Cole McCullough's ‘head down and keep working’ plan to keep climbing after Portugal progress
Cole McCullough delivered another sensational performance on the Dream Team Fantic under treacherous conditions at round six of the EMX 125 Championship in Portugal.
In perfect Agueda track conditions, the Ulster teenager was sixth fastest in free practice and qualifying.
However, before race one heavy rainfall turned the track into a mud bath.
He made a decent start and was sixth by the end of the opening lap. Unfortunately, McCullough crashed out at the pit lane turn.
“I went in a little too fast, tucked the front and the bike fired me hard into the ground,” said McCullough. “I was completely winded and it took me a long time getting my breath back.”
He remounted and, in the heavy rain, battled back to 20th on the final lap to claim one championship point.
The rain continued through the night and, again in horrendous conditions, on Sunday McCullough produced arguably one of his best performances of the season.
Going into Turn One well down the field, by the end of the lap he was seventh. By the chequered flag, he had battled his way to second.
Finishing eighth overall in Portugal moves him into ninth in the championship.
“It's only the season's halfway stage and so far, so good...I’ll keep my head down and keep working towards a top five and, hopefully, top three in the championship by the end of the season,” said McCullough. "I haven't been home since February, so it will be nice to relax for a few days before returning to Italy on May 18.
“Then a three-week run of European Championships in France, Germany and Latvia.”
Local riders were in action in Elgin for round three of the Scottish Motocross Championship.
In the MX1 class, Ballyclare’s Martin Barr (Apico Honda) finished fourth overall followed in fifth by Jason Meara (Moto-Cycle GasGas).
Barr, who was feeling unwell, qualified seventh. The Honda rider finished race one in fourth after Ben Edwards crashed out and, in race two, fought through to fifth.
Barr said: “I’m third in the championship on a bad day, so I’ll take that.”
For Meara, it was “one of those days of what could have been...first-lap crashes in both races ruined the day”.
“In the first race, I got a bit of help going down, then in the second race I did it all by myself,” he said. “I ended up finishing sixth twice but felt that I was riding well and the bike was handling well for the first time this year.”
Omagh’s Lewis Spratt finished fourth overall in the Youth 125, while Ollie Holland won Grade C from Sam Cornwell and Samuel Logan, with Rory Cultra claiming fifth.
Richard McKeown finished second overall in the 2-Stroke Open class, with Larne’s Marc Bergin second behind Ellik Miller in the Autos.
In round three of the Ulster Championship at Seaforde, Donaghcloney’s Niall Cregan was unbeaten in the Experts class as new leader Nathan Green claimed three second places. Dromore’s Ryan Adair completed the rostrum. David Anderson was unbeaten in the Semi-Experts, while Andrew Boyd and Paul Gray were the respective Clubman MX1 and MX2 winners.