Seeley edges out Elliot at Oulton

After putting the Tyco BMW on pole for the race there was never any doubt who would come out on top. It was the perfect boost for the 35year old Carrick man before the NW200 where is is aiming to close in on Robert Dunlop’s record of 15 wins.

Alastair said: “This weekend was the perfect boost prior to the NW 200 and I think I answered the questions with my pole position and the win, would I be holding back before going to Portrush.

“The Tyco BMW S1000RR is feeling more like my bike every time I ride it, and having watched Tommy winning today on the Superbike is confidence inspiring heading to the NW200 next week. Thanks to the team for another big effort and the big crowd of sponsors and fans for turning out to support us.”

To say it was poor conditions for racing at Saturday’s Around a Pound Tandragee 100 would be the year’s greatest understatement. It was freezing cold wet and windy and yet the riders put on a great show.

Ballyclare’s Jamie Hamilton was on the podium four times on the Cookstown/Burrows Engineering Racing bikes.

The club decided that due to the weather forcast on Saturday they would run the open race on Friday night after qualifying.

Hamilton, who qualified second fastest took an immediate lead on the big Suzuki and held that lead for the opening two laps before a visor problem impaired his vision. He had to ease the pace, letting William Dunlop and Ryan Farquhar through to fight for the win.

In the end, Farquhar beat Dunlop by 0.4 seconds, with Hamilton holding on to third.

“I had a new helmet on and the sweat got onto the visor and I couldn’t see where I was going. I felt comfortable leading the race but it was too dangerous to keep pushing on at the front when I couldn’t see,” explained the Ballyclare rider.

On Saturday the conditions were terrible and Hamilton finished third in the supersport race despite leading in the early stages.

In the Tandragee 100 feature race a much depleted field braved the conditions for the five lapper. William Dunlop hit the front from the off and never looked back on the Tyco BMW with Hamilton a comfortable second on the Cookstown/Burrows Engineering superbike.

Hamilton completed his day with another second place in the supertwins race behind Derek Magee.

Glengormley rider Jeremy McWilliams made his debut at Tandragee and came away with a third place in the 500 classic race on the Paton behind Winfield Gears team-mate Ryan Farquhar and NRE Weslake rider Paul Coward.

“I certainly enjoyed learning my way round the Tandragee. It’s the most technical road circuit that I’ve ridden on and took me longer to get up to speed but super fast and flowing. Just a pity about the weather,” said Jeremy.

At the latest round of the British MX Championship at Canada Heights, the local riders had a mixed bag on the result front.

In the MX1 championship, Martin Barr and Graeme Irwin had their troubles.

Irwin on the Heads and All Threads Suzuki struggled with a dislocated shoulder injury and despite qualifying 7th his best finish was in race one where he took the chequered flag in 6th place. In his next two races he was 10th and 8th respectively.

For Barr it was a bad day at the office. He qualified the BRT KTM 12th fastest and in race one was inside the top six on the opening lap but dropped to 10th at the flag.

In race two he had a coming together with another rider and crashed out but was run over by two following machines ending his day’s racing.

In the MX2 class Glenn McCormick had a best finish in a tough day of 16th on the Watts/Agnew Recovery KTM.