MOTORBIKES: Maurice Montgomery's East Antrim review

He was fastest in qualifying and in race one on Sunday when he took the chequered flag by 0.5 seconds.

He led from start to finish in Monday’s race, crossing the line nearly 20 seconds clear of his rivals. “It was a great weekend results wise. The track was very difficult in the wet and slippery conditions. It would have been so easy to make a costly mistake. Again, I can’t thank my team and sponsors enough for all their support,” added Aaron.

Maghermorne teenager Scott Swann was pleased with his first visit to Oulton, finishing 11th in Sunday’s KTM RC 390 race, followed by a terrific sixth on Monday. “Sunday’s result was OK but I was really pleased with my sixth place on Monday,” he said.

Reid extends series lead

In the British Supersport series Jordanstwon’s Andy Reid took seventh in Sunday’s race one to extend his title lead. He ran out a comfortable winner in Monday’s race - his second victory from three rides.

“The main thing is we picked up another 25 points and extended our Championship lead,” said Reid.

Carrick’s Alastair Seeley had mixed fortunes at round two of the 2016 MCE British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park on Bank Holiday Monday when an excellent first-race fifth-place offset by a fall in the second.

The RAF Regular & Reserve BMW rider said: “It’s definitely been a mixed race day in terms of the results but, overall, it’s been a positive weekend and I’ve been happy with my pace, both in the wet and dry. It’s unfortunate to finish with a DNF but I’m fit and healthy going into the North West 200 and raring to go.”

In the same series, Be Wiser Ducati racer Glenn Irwin found the conditions challenging at Oulton but put in two fine rides. He fought his way up to 13th at the chequered flag in race one and saved the best till last, claiming seventh in race two.

“It’s been a challenging weekend as I’ve never raced the bike in these kind of conditions but I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made and I’ve definitely moved forward again,” the 26-year-old said.

Cookstown 100

A brilliant day’s racing at the KDM Hire Cookstown 100 road races saw Derek Sheils run out a double winner in both Superbike races on the Cookstown BE Racing Suzuki.

“I’m Really pleased with my results,” Sheils said. “I’m pleased to win the big race for John (Burrows) and the team. They all work hard and this win is as much for them as it is for me.”

The Supersport race was a close run thing in the opening laps between McGee, Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, Dan Kneen, William Dunlop and Paul Jordan. As the race progressed Dunlop was pulling away from Mitchell-Thomas and Kneen but on the final lap the race was red-flagged when Mitchell-Thomas crashed out.

Dunlop came through from third to take the win in the second Supersport race on the CD-IC Racing Yamaha.

The five-lap Supertwins race was another thriller with Mitchell-Thomas taking top spot, while Paul Jordan was an easy winner of the 125 race, finishing over four seconds ahead of Adam McLean and Sam Wilson.

James Chawke won the junior support event and John Horgan took the Senior Support race laurels.

Rea on the podium twice at Imola

After finishing on the podium behind Ducati’s Chaz Davies in Saturday’s opening race of the Imola round of World Superbikes Championship, Ballyclare’s Jonathan Rea and team-mate Tom Sykes rode in tandem at times in the second race of the weekend, which was held in dry conditions after heavy overnight rain.

Race one saw Rea struggle with electronic issue under braking at times, running wide at turn 7 at one point.

In race two neither Kawasaki rider could get into contention with double race winner Chaz Davies, despite each making changes to the overall set-up for the second race.

Rea and his KRT team-mate Sykes stood on the podium for the second time in two days at Imola, with Rea once more second and Sykes again a close third on their all-new Ninja ZX-10Rs.

For Rea his two runners-up places keep him in a clear championship lead, 35 points ahead of Davies.

The next round of the championship takes place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on May 14 and 15.

Jonathan said: “Chaz made a very good first lap and broke me a little bit but then I felt like I was managing the same pace and maybe even faster. Then I had a huge moment on the exit of the last chicane. I ran onto the astroturf, which had held moisture from last night’s rain.

“A few laps later, when I was in fifth gear and on full gas, my bike just cut out on the straight. I lost two or three seconds in one lap. It fired into life again but it took me a few corners to relax again. It feels like when we can’t win we should finish second and we did that at Imola. It is clear now that there are three guys now at the top of the championship.

Carrick DMC grasstrack

At Carrickfergus and District Motorcycle Club’s grasstrack event, Jordanstown’s Jay McCrum won the MTA Process Components Premier Class after producing two wins from three starts.

Following in second at Dalway’s Bawn was Richard Watt, who managed to get the better of McCrum in race one and Phil Harris who finished in third overall.

Doagh’s Paul Atkinson took the overall win in the semi-expert class ahead of Dion Johnson and Harry Stitt while Chris McKinley heads the Watt Motorcycles Clubman MX1 class after round one. Trials man Chris Brown sits eight points back from McKinley following a good start to the championship and Denver Robb rounds out the top three.

Alan Saunders continued his grasstrack form on from last year in the Russells Motorcycles Clubman MX2 class with two wins from three adding up to an overall victory ahead of female competitor Lynsey Haggan who is tied with William Eve for second.

Richard Watt and William Logan battled throughout the night for top spot in the EVOs but it was Watt who got the better of the local man and currently leads the championship. Ivan Cairns occupies the final podium position.

The Minibike class, sponsored by Ernie Coates Motorcycles, was a new addition to the Carrickfergus Club events and provided some entertaining racing throughout. Just one point separates leader Paul Atkinson from Phil Adair at the end of round one and it was Warren Ferris that completed the top three.