Mondello Masters series concludes this weekend

It's been proving a bit difficult to get any kind of up to date information from race organisers, but I understand, from www.realroadracing.com that the entry is the best of the year.

The big money Mondello Masters race will be held on Sunday afternoon, after all the Irish championship races are completed. At the time the info was sent to irishroadracers, something like 26 entries had been received for the Masters race, including current series leader, and 2010 ISB champion, Marshal Neill.

Also entered is second place man Brian McCormack, BSS regular Marty Nutt, Michael Dunlop, Manx GP winner Michael Sweeney, former British champion Paul Barron, David Haire, Glenn Irwin, who has been right on the ISB pace, but on a 600, Kirk Jamison, Mark Johnston and local man Gerard Kinghan.

Neill leads the Masters series at the minute, holding a 14 point advantage over McCormack, but the Waterford man will be wanting to try to claw that back before the final race. Also well in the hunt is Lisburn's David Haire, who is in a steady third place.

Practice will be on Saturday morning, from 9am, and as far as I know, not having had any reply from the organisers (I hesitate to call them promoters) and on Sunday, probably something similar.

Robert English, from Ahoghill, is in the happy position of not having to compete at the weekend to win the overall 125 class. Out of 8 race starts, he has won 8 races, and with three races this weekend, I wouldn't go betting on him being beaten.

Elder brother Christopher has had three second places, three thirds and a fourth. He also has a DNF.

BIKE EXHIBITION

Also on real road racers.com, I see that there is an exhibition called Road Racing Nation.

It's in Downpatrick Museum, and will feature stories and the achievements of Irish road racers through the years. Admission is free, and although I havent seen it as yet, it would imagine that men like Joey Dunlop, Robert Dunlop and Stanley Woods will feature prominently. Stanley lived the final years of his life at Bright, not too far from Downpatrick.

I remember, about 25 years ago, I was out on a CB360 Honda that I used to own. I met Stanley walking his dog, just down the road from his house. I stopped and had a chat with him, and during that time, I ended up holding his wee dog, while he had a run down the road on the bike.

He came over the bump in the road just at Minerstown pub on the back wheel, and then announced that "it goes quite well. If the British bike industry had taken the Japanese seriously, they would still be making bikes."

The exhibition runs during museum opening hours, and lasts until the 17th November. Any further details can be found on the Down Museum website.3

Roy Adams