Sunflower Trophy: Richard Kerr aiming to defend title against top British Superbike riders at Bishopscourt

The Donegal man added his name to the coveted silverware for the first time in 2022, when he beat Alastair Seeley in the headline race.

Kerr returns on the AMD Motorsport Honda fresh from securing the runner-up spot in the National Superstock 1000 Championship behind Dan Linfoot at Brands Hatch last weekend.

He dominated the Superbike races at the Hillsborough Club’s season-ending showpiece 12 months ago with a treble, but Kerr could have a much bigger fight on his hands this weekend with a trio of top British Superbike riders entering the mix along with newly crowned Ulster Superbike champion Jason Lynn.

England’s Danny Kent – the 2015 Moto3 Grand Prix world champion – is poised to make his Bishopscourt debut for new team Mar-Train Racing Yamaha after replacing Irishman Jack Kennedy in the Northern Ireland outfit for 2024, while Lee Jackson – fourth in BSB this season – and rising talent Charlie Nesbitt are entered on the Hawk Racing Honda machines.

Kerr said his Sunflower triumph in 2022 was ‘amazing’ as he joined an illustrious list of past winners of the race – first held in 1977 – that includes Joey Dunlop, Alan Irwin, Brian Morrison, Jim Moodie, Sam McClements, Steve Hislop, Ron Haslam, Jonathan Rea, and six-time winner Michael Laverty.

More recently, Danny Buchan, Glenn Irwin, Richard Cooper and Christian Iddon claimed the bragging rights over the past nine years.

“I honestly never thought that I would do it in my first year on a big bike,” said Kerr, who won both Supersport races at the event in 2019.

“I’ve won Sunflower races before on a Triumph in the Supersport class but that was [four] years ago, but I felt better on the big bike and it was great to come out on top.

“Alastair knows the place inside out and he is fast, so to be able to beat him was a job well done.”

Nottingham’s Richard Cooper sets the benchmark in the Supersport class on the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha and is joined at Bishopscourt by team-mate and established road racing frontrunner Dean Harrison.

Ballynahinch man Korie McGreevy is another leading light, with the McAdoo Racing Kawasaki rider showing excellent form in the Supersport class recently on the domestic scene.

Republic of Ireland rider Derek Sheils is a top contender on his Roadhouse Macau BMW as he aims to ruffle the feathers of the big British championship names at the final Irish race meeting of the year, which also hosts the last round of the Ulster Superbike Championship.

Cameron Dawson from Dungannon will ride for the Gearlink Kawasaki team with British Supersport winner Tom Booth-Amos an intriguing entry, while Dromara’s Sam Laffins lines up fresh from a National Junior Superstock double at Brands Hatch last weekend.

Fellow Junior Superstock rider Jamie Lyons will also be out to make his presence felt in the Supersport class.

National Superstock 1000 riders Simon Reid and Scott Swann add more quality to the Superbike grid, with British Supersport rider Eunan McGlinchey set to ride a BMW S1000RR for Nico Mawhinney.

Qualifying is scheduled on Friday from 9:15am with eight races planned, including the first Supersport and Superbike events.

A 13-race programme is due on Saturday, headlined by the 46th J.A.S. Finlay Sunflower Trophy showdown over 12 laps.