Beyond Signage MRA Ulster Youth championship season wrapped up with brilliant two days of racing

Brilliant racing at the two-day Beyond Signage MRA Ulster Youth championship at Magilligan MX Park wrapped up the 2023 series with six out of the seven champions being crowned. The S/W85 champion is still to be confirmed.

Ethan Gawley came into the weekend five points adrift in the championship but made up the deficit to win the Junior 65 Ulster Youth championship. Ethan, who celebrated his 11th birthday, was unbeaten over the two days winning six races from six starts on the Derryhale haulage/AK motorcycles/fluid plumbing KTM.

It has been a fantastic end to a tough season for the Portadown schoolboy, coming back from injury, to being crowned champion.

Londonderry’s Bobby Burns kept it steady over the two day and did what he had to do to claim the B/W85 championship.

“It feels really, really good. It’s just amazing to win my first Ulster championship” beamed the 13-year-old as he stepped off his KTM.

Andrew Anderson from Moneymore was an impressive winner of the 2023 65cc Cadet championship on the Redesign Kitchens KTM after two perfect days where he won all six races to claim the overall from Caleb Duffy and Cole McAuley.

In the pit bike races it was the McCullough brothers Cole and Robbie who had their father Phillip, who was commentating over the two days, nearly speechless. Cole won races one and three for the overall but it was Robbie who took victory in race two to take the championship with Alfie Herron completing the top three.

Jack Quinn from Coalisland was crowned Automatic Ulster champion with Ballyclare’s Freddie Dubois claiming the PW beginners crown with three wins on Sunday.

Omagh’s Lewis Spratt lined up with two English visitors Hayden Statt and Finlay Pickering in the B/W85 class. Spratt qualified third fastest for Saturday’s races and despite a bad start finished second behind Statt. He lead from start to finish in race two and claimed the overall with another second in race three. He was fastest in Sunday’s practice and after nine brilliant laps of racing less than a second separated race winner Statt and Spratt at the chequered flag. The Newcastle rider went on to claim another victory in race two and a second in race three gave the visitor the overall.

Spratt finished third in race two after a coming together with Pickering resulted in the local rider being forced off the track. Spratt rejoined and caught the Pickering only to be blocked by a back marker the final lap. In the final race he pushed Statt for the lead before Statt slipped off under Spratt’s pressure. Spratt went on the claim a great win for second overall and second in the championship.

“It was great racing with the visitors and it gives me confidence for this weekend’s final round of the MX Nationals at Hawkstone”

Ulster riders were on top of their game at the Point De Vaux quad races in France with Moria teenager Ross Dillon and team mate Mikkel Kurdahl (Denmark) winning both the Kenny Contest 4hr duo and under16 trophies along with third overall.

In the main 72-hour race, Hillsborough’s Mark Mclernon and Banbridge rider Davy Cowan teamed up with Sheldon Seal (GB) to finish second overall. Moria’s Dean Dillon rode to fourth with team mates Kevin Saar (Estonia) and Joe Massen (Netherlands).