaking after the race, a delighted Ryan said: "I’ve worked so hard for this and am absolutely over the moon to have won the race. I was pretty nervous before the race as a lot of people were saying I was the clear favourite whilst I was also putting myself under a fair bit of pressure so to actually get the win is superb. Conditions weren’t too bad and I expected it to be worse than what it was so I took it steady to begin with, sussed out where the damp conditions were and then rode as fast and as steady as I could. The bike never missed a beat and once I could see James in the distance, I knew I was catching him up on time. The strategy went like a dream and the whole race went like clockwork. I’ve tried to push the class as much as I could and whilst everyone said I was the favourite, it’s never as simple as that. There’s always pressure so to be sitting here with a 1-3 for the team is unreal. I did a lot of work on James’ bike so I’ll take some credit for that as well! It was also very pleasing to see Jamie finish his TT week on a high. A few silly little problems have prevented him getting a finish so to come 10th and win the Newcomers Trophy is a brilliant end to his week. He's ridden very well and enjoyed it immensely, which is exactly what we all wanted so it bodes well for the years ahead. I'd also like to say a big thank you to Kawasaki who continue to be 100% behind me and also to all the team sponsors who's support is invaluable - if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here today. It was a shame I struggled with the Superbike and couldn't get it to handle but, overall, all the other races have gone well and it's been a good 2012 TT for me."


Words: Phil Wain - Freelance PR

[suzukimad07]

Courtesy of Phil Wain - Freelance PR

Fresh from his race-winning exploits at the Isle of Man TT Races, Ryan Farquhar's highly successful season continued on Saturday when he dominated the Mid Antrim 150 road races. Despite the tricky, damp conditions around the 3.54-mile Clough circuit, the KMR Kawasaki rider won all five of his races, including the Grand Final, by comfortable margins to make it 21 wins already for the season.

Having been hit by bad weather in the last three years, the organising Mid Antrim club brought the meeting forward from their traditional August date to June but, sadly, they were still hit by wind and rain and so only 5 controlled laps of practice could take place, Ryan completing his on the 450cc Kawasaki. Saturday was still damp although a dry line appeared as the day wore on and first up for Ryan was the Superbike race. Despite having made a few changes to the big since the TT, the bike was still handling poorly but, after taking it steady in the first few laps, Ryan moved up from third and took his first win of the day by 10.44 seconds.

Next up was the Supertwins race and Ryan, quite literally, dominated the race with a start to finish victory, which saw him take the chequered flag some 45 seconds clear of second placed John Burrows. He also set a new lap record of 98.735mph. Riding a borrowed 600cc ZX-6R Kawasaki, he then completed his hat-trick with a 9.6s victory in the Supersport race and win number 4 soon followed with another dominant performance in the 125cc/450cc race and another new lap record. That just left the Grand Final and, aided by the fastest lap of the day at 106.501mph, it was another start to finish victory for Ryan as he beat Derek Shiels by 10.3s.

Team-mate Jamie Hamilton took strong 5th and 6th place finishes in the two Superbike races but was denied 2nd place and a podium in the Supertwins race when he slid off at the Clough hairpin, fortunately without injury.

Speaking later, a delighted Ryan said: "After having a few hectic weeks at the NW200 and TT, I wasn't sure if I was going to race this weekend but I took the bull by the horns, got the bikes sorted and came along and I'm glad I did now! It's tough at the moment for everyone and with a number of meetings being cancelled later in the year, I think it's important I do what I can to support the clubs as best I can as I'd hate any of them to disappear. I think it was appreciated and it's just such a shame for the Mid Antrim club that the meeting was affected by the weather again. We got a full day's racing in though and although it was still quite damp and greasy off the racing line and out the back of the circuit, a dry line was there and I was able to complete most of the day with an intermediate front tyre and slick rear."

"The Superbike was still giving me problems and having taken the big fuel tank fitted for the TT off, it changed the characteristics of the bike again. It was a long way off in the first Superbike race so I just took it steady to begin with and managed to take the win but if it had been dry, I wouldn't have been so fortunate. I made some changes for the Grand Final though and it was a lot better so I could push on a bit more. My 600cc bike is still in bits after having it stripped after the Supersport TT race so a big thanks to John Duggan (again!) for loaning me the use of my old 600 and it was another good race for me. In fact, the whole day went really well and I couldn't have asked for any more - five wins and two lap records was pretty good going and I really enjoyed myself out there. I was planning on cutting down my racing a bit this year but, like I say, I think it's important to support all the clubs as much as possible to keep the meetings going so I've got a busy few weeks ahead at the likes of the Bush, Skerries, Walderstown, the Southern 100 and Scarborough so I'll be hoping to rack up a few more wins there!"

[suzukimad07]

Courtesy of Phil Wain - Freelance PR
For the second successive weekend, Ryan Farquhar won five Irish National road races in a day when he dominated proceedings at Saturday's Bush meeting. The KMR Kawasaki rider was again in imperious form and won every race he started, the 125cc/450cc, Supersport, Supertwins, Superbike and Grand Final, to move onto 26 wins for the season.

After practice was wiped out due to rain, the riders receiving just a handful of controlled laps instead, Ryan's day started in fine style with a start to finish victory in the Supertwins race, and there was further joy for the team with Jamie Hamilton taking second and Paul Cranston in sixth on a third KMR Kawasaki. Another start to finish victory then followed for Ryan as he dominated the Supersport race, his eventual winning margin being a commanding 16 seconds. The first Superbike race was a lot closer affair though as Ryan had to see off a last lap charge by Derek Sheils. With his lead over Sheils being less than he thought, Ryan got overtaken on the final lap but he was able to fight back and complete his hat-trick with a 0.463s victory whilst Hamilton crossed the line in seventh.

Keen to make no mistakes in the Grand Final, Ryan grabbed the lead from the start and promptly pulled away from the rest of the field as he swept to yet another win. The gap on this occasion was 15 seconds with John Burrows taking second as Hamilton claimed a brilliant third, his first podium in the Superbike class. That just left the 125cc/450cc race for Ryan and he not only led the 450cc class but also the 125cc class when the red flag came out due to rain after four laps. The result was taken and so Ryan wrapped up yet another five timer.

Speaking later, a delighted Ryan said: "It's been another great day for me and the team and although conditions were again tricky, the club did a good job in getting every race run so to come away with five more wins is superb. The weather was very up and down, a bit like last weekend's Mid Antrim meeting and so I opted to ride my 600 in the two big bike races as it was a lot more manageable in the conditions. Everything went to plan except for the first Superbike where there was a bit of a hiccup with my pitboard. Going into the final lap, I was given a '+12' board so backed right off and cruised round the first part of the lap.Needless to say, it was a huge shock when Derek came flying by! It was certainly a wake up call and so I tucked in behind him and got by as soon as I could. Luckily, there was enough of the lap to find a way by and I was able to take the win once more - it was a good last lap for the spectators but not for me!"

"The rain had been on and off during the day but it was only in the final race of the day, the 125/400, that it really came on heavy, so it was a good decision to end it early. I was obviously delighted with the wins but also very pleased for Jamie and Paul. Jamie was over the moon with second in the Supertwins race but when he got third in the Grand Final, he was even more chuffed and it was a great result, particularly given the lack of track time he'd had. I loaned Paul the bike as a thank you to him for letting us use his yard, rather than the wet field, and it was a good result for him in his first ever ride on the bike and in the class. Our other team member, Conor Parkhill also won his race at the Mondello Masters so it really has been a great day for KMR Kawasaki. I've got a weekend off now from racing but all the bikes need a good service so I'll be working hard to get them all fully prepared for Skerries in a fortnight's time."

Ryan now heads to the Skerries 100 meeting, which takes place on the outskirts of Dublin on Saturday July 7.

[suzukimad07]

RYAN Farquhar made a successful return to the Skerries 100 road races as he gained the upper hand over key rival Michael Dunlop to claim a sizzling Supersport and Grand Final double.


The KMR Kawasaki rider - who also won the Moto450/125GP and Supertwin races - and Dunlop went head to head in the feature race held in glorious sunny weather in front of a bumper crowd at the popular meeting near Dublin on Saturday.

Farquhar made his move on the final lap of eight when the pair encountered backmarkers after shadowing the 23-year-old for much of the race and kept Dunlop at bay to seal victory in the main race by 1.7 seconds.

John Burrows finished third, 15 seconds down on the winner, with the top six completed by Derek Sheils, the impressive Jamie Hamilton and Davy Morgan.

Farquhar told News Letter Sport: “I went around the outside of Michael coming out of Finnegan’s Corner and I came across a backmarker and hesitated a bit.

“I was able to get by and once I was past I rode as hard as I could,” Farquhar added.

“We came up behind a few other backmarkers but there was nothing that really caused a problem for either of us and we were able to get past them pretty handy.

“It’s another good victory for myself and one I’m really happy with.”

Dunlop said: “Ryan managed to squeeze a backmarker between us on the last lap and after that I got held up. I caught him again by the time we got to the hairpin but we hit more backmarkers up through the tunnel.

“It’s the Southern 100 next so we’ll see what happens on the island.”

William Dunlop was ruled out of the Grand Final after he suffered a dislocated shoulder in a high-speed crash in the Supersport race (see separate story), but the Wilson Craig Honda rider earlier won the Open race by six seconds from brother Michael, with Burrows on the rostrum in third ahead of Sheils, Farquhar and Michael Sweeney.

“Everyone seemed to be making a lot of mistakes in the first big race and I just felt really comfortable,” Dunlop said.

“I was riding steady although the track was still a bit greasy after all the rain on Friday.

“It was an easy enough win and it was nice to get it for Wilson [Craig].”

Farquhar opted to ride his 600cc Kawasaki in the Open race and explained that he wanted to ensure his 1000cc Kawasaki was in pristine condition for the Southern 100 this week.

“The paddock has been a mess at so many races this year with the rain and when I got to Skerries on the Saturday morning I didn’t even bother putting my ‘thousand’ through scrutineering because I just thought I’d ride my 600 in the two Superbike races and the Supersport race,” he said.

“I hadn’t planned to take my 600 to the Southern anyway and I decided to leave myself a clean ‘thousand’ to go over to the Isle of Man with because I’m fed up cleaning and washing bikes this year.

“So I went out on the 600 in the Open race but at the end of the day the paddock had dried up a fair bit so I got the big bike scrutineered and we just went out with it in the Grand Final.”

Farquhar and Michael Dunlop - who borrowed a Yamaha from Peter O’Flaherty after his own developed a problem - disputed first position in a red-hot Supersport race with William Dunlop, who started from the back row of the first group, soon joining the battle at the front.

However, the race was brought to a premature halt when William crashed just after Gillies Leap and the result was declared on positions after three laps, with Farquhar taking the victory by 0.173s from Michael Dunlop and Derek Sheils in third place.

Sweeney, Burrows and Adrian Archibald were the top six.

William Dunlop was a comfortable winner in the Junior 250 race by seven seconds from Davy Morgan with John Ella third.

Farquhar was the overall winner of the Moto450/125GP race by almost six seconds from Paul Robinson.

He also triumphed in the Supertwin 650 event from team-mate Jamie Hamilton.

Alan Kenny and Peter O’Flaherty were the respective winners of the Senior Support and 201cc-401cc races.
newsletter

[Andrewmcm]

Any news on the Armoy Road Races?