Derek McGee seals pole quadruple for new Enniskillen Road Races

Mullingar Missile Derek McGee underlined his status as the man to beat at the Enniskillen Road Races after a dominant clean sweep during practice on Friday.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jun 2018, 21:19 BST
Updated 16th Jul 2018, 16:57 BST
Derek McGee on the B&W Site Sealants 600 Kawasaki during practice at the Enniskillen Road Races.Derek McGee on the B&W Site Sealants 600 Kawasaki during practice at the Enniskillen Road Races.
Derek McGee on the B&W Site Sealants 600 Kawasaki during practice at the Enniskillen Road Races.

The southern Irish rider, fresh from a superb runner-up finish in the Lightweight race at the Isle of Man TT on Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki, claimed pole in the Superbike, Supersport, Supertwins and Moto3 classes at the three-mile Arney circuit on Friday.

Irish road racing has returned to County Fermanagh in earnest after the original Enniskillen 100 meeting was last held 66 years ago in 1952.

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Following controlled practice for all classes, McGee put down a marker in qualifying proper as he hit the top of the times in the Supersport class on the B&W Site Sealants Kawasaki, lapping in 1m 49.050s to seal pole by 1.7 seconds from McAdoo Racing’s Adam McLean.

Tobermore's Adam McLean on the McAdoo Kawasaki during practice for the new Enniskillen Road Races on Friday.Tobermore's Adam McLean on the McAdoo Kawasaki during practice for the new Enniskillen Road Races on Friday.
Tobermore's Adam McLean on the McAdoo Kawasaki during practice for the new Enniskillen Road Races on Friday.

Kevin Fitzpatrick was third fastest, 3.3 seconds further behind, with Thomas Maxwell, Graham Kennedy and Raymond Casey the top six.

A number of riders entered for the inaugural meeting are absent, including Irish road racing regulars Michael Sweeney and Paul Jordan.

McGee clocked the fastest time overall on his way to pole in the Superbike session on his Kawasaki ZX-10R in 1m 45.148s, putting him 6.1 seconds clear of Fitzpatrick, who was 0.3 seconds ahead of Maxwell.

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McLean, who is still getting to grips with the 1000cc McAdoo Kawasaki after opting not to ride the ZX-10R at the TT, was fourth, only 0.128s behind Maxwell.

In the Supertwins session, McGee again held away on the KMR Kawasaki, comfortably securing pole by over three seconds from McLean, with Maxwell 2.8 seconds adrift in third.

McGee was head and shoulders above the rest on the Joey’s Bar Moto3 Honda, lapping in 1m 57.254s to claim the top spot by 8.8 seconds from Maxwell, with Nigel Moore third quickest on his 125cc Honda.

Roads close on Saturday at 10am for an 11-race programme, when the Richard Britton Memorial event will be the feature race of the day.