Glenn McCormick wins Billy Hutton Memorial Trophy for third time after dominant treble
Glenoe’s Glenn McCormick ran out a convincing winner of the Billy Hutton Memorial Trophy, completing a hat-trick of victories after previously lifting the iconic silverware in 2015 and 2023.
The meeting, promoted by Knock MCC, was unfortunately hit by a torrential downpour just before racing began, turning the Bells Hill track into a slippery mess and presenting a massive challenge for the riders.
McCormick, fastest in practice by more than two seconds, dealt with the difficult conditions in commanding fashion. Riding the 450 Chambers KTM, he led from the start and finished well clear of the opposition in all three races.
Race one saw McCormick take the chequered flag more than half a minute clear of Davy Gorman, with Niall Cregan third.
A fierce battle for fourth developed between Castlewellan’s Alfie Herron on the 125 Herron Engineering TM and Omagh’s Lewis Spratt on the 250 KTM, with less than a second separating the pair at the chequered flag after eight tough laps.
McCormick again won race two comfortably, ahead of Cregan, with Jordan Scott third and Gorman fourth. Herron finished fifth, with Mark Galloway sixth.
McCormick completed his treble in race three, finishing more than a minute clear of former Grand Prix star Gordon Crockard. Herron completed the top three, ahead of Cregan and Gorman.
“It was great to win the Billy Hutton Trophy for the third time,” said McCormick.
"The track was so tricky, but it was a matter of staying out of trouble and staying upright. The biggest problem was the two off-camber corners, where you had to be so patient and careful.”
Alfie Herron won the Under-19 award sponsored by Richard Orr – Billy Hutton’s grandson. Davy Gorman, who finished third overall in the Billy Hutton Memorial Trophy races, was competing in his first MRA meeting in ten years and was presented with the Man of the Meeting award.
Fastest in EVO practice, Gordon Crockard created his own piece of history when he claimed victory in the opening race on his Honda.
The win came 21 years after Billy Hutton, despite medical advice, climbed to the top of Bells Hill to wave the chequered flag for the final time, with Crockard the rider taking the victory that day.
McCormick, riding the Stephen Agnew Suzuki, finished four seconds behind Crockard in race one, with early leader Sean Laverty taking third. McCormick then won race two ahead of Ryan Jackson, with Ray Brownlee third.
Laverty claimed victory in race three, but Alex Dougan took the overall title with consistent 4-5-2 finishes.
Norman Scott was the overall winner of the Billy Hutton Group 2, ahead of Johny Dugan and Gosh Creighton.
Ebrington Primary School pupil Zack McCorkell claimed the ‘Battle in the Sands’ Auto 50cc Trophy at Route44 Haverigg on the Cumbrian coast.
The six-year-old from Londonderry produced an impressive performance aboard his 50cc GasGas, taking three start-to-finish victories on Saturday. Two second-place finishes on Sunday were then enough to secure the overall trophy.
At the recent Nora British Cup meeting, bike problems hampered the local youngster and left him outside the top ten, but McCorkell will be hoping for better fortune when he contests the Auto British Cup at Foxhills in October.