Road racers join Ulster Superbike contenders and former British Supersport winners at Kirkistown's big Easter Monday season-opener
The 2026 Ulster Superbike Championship blasts off at Kirkistown on Easter Monday after Saturday’s planned 50th Enkalon Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt was postponed.
Plans for the season-opening Enkalon meeting in Co Down were thrown into disarray by Storm Dave, with the organising Motor Cycle Road Racing Club of Ireland (MCRRCI) calling the event off on Friday.
It is hoped to run the race later this season, with the MCRRCI’s Mark Sanlon suggesting the event would most likely not take place “this side of the summer”.
The Belfast and District Motor Club will be hoping for better weather for the first instalment of their ‘Big 3 Series’ races at Kirkistown for the King of Kirkistown (Superbikes), Prince of Kirkistown (Supersport) and President’s Cup (Supertwin) titles.
The bank holiday meeting typically draws a big crowd and a strong entry list includes several road racers who are using the event for some track miles before the Cookstown 100 later this month and May’s North West 200.
Carl Phillips is the defending Superbike champion and rides a BMW this year for the Bell Bikesport/B&W Racing team.
The Lisburn man’s chief rivals are expected to be McAdoo Racing Kawasaki’s Korie McGreevy and Jonny Campbell on his BMW, although USBK newcomer and former British Supersport race winner Luke Jones could be a dark horse.
Jones will ride for SBT Racing on a Ducati and is joined in Alun Gorman’s team by former Ulster Supersport frontrunner Mark Conlin, who is making the step up to the feature class.
Jones is relishing a fresh challenge and the 37-year-old is quietly optimistic he can give a good account of himself as he returns to racing following a year out.
“The bike has been built by Moto Rapido and they know what they’re doing, so hopefully I can adapt fairly quickly to it,” said Jones, speaking to the News Letter in a previous interview.
“I’m absolutely buzzing. It’ll be good and what I love about it is that Alun is very family-orientated like myself, so my wife and kids will be coming and it’s going to be a lot more relaxed than being at BSB, and I think it’ll be a lot more enjoyable.
“I’d like to be in the top three if I can, but having a bit of time off it’s a bit of an unknown,” he added.
“My attitude has always been that I’ve never been one to say I’m going to go out and win this, or do that, I’m just going to do my best and see where that gets me.”
Nottingham’s Richard Cooper is entered at Kirkistown with Alister Russell’s team on a Yamaha R9 along with Mike Browne as they continue their preparations for the North West 200.
Jackson Racing’s Paul Jordan is another road racer on the entry list along with Skerries man Michael Sweeney and Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed, who will ride Stanley Stewart’s Triumph machines and the Jamie Lyons Racing by Ability Energy Ltd Honda.
Jamie Lyons (Ability Energy Ltd Honda) is contesting the Ulster Superbike class as is Ross Irwin (Honda), who is among the main protagonists along with Ryan Gibson on his Gibson Motors/Firewood Supplies BMW).
Christian Elkin (Bell Bikesport/B&W Ducati) will be aiming to give McGreevy a run for his money in the Ulster Supersport Championship, but they both face a formidable opponent in Cooper at Kirkistown for the season-opener.
Practice is scheduled from 9am with racing due to commence at approximately 11:30am.