Cole McCullough claims maiden win in British Championship

The 13-year-old, riding the Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee qualified fourth fastest and holeshotted his opening race.

He dropped to second with two and a half laps remaining, to finish behind Ollie Colmer. In his second race he dropped to third but fought his way back to second at the halfway stage of the race taking the flag behind Charlie Heyman for his first 125 British overall victory.

In the MX1 class the best of the locals was Jason Meara in 11th overall on the Phoenix Tools Even Strokes Kawasaki.

“It was a huge step forward for us after a tough couple of weeks,” said Meara.

“I qualified 13th and in race one I was in the mid pack before a crashed bike took me out and from dead last I came back to 16th. I was caught in the first lap pile up and came back through to tenth and slipped off before finishing 11th. Positive day that I hope to carry to the end of the season.”

Stuart Edmonds finished 14th overall after only one points scoring ride in race one on the Apico FC450 Husqvarna.

He said: “I was struggling with a chest infection and was happy with 8th in race one. I got caught in the big pile up on lap one and after I gathered myself back up I worked my way into twentieth, catching the pack when this horrendous noise came from the engine and I pulled in only to find out it was the disc guard. I wasn’t pleased.”

Team mate Martin Barr qualified ninth fastest but with a rear brake issue in race one and a visit to the pits, didn’t score points in race one. Ninth in race two gave him 15th overall.

“It should have been better but my lap times were good which is positive,” said Barr.

Glenn McCormick had a disappointing day finishing 17th overall on the Chambers Husqvarna.

“It was a tough day. I went 22nd in qualifying and then in the first race I got a good start and just struggled to get going finishing 11th, which wasn’t too bad. Then in the second race I got caught up in the first turn crash and had to come from dead last to get up to 20th.” he explained.

Omagh schoolboy Lewis Spratt finished eighth overall in the B/W 85 class.

It was thrills and spills at Tandragee for round four of the Ulster quad and sidecar championship with Mark McLernon running out the overall winner of the premier quads. The reigning champion trails new championship leader Moria’s Dean Dillon by 33 points after Saturday.

McLernon was the winner of race two and three but had to settle for second, his only defeat of the season, in the opening race after the rear shock absorber blew on the Walsh CRF 450. The winner of the opening race was Banbridge rider David Cowan who passed McLernon on lap six jumping the table top at the rear of the circuit. Unfortunately for Cowan machine problems in the final two races meant a DNF in race two and 10th in race three, costing him points in the championship. He now lies third behind Justin Reid.

“The flywheel broke in race two then the seat came off three time on the spare bike in race three. Not my day” explained Cowan.

“It was a bit like riding a pogo stick in race one. I couldn’t jump the middle table top at all,” said McLernon.

Dillon had tough start to his day crashing with Justin Reid in race one before finishing second in the final two races.

He said:“Coming out of the first corner we both jumped into each other at the jump and I flipped but got going again pretty quickly and fought my way back to sixth. Second in the last two races and lead the championship for the first time in my career is pretty special.”

Comber’s Justin Reid had electrical issues with the Justwin Racing Can-Am DS450 in race one but claimed two thirds in the final races.

Neil Campbell and Ross Graham were the overall winners of the sidecars with two wins and a second to Gary Moulds and Lewis Gray in race three.

Campbell said: “It was good to get back on the pace after a few tough weeks. We will take a few weeks off now to iron out a few small issues and will be back on track for the next British championship at Dean Moor.”

Moulds had clutch issues in the opening two races. “The clutch basket broke in race one and despite it being replaced it was still slipping in race two. We replaced the whole clutch for race three and now hopefully that’s the problem sorted,” he said.

Third overall was Jonathan Wilson and Andrew Rowan with Emma Moulds, who was celebrating her birthday, fourth overall with Paul Horton. Paul Edgar was unbeaten in the clubman quad class, while Ruairi McCloster was the overall winner in the semi experts.

John Joe Malone from Annaclone, Banbridge was making his MRA debut in the junior 50cc class and the eight year-old was in a class of his own winning all three races. In the 80/100 class Dean Owens was the winner. With one win and two seconds Travis Toye claimed the 200/250 class.