Martin Barr’s cup delight at Foxhill fixture

After qualifying ninth fastest, he finished seventh in race one followed by ninth in race two.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Barr. “In race one I made a pretty good start but cross-rutted on the opening lap and lost a few places.

“The track was really difficult to pass on but I managed to get back to seventh on the last lap.”

The Ballyclare rider made a better start in race two but eight-to-10 minutes into the race Barr faded to finish ninth.

“I haven’t been feeling very well in the run-up the Foxhill and was just exhausted at the halfway stage of the race,” he said. “Seventh overall and the Experts Cup wasn’t a bad weekend.”

Glenn McCormick didn’t score the results he was wanting at the previous weekend’s EMX races in Italy but he certainly came out fighting at Foxhill.

The Chambers Husqvarna rider ended the day 10th overall.

“It was my best result on the 450,” he said. “I have had one-off results before but it was nice to have two solid results together.

“Race one I was outside the top 10 off the gate and with the track being difficult to pass on it was hard work.

“It wasn’t until the closing laps that I made a break to finish on the back of Martin (Barr).”

He finished 10th in race two.

“I was behind Jake Nicholls at the start and tagged on to him as he progressed through the pack,” he said. “I went with him and caught Liam Knight and Martin Barr.

“I missed the last-lap board and couldn’t believe it when the chequered flag appeared...I was on the back of Martin but it was too little too late.”

Loughbrickland’s John Meara had a good day - bringing his 450 Kawasaki home in 14th overall with Stuart Edmonds 15th.

Meara was back in action at Monday’s round two of the Ulster Championship around his home track at Loughbrickland.

After finishing second to brother Jason in race one he was unstoppable in race two, winning by over five seconds with Jason second.

“I had a poor qualifying and a bad gate pick at Foxhill but, despite a crash, I came from dead last to 14th,” he said. “Again in race two I came from outside the top 20 to finish 13th after climbing to 11th then crashing twice on the last lap.

“I know I have the speed for the top 10...to be honest, Jason was faster than me at Loughbrickland but I’m pleased to get the overall.”

In the B/W85 class, Ben McConville finished 12th overall, with Lewis Spratt 13th in Sherwood.

At Loughbrickland, McConville claimed the overall from Spratt.

In the opening round of the British Sidecar Championship at Sherwood Forest MX track, Nottinghamshire, Lisburn’s Gary Moulds and English passenger Lewis Gray were back on form by finishing third overall behind Bret Wilkinson/Joe Millard and Stuart Brown/Josh Chamberlain.

“I’m not race fit yet but it was a great feeling to stand on the podium again,” said Moulds. “I’m getting married this Friday so the race starts were important.

“I had to stay out of trouble and finish the day in one piece.”

After qualifying 0.1 seconds off pole, he hole-shotted all three races by finishing fourth, third and third.

“In race one I made a great start, stalled the bike at turn one and restarted it so quickly I only lost one place,” he said. “The track had changed from sand-based to hard-pack after qualifying and we had the wrong wheel in for the conditions.

“Still, in the race we lay second until I hit a brick wall with arm pump before the end and brought it home in fourth.”

He led race two before having to settle for third behind Brown and Wilkinson.

In the final race, which was restarted after a crash at the start, Moulds and Gray led on the opening three laps before again slipping back to third at the chequered flag.

“I just need more bike time to sharpen up,” said Moulds.

Ballyclare’s Charley Irwin claimed five wins from six starts at rounds three and four of the Cumbrian MX Championships run at the route 44 track of Haverigg within the Lake District over last Friday and Saturday.

Riding the Discount Beds CRF250R Honda, the local rider comfortably won all three motos on Friday but in Saturday’s action he was pushed harder by Manchester’s Braydon Ferguson.

Irwin was victorious in race one by just over two seconds from Ferguson.

Ferguson crashed at turn one in race two, leaving Irwin a comfortable winner from Robbie Park.

The English rider won race three but, with Irwin only needing a top five for the overall, second was good enough at the chequered flag.

“It was good to race again at Haverigg and after Friday’s wins it was great to have Braydon there on Saturday to push me on,” said Irwin.

Irwin was the overall winner of the Ulster 250 Youth at Loughbrickland on Monday.

Castlederg teenager Cole McCullough made his debut in the Dutch Masters of Motocross at Holland’s Olderbroek on Easter Monday.

And after qualifying ninth fastest, he finished eighth in race one and ninth in race two on the 125 Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee.

“I had a small crash in race one and lost the front brake but still managed eighth,” said McCullough. “Before race two, I opened my race pants in the holding area...I found out afterwards that it was against the rules and I was disqualified.

“Seems harsh but I guess the rules are there for a reason.”

McCullough moves on to Latvia for the EMX 125 round this weekend.