Bishopscourt kick-starts big weekend of Easter short circuit action as Enkalon Trophy tops bill

Promoted by the Motorcycle Road Racing Club of Ireland (MCRRCI), the event hosts round two of the championship, when Jason Lynn will be aiming to build on his double two weeks ago on the J McC Roofing Kawasaki.

Lynn claimed a maximum haul of 50 points to kick-start his campaign on a high as the three-time Supersport champion sets his sights on winning the Superbike title for the first time.

His opposition includes McAdoo Racing Kawasaki’s Korie McGreevy on the ZX-10RR, who narrowly edged both Supersport races from Lynn last time out.

Cork’s Mike Browne made an eye-catching debut on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW in the season-opener as he prepares for the start of the road racing season, finishing on the rostrum twice.

Browne is back in action this weekend along with team owner John Burrows’ schoolboy son Jack, a double Moto3 winner last month at Bishopscourt.

“The new BMW is working really well,” said Browne, who will give the ex-TAS Racing/Ian Hutchinson BMW M1000RR its roads debut at the CDE Cookstown 100 in two weeks’ time.

“To crack a podium first time out was a bonus, backed up by another in Race 2 and my fastest lap [at Bishopscourt].

“Hopefully I can have another go on Easter Saturday.”

Browne is also among the leading contenders on the Burrows Yamaha R6 for the two-leg IFS David Wood Trophy races in the Supersport class. He led the second race at the Temple Club’s meeting at Bishopscourt before slipping off.

The winner of the Enkalon Trophy will also be decided over two legs, with the rider collecting the most points securing Irish motorcycling’s longest-running silverware.

The prestigious trophy has been won in the past by greats including Ray McCullough, Robert Dunlop, Phillip McCallen and Gary Cowan.

Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley claimed the trophy for a record fourth time last year on the IFS Yamaha, but the 43-year-old is competing in the National Superstock 1000 Championship at Silverstone this weekend on the SYNETIQ BMW.

Along with Lynn, McGreevy and Browne, the line-up includes Waterford’s Brian McCormack on the Roadhouse Macau BMW, roads specialist Michael Sweeney (MJR BMW) and Tralee’s Emmet O’Grady (TAG VTL Honda).

Adam McLean is also entered with new team J McC Roofing on a Yamaha R6 along with Jonny Campbell (Magic Bullet Yamaha) and Cookstown’s Gary McCoy.

Andrew Smyth had a strong run on his Kawasaki in the Supersport races last month and is among the Supersport contenders along with Christian Elkin (Bob Wylie Yamaha), Luke Johnston (AKR/Thomas Bourne Honda), McCoy and McCormack (Global Robots Triumph).

Three-time Enkalon winner Derek Sheils is also a possible starter on his BMW.

There is a prize fund of £2,600 for the main trophy races, which are the headline events on a 16-race programme.

Practice is due to commence at 9am with racing from approximately 11.30am. Admission is £15.

On Easter Monday, the focus switches to the Belfast and District Club’s meeting at Kirkistown on the Ards Peninsula, where practice is also set to start at 9am.

Michael Dunlop and Richard Cooper are entered for the Bank Holiday race in Co Down.