Young gun Cole McCullough praises dad after title triumph

Cole, who celebrated his 13th birthday last month, rides for the GRT Holeshot KTM team - the main KTM schoolboy set-up in the UK - and from the opening round of the series he has been on fire.

The Omagh Academy pupil has won 16 out of 18 races he started. The sky is the limit for this young rider and before the end of the season he has a hectic schedule, racing in the Czech Republic (September 4-5) in the EMX 85cc series then returning home for the Scottish Duns round of the British championship, before practising in Belgium in preparation for the Coupe de l’Avenir, where he will represent Ireland alongside Jack Meara and Lewis Spratt at Quievrain, Belgium.

Planning has already begun for the 2022 season when Cole will stay with the GRT Holeshot KTM team and move up to the B/W85cc class competing in the Dutch Masters, EMX and British championship.

“I’m happy to get the job done and I would like to thank everyone who has backed me in this journey - my GRT Holeshot KTM team and especially Davy Dixon, my mechanic who again gave me a faultless bike,” he said.

“I want to say a special thank you to my dad. I remember what he said to me the first day he taught me how to ride a motorbike: We can do this.

“He still says those words to me every race day and it was written on my pit board the lap before I won my first British championship. Well we just went and done it dad, thank you.”

In the Pro MX1 class, Loughbrickland’s Jason Meara finished sixth overall and runner-up in the championship.

The Phoenix Tools Apico Kawasaki rider said afterwards: “We’re getting closer the the front guys each weekend. I’m looking forward to keeping the ball rolling into the final two rounds of the British championship now.”

Stuart Edmonds left Cusses Gorse third in the championship after finishing fifth overall on the Apico Husqvarna.

A crash in race one for Delkevic racing by BRT Kawasaki rider Martin Barr meant he could only finish 10th by the flag. Race two saw the Ballyclare man finish ninth.

Still in his first season riding the Chambers 450 Husqvarna, Glenn Mccormick was positive, reflecting on his weekend.

“I’m still not where I want to be as far as results are concerned but 12th overall was okay,” he said.

“In the second race I was up to 10th but I still haven’t the experience and slipped to 12th by the flag. I missed too many races through injury this year but the results will come.”

Lisburn’s Richard Bird finished fifth overall in the MX1 experts on the AllMotoYamaha while Joshua McCorkell finished third overall in the amateur MX1.

The final round of the Ulster quad and sidecar championship was stopped due to torrential rain at Tinkerhill after two sets of races. Mark McLernon was crowned the premier quad champion despite finishing second to Dean Dillon, who claimed his first overall Ulster victory. McLernon went on to Milton Malsor, Northampton the following day for the Nora championship and won the Pro overall on the Quadbikes R Us Yamaha, with Dillon third.

Lisburn’s Neill Campbell and Ross Graham retained their sidecar title as Jonny Wilson and Andrew Rowan sealed two victories on the day.

Round four of the Ulster solo championship at Laurelbank saw Tommy Merton lift the Brian Bell memorial trophy on his 450 Suzuki.

Both Connor Mullan MX2 and Jack Meara B/W85 won their respective Ulster championships.