Carl Phillips crowned 'King of Kirkistown' after sixth Ulster Superbike victory in a row

Carl Phillips is riding the crest of a wave after the Lisburn rider followed up his Enkalon Trophy success with the ‘King of Kirkistown’ title on Easter Monday.
By Kyle White
Published 22nd Apr 2019, 19:51 BST
Updated 23rd Apr 2019, 12:33 BST
Carl Phillips won both Ulster Superbike races at Kirkistown in Co. Down on Easter Monday to secure the 'King of Kirkistown' title for the first time. Picture: Gavan Caldwell.Carl Phillips won both Ulster Superbike races at Kirkistown in Co. Down on Easter Monday to secure the 'King of Kirkistown' title for the first time. Picture: Gavan Caldwell.
Carl Phillips won both Ulster Superbike races at Kirkistown in Co. Down on Easter Monday to secure the 'King of Kirkistown' title for the first time. Picture: Gavan Caldwell.

Phillips has taken the Ulster Superbike Championship by storm, winning all six races so far on the J. McC Roofing Kawasaki.

The 25-year-old had to dig deep at the Belfast & District Club’s bank holiday meeting, but Phillips chalked up another double as he added his name to the illustrious list of past winners of the ‘King of Kirkistown’ title.

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The famous old race was revived this year after it was last held in 2010, when Portadown man Marshall Neill was the winner.

Adam McLean won the first Supersport race at Kirkistown on Easter Monday before crashing out of race two on the McAdoo Kawasaki.Adam McLean won the first Supersport race at Kirkistown on Easter Monday before crashing out of race two on the McAdoo Kawasaki.
Adam McLean won the first Supersport race at Kirkistown on Easter Monday before crashing out of race two on the McAdoo Kawasaki.

“I’m just in a really good place with everything at the minute,” Phillips said.

“The boys are great to work with and I’m really enjoying myself. Everyone has put endless work in to try and make the bike right and we’re starting to go places.

“It doesn’t have the best top-end speed but it handles really well. I was losing four or five bike lengths on the straight and then I was having to make a lunge at the hairpin,” he added.

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“I definitely didn’t get it easy today and Davy (Haire) and (Brian) McCormack made me work really hard for it. I really had my work cut out but we’ve come away with another two wins and my confidence is just so high at the minute.

“I had such a poor year last year but I feel back to my best, like I did when I was riding for Michael Dunlop in 2017.”

Phillips won the first leg by a whisker from David Haire, with only 0.122s between them at the finishing line.

Waterford’s Brian McCormack was also right in the mix on his BMW as he clinched third, only three-tenths behind Phillips.

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Adam McLean was a close fourth on the McAdoo Kawasaki followed by Alistair Kirk and reigning champion Gerard Kinghan on the IFS Yamaha.

In race two, Phillips became embroiled in another battle with Haire and McCormack.

The trio swapped places throughout, but it was Phillips who had enough in reserve as he completed his third successive double to win by 0.7s from McCormack, with Haire in third. McLean, Kirk and Aaron Armstrong were the top six.

Tobermore man McLean won the opening Supersport race to make it three short circuit victories in a row on the McAdoo Kawasaki following his double at Bishopscourt on Saturday. He dominated the race to win by 4.3s from Christian Elkin, with Jack Waring in third.

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However, McLean was lucky to walk away following a big crash in the second race, which left his Kawasaki the worse for wear.

Magherafelt man Paul Jordan went on to win the race on Alistair Russell’s Yamaha R6 by 4.7s from Elkin and Mark Conlin.

Former Grand Prix winner Jeremy McWilliams secured a double in the Supertwin races as he put Ryan Farquhar’s 2019-spec KMR Kawasaki through its paces.

McWilliams set a new lap record for the class in 58.312s as he warmed up for next month’s North West 200. He beat Gary McCoy by 12.7s and 16.6s respectively in the two races.

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Darryl Tweed won both Production Twin races, while Cameron Dawson was a double winner in the SS300/Junior Cup/Young Guns races.

Stephen McKeown also sealed a brace in the Moto3/Lightweight Supersport/125GP races.

Related topics:UlsterLisburn