Bird ready for penultimate round of championship

Bird, the defending champion, on his Watt 350 KTM, leads Portavogie’s Risk Racing/GOMX Yamaha mounted Robert Hamilton by 17 points and the title must be between these two.

In third place lies Banbridge KTM rider Ryan Adair, who is 60 points adrift of Hamilton on his Portadown Fireplaces/Adair Building Services machine.

Round five of the Ulster Open Championships will be held at Downpatrick Motocross Park tomorrow (Saturday).

Lying in fourth is Greyabbey’s Craig Browne on his Smoke Vent KTM 450, with Ballymena man Stuart Nesbitt fifth on his Yamaha, 6th is Loughbrickland’s John Meara on his TMC KTM.

In the Premier MX2 Class, reigning Champ Glenn McCormick from Glenoe on his Agnew Recovery/Watt Motorcycles KTM holds 20 point lead over 17 year old James Mackrel on the Risk Racing/GOMX Yamaha with Ballymoney man Jordan McCaw adistant third on his Husqvarna and William Donnelly from Dromara fourth on his Yamaha.

In the Project 113/Matheson Contracts/Stephen Russell Motorcycles/Laverty Motorcycles Semi Expert Classes, MX1 Class Colin McGregor from Dromara holds a commanding 38 point lead on his Honda after some impressive results at recent rounds, second is Carrickfergus man William Logan now Kawasaki mounted, although Kevin Traynor from Ballymoney is only 2 points adrift in third on his Risk Racing/GOMX Yamaha, fourth is Scott Leaney from Stoneyford on his Yamaha.

The MX2 Class is led by Limavady teenager Matthew Loughlin on his Yamaha, David Anderson is second 20 points adrift on his KTM, third is Ballyclare’s Ben Mottram on his Agnew Recovery Yamaha with neighbour Kris Rea on his Yamaha only six points behind.

In the Spence Racing Clubmans MX2 Class, Stephen White from Waringstown on the White Lightning Honda 250 holds a slender 2 point lead over Yamaha mounted Darren Haugh while 16 points behind in third is Josh Quinn with Andrew Wilson in fourth, the Champion will surely come from one of these four.

Downpatrick Motocross Park will be signposted from the Clough Rd, racing will start at around 11am, and there will be three races per class, entry is £5.00 with Under 14’s free .