Huge entry for Masters Superbike Championship season opener

 

 

The Masters Superbike Championship will kick off the 2017 season on the Mondello Park National Circuit this Saturday and Sunday March 25th & 26th, with a massive 40% increase in entries compared to the 2016 season opener.

All of the main classes will begin the new season with increased entries with the Supersport class increasing to over forty machines, despite some high profile defections to Superbike. Leading the entry will be 2016 Supersport Cup champion Aaron Clifford who returns on the Kingsbury Kawasaki he campaigned last season. Clifford's main opposition will come from Kingsbury team mate Ross Patterson and the highly experienced Jason Lynn, with Dean McMaster and Aaron Armstrong also likely to challenge at the front.

The Supersport Cup class will be the most hotly contested championship at the Masters in 2017 with so many riders moving in from other classes as well as a number of riders returning for another bite. Reigning British KTM Cup champion Aaron Wright joins the series and will start as one of the favourites along with double Masters Production Twin champion Mark McConville. With more than thirty riders eligible for the Cup, the battle could well overshadow the fight for overall Supersport race wins.

The Superbike class has also seen a resurgence with entries over the thirty mark. Brian McCormack returns for 2017 hoping to put a disappointing 2016 season behind him. Also returning are Gerard Kinghan, on a brand new Kawasaki, Cody Nally, Declan Hoey and Mark Glasgow on ZX10's, two new Yamaha R1's for 2016 Cup champion Charles Stuart and Supersport graduate Richie Ryan and a quartet of new BMW's ridden by Supersport Champion Luke Johnston, Peter Moloney, Gary O'Brien and Mark O'Byrne. O'Brien, a former Supersport Cup champion will be hard to beat in the Superbike Cup class where his main opposition could come from Kawasaki rider Wayne Sheehan and Superbike debutante Jamie O'Keefe.

Principal Insurance continue as title sponsors of the Pre-Injection Championship and this is another class to experience growth for the season opener. Having suffered a poor season by his standards last year, 2015 champion Paul McCrea will start as favourite to win back the crown. Of his 2016 rivals only Joe Grant is currently on the entry list, leaving the way open for some new names to move to the front.

Of the remaining classes the biggest increases in grid size can be found in the Twins, where the twenty two bike entry is equally split between the faster Supertwins and the less powerful Production machines. With 2016 Champion Aaron Armstrong moving on to Superbike, Dave Butler will be looking to the new faces to provide the opposition as he looks to win back the title he lifted in 2015. In Production Twins Eoin O'Siochru will be hoping to go one better than 2016, when he was beaten into second place by the now departed Mark McConville.

Also on the programme this weekend will be Lightweight Supersport, a combined race for Young Guns and Junior Cup and Sidecars. Each class will race three times over the two days with race one on Saturday and races two and three on Sunday.

Tickets for the Masters Superbike Championship opener are available to purchase on-line from www.masterssuperbike.ie with discounts available on Sunday admission and fantastic savings on weekend tickets. All admission includes a complimentary event programme and accompanied under sixteen's are admitted free of charge.

For all the info on the Masters follow the series at facebook.com/MastersSuperbike, twitter.com/MastersSBK or on the championship web site www.masterssuperbike.ie.

Fergus Brennan

The Nifty 50 race beckons shortly!

The long dark evenings are receding and talk of the 2017 short circuit season begins. For some it's the need of an entirety of smooth slick tyres and extra dyno runs, for others it's adapting to a new machine in the hope of securing some silverware and precious prize money. Then there are this lot…

The now annual Nifty 50 endurance in Mondello is one of THE most subscribed races on the calendar every year and in fact, the following years entry fills up the week after the current race has finished such is the popularity of the event. Ran as an endurance event with 4 riders per team, it thoroughly entertains from the Le Mans style sprint start to the prize giving later in the bar.

Previous entrants have been ex-MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams, Pramac Ducati rider Scott Redding, Jamie Hamiton and current Road Racer Derek Sheils. In keeping with the fun nature of the race, the prize money collected and Mondello Parks generous “gate” money goes to the winners’ nominated charity. Charities like the Women’s Refuge and the Lifeboat association are examples of organizations that have benefitted from the event. There are other trophies given for other categories, but you’ll have to turn up for those as I’m sworn to secrecy.

This year’s race takes place on Saturday February 25^th beginning at 11am sharp (read sometime before midday!) and ends in between 3 and 4pm or when peoples interest in watching future  Domino’s pizza delivery drivers dwindles, whichever happens first.

Be fantastic to see a good crowd support this, have a laugh at the antics and support a needy cause. Plus, you never know who may turn up...

Words: Andy Quinn

Images: James Foley\Tom O’Hanlon

Irish Tarmac Racing Dates 2017

Major changes for 2017 Mondello Park Motorcycle Race Events

Following a long consultation process involving Motorcycling Ireland's Short Circuit Committee, Race organising clubs, Mondello Park and Motorcycle Racing competitors, a radical 2017 Mondello Park Motorcycle Racing calendar has been announced. The new schedule will see a reduced number of events run with each event taking place over two days. The calendar will also see a better spread of events across the season with the opening event scheduled for late March followed by one race meeting per month from May till late September. To maintain the required number of National Championship events and Masters Championship events within the reduced calendar, three of the 2017 dates will count for both championships. This innovative change has come about due to requests from competitors for less events and the recognition by all parties involved that Motorcycle Racing in Ireland is in need of consolidation and streamlining. All of the Motorcycling Ireland Short Circuit organising clubs are behind the efforts to make the necessary changes and are committed to making Motorcycle Racing in Ireland more promotable and cost effective. To allow the two series to combine some small changes will be made to Masters regulations. One of the most significant changes will be the Masters promoters adopting the same Cup and Pro gradings as the National Championship. In addition support championship classes at Masters events will now be in line with National Championship regulations. The Master Superbike and Supersport tyre restrictions will be retained, however at combined events only those wishing to score Masters points will be required to comply with them, while riders only interested in National Championship points will be free to use as many tyres as they wish. The 2017 Mondello Park Motorcycle Racing calendar will have the least number of events for many years but with each event taking place over two days riders can look forward to as much race mileage as they have ever had. Combining the Masters and the National Championship should encourage more competitors to tackle both series and the end result should be a stronger a more stable Irish Short Circuit Racing scene. 2017 Mondello Park Motorcycle Racing Dates Mar 25th & 26th Masters Superbike Championship May 6th & 7th National Championship & Masters Superbike Championship June 24th & 25th National Championship & Masters Superbike Championship July 15th & 16th Masters Superbike Championship Aug 5th & 6th National Championship & Masters Superbike Championship Sept 30th & Oct 1st Masters Superbike Championship

Race dates 2017 - SC and Road Racing

Pictures below show the dates agreed upon by the Clubs, Commissions and circuit owners at yesterdays Inter-centre Conference.

Time to start planning your flag seminars.

MCI Medical Team Joey Dunlop raffle

Who could forget the entrance that John McGuinness made @TT 2013 on the Joey Fireblade.

Here is your chance to perhaps own a copy of a photo of it with a remarkable cameo! The proceeds of the raffle go direct to the MCI Medical teams.

2016 JAS Finlay Sunflower Qualifying and Race Schedule

Sunflower Races programme of events.

Qualifying (Friday 9.00am) All sessions are timed.

1 & 11                        Supersport Cup                                                                                          0900               1148

2 & 12                        Supersport                                                                                                  0915               1203

3 & 13                        Superbike Cup & F1                                                                                   0930               1218

4 & 14                        Superbike                                                                                                    0945               1233

                                                                                                                                                                                              LUNCH

5 & 15                        Young Guns Challenge / Junior Cup                                                       1003               1345

6 & 16                        Pre Injection                                                                                               1018               1400

7 & 17                        Sidecars                                                                                                       1033               1415

8 & 18                        Supertwins / Production Twins                                                               1048               1430

9 & 19                        Lightweight (400/450)                                                                              1103               1445

10 & 20                      Moto 3 (125GP)                                                                                         1118               1500

Ronnie Donnan Memorial Parade Laps after Session 10                                                    1133

Friday Race 1             

               Provincial Group Supersport Cup / Superbike Cup / F1                                        8 Laps1520                                                                                                               

2             Norman Watt Motorcycles Young Guns Challenge / Junior Cup                         7 Laps            1540

3             Ironside Trophies Pre Injection & Cup Non-Qualifiers 8 Laps                              1600

Race Timetable – Saturday

Warm Up – 9am

1             Supersport Cup / Superbike Cup / F1                                                                                                 0900

2             Superbike                                                                                                                                                 0910

3             Young Guns Challenge / Junior Cup                                                                                                   0920

4             Pre Injection & Cup Non-Qualifiers                                                                                                    0930

5             Supersport                                                                                                                                               0940

6             Lightweight (SS400 / 450)                                                                                                                    0950

7             Moto3 (125GP) & Twins Non-Qualifiers                                                                                            1000

8             Supertwins / Production Twins                                                                                                           1010

9             Sidecars                                                                                                                                                    1020

Saturday Race

1             Ashvale Farm Shop Supersport Cup / Superbike Cup / F1                                     8 Laps            1030

2             AJ Plumbing Supplies Ltd Superbike                                                                         8 Laps            1050

3A          Nutt Travel Lightweight (SS400 / 450)                                                                       8 Laps            1110

3B          Nutt Travel Moto 3 (125GP) & Twins Non Qualifiers                                             8 Laps            1130

4             Impact Bathrooms Supertwins / Production Twins                                                8 Laps            1150                   

5             D B Tiles & Bathrooms Supersport                                                                             8 Laps        1210              

6             Wash and Dash Sidecars                                                                                              8 Laps            1230

              

Ronnie Donnan Memorial Parade Laps                                                                                                         1250

7             J.A.S. Finlay Sunflower Trophy Feature Race                                                          12 Laps          1400

8             Global Oil Pre Injection & Cup Non-Qualifiers                                                         8 Laps            1420

9A          Balloo Hire Lightweight (SS400 / 450)                                                                       8 Laps            1440

9B          Balloo Hire Moto 3 (125GP) & Twins Non-Qualifiers                                              8 Laps            1500

10          The People’s Race Superbike                                                                                      8 Laps            1520

11          Impact Bathrooms Supertwins / Production Twins                                                8 Laps            1540

12          Killough Contracts Sidecars                                                                                         8 Laps            1600

13          Schimmel Distribution Supersport                                                                             8 Laps            1620

14          A.J.M. Sales Ltd. Young Guns Challenge / Junior Cup                                            7 Laps            1640

Events 3A, 3B, 9A and 9B will be separate races

Ronnie Donnan Memorial Parade Laps for JAS Finlay Sunflower race meeting 2016

There will be 2 Parade Lap sessions for machines of yesteryear.

Sunflower entry list 2016

Entry list reads like a modern role of honour and has the makings of a remarkable race meeting to bring 2016 to a close.

Masters Championship contenders return to Bishopscourt

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All of the Superbike and Supersport championship contenders will be on the grid along with some notable additions for the penultimate event of the 2016 Masters Superbike Championship, as the series returns to Bishopscourt.

40th ENKALON TROPHY in association with Cornmarket Insurance Services

The 2016 Motorcycle Short Circuit Irish Champion season got under way on Good Friday 25th March at Bishopscourt Racing circuit.
The two day Easter Superbike Festival Races, incorporating the 40th Enkalon Trophy Race scheduled off after lunch on Easter Saturday,
Unfortunately racing had to be cancelled due to severe 50-60mph gusts of wind making the circuit too dangerous for motorcycle racing.

Calendar