Northern Ireland riders enjoy solid results at Brookthorpe in Gloucestershire

In the muddy conditions, Martin Barr, Jason Meara, Stuart Edmonds and Glenn McCormick were in action in their respective classes, achieving some strong finishes.

​Ballyclare’s Martin Barr had a difficult qualifying session that saw him crash out on his first fast lap before he eventually set the ninth fastest time.

In race one, Barr was last away after spinning off the start gate. When he lost his goggles he had to pit for new ones, dropping from sixth to ninth in the final standings.

A better start in race two saw Barr come through from eight to fifth by the chequered flag for fourth overall.

Barr said: “It was a tough day and after getting dirt in my eyes in race one I was blinking continuously in race two and my eyes were watering so much it was hard to concentrate. Still, I’m third in the championship, so it’s not all bad.”

Loughbrickland’s Jason Meara made a great start in MX1, qualifying second fastest on the Moto-Cycle GasGas.

In his opening race he was third into Turn 1 but unfortunately lost the front, taking a big high-side and breaking the clutch master cylinder which put him out of the race.

In race two he made another good start moving into third on the first lap and passing Barr into second before finishing third.

Meara said: “It was a disappointing end to race one and I made a mistake going up one of the hills in race two, losing second. It was unfortunate but that’s racing.”

Dubliner Stuart Edmonds claimed two seventh places in MX1 on the Seca Racing Honda for sixth overall.

In the MX2 class, Glenn McCormick qualified sixth and finished race one in the same position. In race two the Chambers KTM rider crashed out of third place, going over the handlebars at the half-way point of the race, eventually finishing ninth.

“I lost my goggles in race one and the crash in race two certainly did me no favours,” he said. “It wasn’t a bad day but we are always looking more. It was a decent run out before this weekend British at FoxHills.”

Meanewhile, Jordanstown’s Jay McCrum extended his lead in the Irish MX1 Championship after finishing third overall in the latest round at Vernonmount, Cork.

On a tough shale track McCrum qualified his GoMX Yamaha in third behind pole setter Stuart Edmonds.

He finished second in race one behind team mate Nathan Green, from Seaforde, after race leader Edmonds suffered a rear puncture and finished ninth.

In race two, McCrum salvaged third after colliding with a slower rider and going over the handlebars. Edmonds was the winner from Cork’s Aiden McDonagh.

McCrum needed helped onto his bike for race three and rode through the pain to finish third behind Green and Edmonds, who suffered from another puncture on the Seca Racing Honda.

McCrum now leads both the Ulster and Irish MX1 Experts championships while his GoMX team mate had the satisfaction of claiming his maiden MX1 overall.

Donaghcloney’s Niall Cregan took the Come Motocross Husqvarna to overall victory in the MX2 class.

In the youth classes Omagh’s Lewis Spratt was unbeaten in the 125 class on the Todds Leap/McCullagh’s Centra KTM while Fin Wilson won all three 250 races.