Sunflower Trophy: Richard Kerr dominates Superbike opener as Richard Cooper seals treble at Bishopscourt

Ireland’s premier short circuit meeting was delayed by a day due to adverse weather on Friday.

In vastly improved conditions at the County Down venue, pole man Kerr – who won the Sunflower Trophy for the first time in 2022 – kicked off the weekend with a comfortable win from the front on the AMD Motorsport Honda.

The Donegal man opened a lead of seven seconds before rolling off on the final few laps, closing out the win by 3.8s from British Superbike rider Charlie Nesbitt on the Hawk Racing Honda.

It was an impressive start to the meeting by Kerr, who finished second in the National Superstock 1000 Championship behind Dan Linfoot this season.

Nesbitt worked his way through to the runner-up spot after passing Ulster Superbike champion Jason Lynn (J McC Roofing Racing Kawasaki), who was running in second place until the midway point of the 10-lap race.

Danny Kent, making his race debut for new team Mar-Train Racing Yamaha, also edged out Lynn by 0.6s to secure the final place on the rostrum. The 2015 Moto3 world champion has replaced Dublin’s Jack Kennedy in the Northern Ireland team for next year’s British Superbike Championship.

Behind Lynn, Scott Swann was a close fifth, with BSB frontrunner Lee Jackson right on his tail in sixth as he made his debut on the Hawk Racing Honda.

British Supersport race winner Tom Booth-Amos finished seventh on the 600cc Gearlink Kawasaki ahead of Ulster Superbike regular Ryan Gibson.

Earlier, Nottingham’s Richard Cooper notched a treble with victories in both Supersport races and a Supertwin success.

Cooper – a British Supersport race winner at the final round at Brands Hatch in Kent last weekend – took over from early leader Booth-Amos in the first race before opening a slight gap.

The former National Superstock 1000 champion set a new lap record for the class in 1m 07.392s (97.436mph) as he wrapped up victory by 1.4s on the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha from Booth-Amos.

Cooper’s team-mate, Dean Harrison, was third ahead of Ballymena rider Lynn, with Dromara’s Sam Laffins claiming fifth.

Luke Johnston rounded out the top six while Cameron Dawson – second in this year’s National Junior Superstock Championship – was ninth on the Gearlink Kawasaki.

In the second Supersport encounter, Cooper was hounded all the way by Booth-Amos but fended off the Gearlink Kawasaki man to win by only a tenth of a second.

Harrison was again third, 5.1s back as he finished 0.6s ahead of Eunan McGlinchey (Yamaha).

Lynn was six seconds further adrift in fifth as he secured the Ulster Supersport title, while Laffins took sixth.

Double North West 200 winner Cooper was in a class of his own in the first Supertwin race, clearing off at the front on the Ryan Farquhar-prepared Jack Reid Car Sales/KMR Kawasaki.

Cooper won by 13 seconds after eight laps from Dungannon’s Dawson, also riding a KMR Kawasaki for the J McC Roofing Racing team.

Laffins finished third on the McKnight Racing Suzuki, 3.3s further back.

Aaron Spence (Spence Engineering Aprilia), Christian Elkin (RB Engineering Kawasaki) and Ryan Gibson (Aprilia) were the top six.

The feature Sunflower Trophy race takes place on Sunday.