Five-star Farquhar dominates at Cookstown

RYAN Farquhar continued where he left off last year, destroying the record books, at last Saturdays Cookstown 100.

The Killyman rider has now won 13 races from 13 starts in the last two weeks. Impressive by anyones standards.

In case you are wondering, most classes had A and B races, as the short lap, 2.1 miles, of the Cookstown track only allow a small number of starters in each race. Apologies if you think the race peports are very sketchy. With 18 races, its not going to leave much space for too much detail.

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The first race of the day was the 125GP/Moto450 event. After a battle with William Dunlop, it was Farquhar who took the win, finishing 1.1 seconds ahead of Dunlop, while Nigel Moore was a distant third. After the race Dunlop stormed straight into a row by stating that he wasn't pleased with the rule of letting the 450 machines race with the 125s.

The only local rider we had in this race was Galgorm man Darren Gilpin. He brought his little Honda across the line in 18th place, with a fastest lap of just over 71mph. Barry Davidson had entered, but despite the full day on a dyno last Wednesday, the little 125 Logan Honda wouldn't go. William Dunlop just managed to edge the lap record from the late Darren Lindsay.

The 250GP and Supersport 400 'A' race went to William Dunlop, after a hectic dice with younger brother Michael. Both took turns at leading, but William made a break in the second half of the race, holding on to win by 3 seconds. In second place, Michael was over 11 seconds ahead of Davy Morgan at the line.

In 5th place, Barry Davidson, on Cleaver Browne's Honda, was the best local rider. His fastest lap was 81.543mph. Ballymena man Trevor Reid brought the AWT Yamaha home in 19th place overall, with a fastest lap of 74.759mph.

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The 'B' race was won by Daley Mathison. he finished .4 ahead of Darren Hughes, with Darren Gilpin posting a lap of 74.997mph to take his Irish Racer SV to third.

As expected, Ryan Farquhar done his usual demolition job in the Supertwins 'A' race. He beat Michael Dokoupil by almost 13 seconds, breaking the lap record on the way. From the Czech Republic, Dokoupil, better known as Indi, was well ahead of John Burrows.

Ballymena's Jonny Mark was the best of the locals, finishing in 11th place. Jonny's quickest lap was 75.619mph. Darren Gilpin took 14th place, setting his fastest lap on his final circuit with a speed of 78.194mph.

The 'B' race was won by Marty Lyons. Lyons, a circuit newcomer, beat Cookstown man Baylon McCaughey by .2 of a second, while it was Nigel Rea who finished on the final step of the podium, some 2 seconds back.

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No prizes for guessing who won the Supersport 600 'A' race. Farquhar, by 2.7 seconds with the Dunlops, Michael and William in second and third.

The only local entrant was Randalstown man Stephen McIlvenna. 'Jack' retired the Moira Club's R6, on the 8th lap after hearing a knocking noise and feeling it drop off a cylinder.

In the 'B' race, Skerries rider Michael Sweeney brought his R6 to a win, 9.1 seconds ahead of the current Junior Support champion, Portadown's Wayne Hamilton. Banbridge man Darwyn Young grabbed third, two corners from home, when Kilrea rider William Davison overshot on the Maine Club backed Honda.

Jonny Mark was the only local man to finish. He brought his Honda home in 20th place with a quickest lap of 77.525mph.

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Both Cameron Donald, a late entry, and Ryan Farquhar broke the old lap record in the Superbike 'A' race, but it was the basically Superstock spec Kawasaki of Farquhar who now holds the best time. His speed of 90.811 was set on lap 8 of 10. Try as he might Donald's Suzuki couldnt match Farquhar, who afterwards admitted to taking a few chances during the race. They paid off, and the Killyman rider beat Donald by 1.1 seconds.

In third place, Michael Dunlop was some 16 seconds back. In his comeback race since a nasty crash at last years Skerries, James McCann took his first road race win in the Cookstown 100 'B' race. Billy Byrne, on Randalstown man Declan Murray's Yamaha was the early leader, but McCann soon went ahead. Emlyn Hughes moved into second place with a couple of laps to go, dropping Byrne to third.

Darren Hughes, on Ryan Farquhar's last year's ER6, won the Junior Support race. He finished almost 11 seconds ahead of Stuart Garton, while Skerries man David Howard was third.

In the Junior Support 'B' event, we had a great race, where Australian Josh Trigwell, took his first road race win. He was pressed hard by Jonny Mark, the Ballymena man just missing out by .1 of a second. The leaders had pulled well away from third finisher, Mick Jordan.

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Alan Bonner, from Co. Meath, took his first road race win, in just about the first time he had ridden a bike on the road, when he took part in the Senior Support 'A' race. Bonner just managed to pip Skerries man David Yeomans, by .8 of a second. Yomo, in turn, was only .7 ahead of Banbridge man Shaun Anderson. Jonny Mark was 9th with a fastest lap of a fraction over 80mph.

Ryan Farquhar again rode his more or less stock Kawasaki to a win in the Cookstown 100 Open race 'A'. Cameron Donald could do nothing that looked like it might bother the Killyman based man, as Ryan coasted to a 6.8 second win. Michael Dunlop finished in third place, on a Honda. Jack McIlvenna had his only finish of the day, in 20th place. His quickest lap was 83.990mph.

In the Open 'B' race, Damien Howard, another of the crop of useful lads from the Skerries area, brought his Yamaha home just over a second ahead of Billy Byrne. Byrne, on the T&M Yamaha was a couple of seconds up on Emlyn Hughes. Kells' Corran Smyth, on the GS backed Suzuki, took 16th place. His quickest lap was 77.856mph.

Pete Wakefield just beat Ballymena man Barry Davidson into second place in the 250 category of the 250/350 Classic race. Barry, on Sammy Dempster's beautiful little 198 Honda, just gave away too many ccs to the 250 Suzuki of Wakefield. The Cheshire man took the win by .348 of a second. Jeff Ward was the next 250 machine home.

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John Burrows brought Gerry O'Sullivans Honda to a win in the 350 class. Burrows came from behind to beat Manxman Allan Brew and Freddie Stewart. Thomas Hogg was the early leader in the 250/350 'B' Classic race. I secretly hoped that Thomas could take the race win, on George Leonard's Honda, less than a week after burying his father John. It wasn't to be, though, and Kevin Strowger came back at the Newcastle man, to win by over 30 seconds. Thomas was second, with Richard Ford third.

The last race was the Senior Classic. Mark McGaw ran out as the winner here, but not without some stiff opposition from Neil McWhirter. McGaw won by 2.5 seconds with Robert McCrum third. Barry Davidson was forced out of the race when Ed Manley's Honda had a clutch cable disconnect itself.

As for Ryan Farquhar, what can you say? He is now the most successful Irish rider of all time, as far as National road race wins goes. He has won, in a 14 year career, 126 races. That gives him more than men like Joey Dunlop, Robert Dunlop, Ray McCullough and Phillip McCallen. And he's still going strong.

In all Irish road races, he has amassed 135 wins, equal to Robert Dunlop, and only 21 behind Joey Dunlop. Joey's career spanned 29 years. I don't think there's much doubt that Ryan will break Joey's record, and probably add to it before the end of the season and at 34, he has probably another 10 years left in him.

LOCALS STAR

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We might only be a wee place, but as far as bike racing goes, Northern Ireland born riders can mix it with the best in the World.

That was proved beyond any shadow of a doubt at Assen on Sunday. For the first time ever, Ballyclare rider Jonathan Rea took a double of race wins, while Toomebridge man Eugene Laverty rounded it off with a win in the Supersport 600 class.

Rea's first win came in the first leg of the WSB class. Riding for the Dutch team, TenKate Hannspree Honda, Jonathon edged away from a hectic race for the lower placings. James Toseland, a former World title holder took second and Leon Camier third.

If the first race was hectic, the second was far worse. At times up to 8 riders were after the same bit of tarmac, as Rea edged away, yet again, to let the rest of the field get on with it. Towards the end of the race, Camier fired his Aprilia away in a spectacular crash. Rea took the win from Leon Haslam, who had a puncture in the first race, with Toseland took third.

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The results move Rea to third in the overall table. Haslam still leads on 148 points. Max Biaggi is second on 128 and Rea has 110.

In the World Supersport race, Toomebridge rider Eugene Laverty did almost exactly the same as Jonny Rea. The local man fired in a few fast laps, and made his move. It was then a race for the lower places, as nobody seemed to have the speed to go with him.

Joan Lascorz finished second, but still leads tops the World standings, on 85 points. Kenan Sofuoglu, with his third place, now sits in second on 77 points, while Laverty has 66, in third.

A fantastic day and the first time two Irish riders have achieved such a feat. It's also the first time I have shouted at the TV since Jeremy McWilliams was in 250 GPs. The Enkalon Rider of the Year is going to be a hard one to win this year.

THIS WEEKEND

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With the loss of the Tandragee 100 road race, scheduled for this weekend, a hastily organised short circuit for the ISB boys takes centre stage.

Practice gets under way at 9am at Kirkistown, while the racing starts at about 1pm.

At Bishopscourt, on May Day Monday, the Irish Clubmans Championship takes a step further when the Bishopscourt club have organised a meeting.

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