Mixed emotions for Martin Barr at MX Nationals

Ballyclare’s Martin Barr, despite a frustrating weekend ending up top runner in the MX1 Pro class on the BRT/KTM, finishing fifth overall.

“It was a frustrating weekend that started in qualifying with me not getting a clean lap and ending up seventh fastest,” said Barr. “Still, I wasn’t too far off the times and going into race one I was confident of a decent result.”

A good start saw the local rider inside the top ten on lap one and by the flag had pulled through to fifth.

“I struggled with the track conditions and made everything hard work and couldn’t catch the leading group,” he added.

In race two he was caught in a first corner pile-up and ended up seventh.

“After the pile-up I just got my head down for a few laps to make up the lost ground. I have to say I wasn’t riding good but still ended up fifth overall,” Barr said.

“I will definitely be looking more at the final round at Fatcat Motoparc at the start of October.”

Dubliner Stuart Edmonds on the Apico Husqvarna was happy with his weekend’s work, finishing sixth overall.

“It was a really good day all in all. I’m learning all the time and in the opening race I made up a lot of time after a poor start,” he said.

“The hard work I have been putting in over the past few weeks is paying off now and I’m looking forward to the last round of the series at Fatcat’s.”

Glenn McCormick at last got the results he has chased all year, bringing the Unique fit out Husqvarna home in sixth place overall with a best finish of fourth in race two.

He said: “I had real bad suspension issues in the opening race but just kept my head down after a bad start to work my way into seventh.”

After a few suspension changes between races the Glenoe rider was looking for better in race two.

“I made a terrible start but a good first lap and the changes made all the difference. The bike changes were like night and day and with the track a lot rougher I was able to work my into the tail end of the battle for third,” added McCormick.

“Unfortunately I ran out of time and had to settle for fourth but it was a really positive end to the weekend.” Ballymoney’s Jordan McCaw had a weekend to remember as he finished as top local rider in the MX1 Experts class on the Suitor Auto Fix KTM for fifth overall.

After a massive crash at the previous weekend’s meeting at Loughbrickland where he suffered back injuries it was touch and go if he would be able to race at all at Cusses Gorse.

“On Saturday I hole-shotted both races and finished fourth in race one and fifth in race two,” he said.

“On Sunday I made a bad start running tenth on lap one before clawing my way back to sixth then in the final race was up to third before tucking the front and dropping to seventh at the chequered flag.”

It was a different story from Lisburn’s Richard Bird who lay second in the MX1 Experts championship after Landrake but dropped to third after a nightmare weekend.

“It wasn’t great and I made a rookie mistake in race one. The front brake was locking over the jumps and I stopped on track to try and sort the problem.

“Robert Hamilton came on track to help me and I got going again to finish seventh only to be handed a ten second penalty for getting outside assistance and dropped to ninth. I should have known better.” He admitted.

Bird finished the weekend with a sixth on Saturday and two top six finishes on Sunday.