Alastair Seeley eyes British championship return after Ulster title double

Alastair Seeley is hoping for the opportunity to return to the British Supersport Championship before the end of the season after clinching the Ulster Superbike and Supersport titles.
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The Carrickfergus man was in dominant form at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday, where he bagged a four-timer for a clean sweep at the penultimate round of the series.

Seeley won both Superbike races on the IFS Yamaha R1 to capture the Enkalon Trophy for a third time after lifting the silverware in back-to-back years in 2005 and ’06.

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The 41-year-old joined a small group of riders to have won the trophy three times since it was first held in 1977, including Alan Irwin, Johnny Rea, Rodney McCurdy, Derek Sheils and Cameron Donald.

Alastair Seeley with his fiancee Danielle and daughter Olivia-Grace at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday, where he won both Superbike and Supersport races to wrap up an Ulster championship double.Alastair Seeley with his fiancee Danielle and daughter Olivia-Grace at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday, where he won both Superbike and Supersport races to wrap up an Ulster championship double.
Alastair Seeley with his fiancee Danielle and daughter Olivia-Grace at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday, where he won both Superbike and Supersport races to wrap up an Ulster championship double.

He also did the double in the Supersport class on the Life Pass Yamaha R6, claiming the Ulster title and the IFS David Wood Memorial Trophy, and a cheque for £1,200.

Seeley, who is a former British Supersport and Superstock 1000 champion, and a BSB race winner, said: “It would be nice to go over and do a British championship round and now that we’ve got the Ulster titles wrapped up, it kind of leaves me as a free agent to go across now that my job is done here.

“But I’d only really like to go and ride for a good team and if the IFS Life Pass team decided to go, then that would be great.”

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Seeley put the Superbike championship to bed in the opening race on Saturday, fending off Dromara’s Ali Kirk (AKR/McCurry BMW) to win the first leg of the Enkalon Trophy race by 2.567s after 10 laps of the 1.8-mile circuit, with Jason Lynn (J McC Roofing Suzuki) in third, 4.9s further back.

Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley with the David Wood Memorial Trophy following his Supersport double on the IFS Life Pass Yamaha at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday.Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley with the David Wood Memorial Trophy following his Supersport double on the IFS Life Pass Yamaha at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday.
Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley with the David Wood Memorial Trophy following his Supersport double on the IFS Life Pass Yamaha at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday.

The 24-time North West 200 winner was presented with the Joe Lindsay trophy for his victory in the first Superbike race by fellow Carrick man Glenn Irwin, who will be in action this weekend on the Honda Racing Fireblade as the British Superbike Championship Showdown commences at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

Seeley later won race two by 3.1s from the consistent Kirk to claim the Enkalon Trophy, with Lynn again sealing the final rostrum spot in third, 7.5s further back.

It was Seeley’s 10th successive victory on the 1000cc Yamaha, maintaining his 100 per-cent unbeaten record in the class this year.

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Gary McCoy (Madbros Suzuki), Jonny Campbell on the J McC Roofing Kawasaki and Superbike Cup rider Matthew Caughey (SRT Suzuki) finalised the top six.

In warm autumn sunshine at Bishopscourt, pole man Seeley also claimed a Supersport brace, keeping Tobermore’s Adam McLean at bay on the opening laps before pulling a gap over the McAdoo Kawasaki rider to win by 3.2s in the restarted race, with McCoy snatching third following a battle for the last podium place with Lynn and Aaron Armstrong, who crashed out on the final lap.

Christian Elkin (Bob Wylie Yamaha) took fifth behind Lynn, with Mark Conlin in sixth on the NRG Yamaha.

Seeley completed his four-timer with his second Supersport victory and his eighth win from ten races in the class this season to secure the David Wood Memorial Trophy.

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He powered clear of McLean, taking the flag with 6.7s in hand, as McCoy rounding out the top three ahead of Elkin, Conlin and Lynn, who were locked in battle for fourth.

In the Supertwin class, Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed (McAdoo Kawasaki) and Michael Sweeney took a victory apiece.

Kia McClintock and Ajay Carey doubled up in the Moto One and Supersport 300 races respectively, while Alexander Rowan and Ross Moore won the Moto3 races. Mark Camblin sealed a brace in the Lightweight Supersport class on his 400 Honda.

The sixth and final round of the Ulster Superbike Championship is scheduled to take place at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit on Saturday, October 2.