Ulster Superbike Championship leader Jonny Campbell vows to ride smart in title bid
Lisburn’s Jonny Campbell has vowed to race smart at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday as he closes in on winning the Ulster Superbike title.
The 21-year-old has won eight races this season on the Magic Bullet Yamaha R1 to lead the championship charge from Banbridge man Ryan Gibson on his BMW.
The Enniskillen Club’s meeting – where admission to the event is free – is the penultimate round of the series before the finale at the Sunflower Trophy showpiece in October month back at Bishopscourt.
Campbell clinched his maiden Ulster Superbike victory in the opening race of the season at Bishopscourt back in March and the young prospect has shown remarkable consistency since, finishing on the podium in every Superbike race he has completed.
After twice claiming third in the Superbike races at the previous round at Kirkistown earlier in September, Campbell said his Yamaha R1 is better suited to the track layout at Bishopscourt as he sets his sights on securing the Ulster title.
“I feel more confident around Bishopscourt with the R1 whereas Kirkistown has two big, long straights,” he said.
“Leading the race at Kirkistown coming on to the back straight I was being passed by two or three bikes, whereas at Bishopscourt we’ve only one long straight and the rest is all corners, which is where the advantage on the R1 is.
“Championship-wise, nobody else can beat me apart from Ryan (Gibson), so if Korie (McGreevy) or Ross (Irwin) want to clear off up the road, as long as Ryan is behind me in both races then we can try and get it done.
“That’s the aim for tomorrow, to just finish in front of Ryan,” he added.
“When the lights go out it just becomes about winning the race but I’ll just use my head tomorrow and if it’s a battle with Korie, I’ll just let him go, and if anyone else comes past then they can; as long as I stay in front of Ryan then that’s the main objective.”
Ballynahinch rider Korie McGreevy was a double Superbike winner at Kirkistown on the McAdoo Kawasaki and is in the hunt for the Supersport title, trailing Christian Elkin by only 10 points.
Qualifying starts at 9am ahead of a 16-race programme.