Local riders impress at endurance event

Known as the first endurance race in the world it has brought together some twenty nations, a hundred crews, the best 300 drivers on the planet and some twenty women for 33 years.

Moira’s Ross Dillon finished a brilliant second in the cadet class on the LDG group Walsh Honda CRF 250.

Dillon was 0.057s ahead of Denmark’s Mikkel Kurdahl in qualifying but the 15 year old couldn’t match the straight line speed of Kurdahl.

Despite leading the opening two races he had to settle for second at the flag.

“On the two massive straights he pulled a couple of seconds and I had to make up the difference in the more technical motocross sections of the track,” said Dillon.

The third and final race was one of the best ever seen at the event with Dillon and Kurdahl continually swapping the lead over the twenty minute race duration.

At the final sweeping right hander Dillon passed the Dane around the outside, taking the chequered flag to the cheers of the massive crowd.

His brother Dean was competing in the 12-hour race with team KIK- Zip racing Walsh riders Alfie Walker and Ayrton Knowles.

After qualifying second fastest it was Dean who rode the opening one and a half hours and pitted in sixth place. Unfortunately machine issues forced the team to retire from Sunday’s action.

“It was disappointing not to finish but at least I got a lot of fast bike time for the forthcoming Quadcross of Nations at the end of September,” added Dillon.

Hillsborough’s Mark McLernon, Banbridge rider David Cowan and Redding’s Sheldon Seal finished fourth overall on the SJS Services Yamaha in the 12-hours endurance race. The team were third after the opening session.

“We should have pitted a lap earlier and refuelled before the night session, as we had to pit right at the start of the session, loosing a lap which we never made up again,” admitted McLernon.

Sixth after the night session and fourth in the final four hour session saw them just miss out on the podium.

“We were happy with the result, just a bit off the pace at the beginning. Back next year for another go,” said McLernon.

Another local team under the SJS Services banner was Kevin Meenagh, Mathew Glichrist and Kyle Murphy riding the Gordon Gilchrist Yamaha. They finished 10th overall.

Bangor’s Nicole Lowry teamed up with Catrin Davies from Cardigan, Wales to compete in the Kenny class on the Ed Davies Racing Yamaha/KTM hybrid and finished third in the ladies category.

22-year-old Lowry, who just graduated from Ulster University with a 1st class honours in sports science, had, like her team mate, never ridden the bike before the meeting.

“We used a couple of laps in qualifying to get used to the bike,” said Lowry.

“It was my second time at the event and Catrin’s fifth, but first in the Kenny class.

The girls qualified 38th out of 110 riders and after the two, two hour sessions they finished 30th overall.

“We were hoping to be top 50 and to break into the top 30 bracket, we’re over the moon! We were delighted to finish top three in the ladies,” smiled Lowry.

Glenoe’s Glenn McCormick made a rare appearance on home soil, competing at the Moto Circus at Doon MotoParc, Athlone.

The British championship regular, riding the Chambers Husqvarna, was the winner of the two and a half hour enduro race on Saturday but after a first corner crash in the super cross event he had to settle for second behind double Ulster and Irish MX1 champion John Meara on the Watts Kawasaki.

He battled with Welsh visitor Josh Gotts through the dust in the early stages of Saturday’s enduro race before Gotts retired and Stuart Edmonds took over at the front. At the first fuel stop, Edmonds had twenty seconds in hand over McCormick.

“I was struggling through the tree section against the enduro machine of Edmonds but I got my head down and reeled him in, just taking the lead before the final pit stop,” said McCormick.

With the pair leaving the pits together it looked like a battle to the finish but Edmonds bike expired leaving McCormick to cruise home for victory

In the six lap supercross final, Ballyclare’s Charley Irwin was the early leader before the exhaust on his Discount Beds Honda broke, forcing the teenager into retirement. Loughbrickland’s John Meara then led with McCormick second after the Glenoe rider picked up the Husqvarna from his Turn 1 crash.

“John made the better start and I pushed too hard, folded the front, and went down. I closed the gap before the flag but it was too little too late,” admitted McCormick.

Edmonds went on to finish overall runner up in Sunday’s MX1 Pro class. After winning the opening race from Jordan Keogh he was leading race two before a puncture near the end allowed Keogh through to win and claim the overall.