Veteran Dungannon road racer Paul Cranston received one of the biggest receptions on Friday night at the Adelaide Irish Motorbike Awards after being announced as the winner of the Services to Motorcycling accolade.

Cranston has been racing for the best part of half a century and has achieved many Irish road racing victories during his career as well as finishing on the podium at the Manx Grand Prix.

In 1982, he won the 500cc race at the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod, beating Sam McClements and Con Law after Norman Brown was forced out.

Last year, aged 66, Cranston won a thrilling Supersport B race at the Southern 100 by a few tenths of a second from Ballymena’s Dennis Booth to earn his first win at the Billown course in 43 years.

placeholder image — Paul Cranston receives the Belfast Chauffeur Hire Services to Motorcycling Award from Zach Willis and Reggie Bain at the Adelaide Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

Cranston received a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage, underlining his popularity in Irish motorcycling circles.

“I just thank everybody, thank you very much. I didn’t expect this and maybe I don’t deserve it either, but thank you very much indeed,” said Cranston, who revealed his unwavering passion for the sport is the reason he keeps coming back year after year.

“I just have a desire for it and maybe a lot of regrets too; I should have went harder maybe or tried to win more races, but I just keep going and there’s times when I’m last, but I just keep at it.

“I still have the same desire believe it or not as I had when I was 17; when I was 17 I hit a bus and I was in hospital for six weeks, and I just decided I wanted to do it [road racing].

“I want to thank my wife, who has been with me since I was 14, we’re together 52 years.

“I’ve a lot of goals that I didn’t do, and the likes of the Isle of Man I’d like to have done more. I’ll maybe try the Manx this year, we’ll see what happens.”