Derek Sheils clinches Superbike pole at Cookstown 100 on Roadhouse Macau BMW

There was a question mark over whether or not the Wicklow man would compete at the only Irish road race in 2020 after a dispute over his entry, but the issue has been resolved and Sheils showed why he has been the dominant force in the Superbike class in recent years at the Co Tyrone meeting.

A lap in 1m 26.017s put Sheils two seconds clear of fellow Republic of Ireland rider Thomas Maxwell (Kawasaki), with Michael Sweeney from Skerries a close third on his MJR BMW, just over a tenth of a second down on Maxwell.

Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan, who led the way in his qualifying session on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Suzuki, was fourth on the combined times with a time of 1m 29.195s.

Jordan is making his roads debut for John Burrows team at the 2.1-mile Orritor course after being drafted into the Dungannon-based outfit in a new-look line-up with Cork’s Mike Browne.

Adam McLean, who won the Supersport race last year, was fifth quickest on the McAdoo Racing Kawasaki (1m 30.344s), while Ballymena’s Neil Kernohan rounded out the top six on his 1000cc Yamaha R1.

New Burrows Racing signing Browne was seventh fastest on the team’s 600 Yamaha ahead of Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed on Stanley Stewart’s Yamaha R6.

After a wet start to the day, qualifying was delayed slightly to allow the roads to dry and the Superbike sessions were held in bright but breezy conditions after free practice for the Newcomers.

England’s Dan Harrison set the pace by around half-a-second from Lisburn man Carl Phillips on the PRF Suzuki, who is making his national road racing debut.

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