Richard Bird flying high after impressive debut at Oxford Moto Parc to lead MX1 Experts Championship

The Allmoto Yamaha rider was making his debut at the track and after qualifying inside the top six, finished third in his opening three races over Saturday and Sunday.

In his final moto he had to work hard coming through from fifth to claim second in the closing laps.

“It was my first time racing at the track and I’m happy with the results,” said Bird. “It was a steady weekend and it’s great to come away leading the championship.”

Loughbrickland’s Jason Meara and Ballyclare’s Martin Barr had a tough weekend in the Pro class.

Meara qualified 13th and finished his two races in 11th and 12th.

He said: “Before the track became rough I was on a fast lap but my hand came off the handlebars and I didn’t finish that lap. I was on the outside of the gate for both motos and couldn’t make a clean start but did my best to charge through.

"I’m happy enough with my riding, I just need to get the starts together,” added the Moto-Cycle/JP Transport Gas Gas rider.

Barr, who struggled to 13th overall on the Apico Husqvarna,” said: “It was a difficult weekend. Maybe I came back too soon after the injury but it’s another race under my belt.”

Race one saw him fighting through to 12th after a poor start. In race two Barr was off the gate better only to stall the bike on the second lap.

“It upset my rhythm and I was trying too hard,” he said. “I backed it off and brought it home in 14th.”

Omagh’s Lewis Spratt still holds fourth in the B/W85 championship. Spratt qualified sixth before finishing fifth and sixth in Saturday’s races.

Sunday’s opening race saw the McCullagh’s Centra/Todds Leap KTM rider battling for third before a big crash at the table top dropped him to 11th by the flag. Seventh in his final race was enough for sixth overall.

Spratt said: “I just couldn’t gel with the track but I’m happy to still hold fourth in the championship.”

Meanwhile, Moria’s Dean Dillon stretched his advantage in the MRA premier Ulster quad championship at Tinkerhill after claiming the overall.

It was a comfortable victory for Dillon in race one after race leader Mark McLernon retired with a broken foot peg on lap seven. McLernon won the final two races with Dillon a close second.

“I had closed on Mark before he retired, leaving me a massive advantage over Davy Cowan by the flag,” he said.

“Mark got the hole-shot in race two and I pushed him hard hoping he would make a mistake – he didn’t! I knew I had the overall in the bag but still fought hard finishing only 0.3s behind him at the flag. I’m happy.”

Ross Dillon won the semi experts while Travis Toye kept up his unbeaten run in the Y3 class.

Cole McCullough finished 20th overall at the Junior World Championships in Romania.

The 14-year-old Milwaukee KTM rider qualified 11th but retired from race one after a crash.

The Castlederg teenager had a great race two, battling through from 19th to 14th by the flag.

“It was a good weekend on a great track,” he said. “My lap time were good but I need to work on my starts.”