Last weekends Royal Hotel and Braeside Cookstown 100 signalled a fast and furious road race season ahead!
Ryan Farquhar was without doubt the star of the day, but it was Maverick, Michael Dunlop who carried away the Man of the Meeting award!. John Burrows was also in the winning ways, taking victory in the classic race.
Amongst the thousands of spectators were World Champion sidecar driver, Tim Reeves, Japanese BSB star, Atshusi Watnabe, TT Hero, Cameron Donald and Ian laugher but to name a few.
After the long winter, Irish road racing was back in action again, despite Fridays practice being very wet, Saturdays racing was held in perfect conditions,(except for 125s, which had a shower just before the off!).
Fridays practice, saw no less than 21 sessions!, and THANKS to great team work from competitors, race officials and spectators etc, there were no incidents, and roads were opened before 8.15 in the evening!.
Race day started in somewhat unexpected fashion, with three red flag incidents in the opening two races!.
Race one, the 400 support, sponsored by Loanends MCC, Saw English visitor, Paul Hedisontake victory from slow starting Cirian Donnelly, with Mark Sheilds in 3rd.
This race was cut short, when Caioth Lawless crashed on the approach to Blacks on lap 2, although uninjured, the same couldn’t be said for the bike and hedge!
Best of the locals was Timmy Turtle in 10th on his NDW Yamaha with Ronnie Scott 12th, and making a return to the roads after a few years absence, Roy Scott took the PK Racing Kawasaki home in 16th place .
Fastest lap went to Donnelly on the Bob Patterson fettled Honda.
Some riders were unhappy, that the race was declared a result, after just 3 completed laps.

Race 2, the Cookstown Town Centre Forum backed 125 race, was stopped before the opening lap was completed!, in the re start, it got to lap 3, when the red flags were again deployed!.
At this stage, Francis Everard, the Clerk of the Course, wisely called this race quits, and if time prevailed, it might get run later in the day!.
The first race incident happened as the riders exited Gortin corner, Adrian McFarland and Mark Young both appeared to touch, and McFarland went down, he was able to walk back to the pits.
In the re start, Graham wilson was exiting McAdoo Bends, when he appeared to high side, he managed to stay on, but lost control of his machine, he went across the road, and back into the track again, and collided with a fellow competitor!, and that poor competitor was again; Mark Young!
Later in the day, the race was re run, and just before the off, there was a drop of rain, enough to make riders ease the pace a little, this however didn’t deter Michael Dunlop as he eased away to win by just over 5 seconds from Darren Burns who was having his first road race since the unfortunate accident at blast years NW200..
Local eyes were on Mark Young, as struggled in the early stages of the race with a slick front tyre, but towards the end, he was lapping quicker then Burns, but had to settle for third.
Another local rider, Andy Neil on the NDW Honda was a splendid 4th ahead of Ivan Lintin, who was having his first ride on a 125 machine.
Barry davison on Russell Connor Honda was 6th ahead of veteran local, Jack Sands.
Another newcomer to Cookstown was Jamie O Brien, on board Peter Simpsons Honda, and with help from Keith Wallace, Jamie was well pleased with his debut in 12th spot. Adrian Coleman was next home ahead of Moneymores Gary Jordan.
Its been a long winter is a term well used by road race fans, and it certainly was waiting for, when the bikes lined up for the Open race, the Battle of the Gladiators!

Amor was the first man away, certainly benefiting from the new grid layout, with Farquahar in second and Connor Cummins in third, it was a good race, but sometimes boring, cos these three guys were in a league of their own, but they stayed as they were!, until Amor went a wee bit wide at Gortin, and of course, Farquhar, who had been pressurising him, didn’t need any invitation to slip through to go on and take the win, much to the delight of the ,local crowds.
The battle for fourth was however much more exciting, from group B, Gary Johnson ,Adrian Archibald, John Walsh , Michael Dunlop and John Burrows on the H2 Engineering Suzuki, were all involved in a titanic scrap, at the flag, it was as aforementioned
Amor also set a new lap record in his pursuit of the leaders.

The 250 class has always produced great racing, in recent years, the class lost some of its esteem, rising costs etc, didn’t help matters, but Thanks to the TSRRSC, They have helped put this class back on its feet, and certainly Saturdays race proved to be a real nail biter, sponsored by the ROYAL HOTEL and BRAESIDE, Michael Dunlop lead from the drop of the flag, right up to within sight of the flag!!, he was first across the line, but it was brother William who kept the pressure on him, and the only time he took the lead was on the final lap when he won by a mere four hundredths of a second!!, how closer could you get.
This was just like the good old days with Joey and Robert, you could say, History repeating it self!.
Stylish Barry Davison was next home ahead of newcomer Ollie Linsdell, with a rejuvenated Davy Morgan in 5th, Mark Young disputed 5th with Morgan throughout the race, but had to settle for 6th, only a tenth of a second adrift!.
Andrew Neil was next home ahead of David Guiney with John Burrows competing the top 10.
It was yet another record breaking race with William Dunlop lapping at 84.320 mph. Michael also went quicker than the old record.
Burrows take win
Next up was the Reid Bros 250/350 classic race, and there was a surprise finish in theis race, much to the delight of local race fans.
Having his first road race on Gerry O Sullivans 350 honda, John Burrows was amongst a four way scrap for the lead, but on the final lap, the two leaders, Allan Brew and Mark Megaw both crashed out, leaving a bewildered John Burrows to take the lead, and with it, a memorable win.
Evergreen scot, Denis Gallagher was 2nd ahead of Geoff McMullan and Ed Manly.
Freddie Stewart took 6th in the 350 class with Gerry o kane jnr in 8th.
The B classic race sponsored by R and M Greenkeeper, was won by Tim Stephenson, as he snatched a last lap victory from Gary Jamieson, on board The Leonard Honda, Thomas Hogg took 3rd with Billy Stewart in 4th spot, Trevor Stewart took his 250 honda home in 3rd in the 250 class.
The Garden World 600 race was yet another thriller, on the roads, it was Ryan Farquhar in the lead hotly pursured by Michael Dunlop, however, with the time difference coming into play, it was Keith Amor, who was actually leading.
At the flag, Amor took victory by some 2 seconds, from Ryan, with Mickey D in 3rd. William Dunlop came from group c to take 4th ahead of John Walsh and Adrian Archibald.

Newcomer Ollie Linsdell was 9th with John Burrows in 11th just ahead of Tim Poole who was having his first ride on the Team AIR Kawasaki 600 machine.
Yet again, another new lap record, with Keith Amor taking the top speed with a lap of 88.791 mph.

Michael Pearson beat Davy Morgan in the Bill Eastwood Contracts 600 B race, Mick Weldon, having his first outing since his Manx Grand spill last year was 3rd, Andrew Neil was 6th, with Craig Gibson 19th.

The Loanends 750 support race saw William Davison take a last lap win from Benny Smith, with Caioth Lawless in third. Billy Bryne was 4th,
Timmy Turtle took his NDW Yamaha home in 11th place , gary Millar in 15th .

In the R and M Greenkeeper Open B race, Andrew Courtney beat Davy Morgan with james Redpath in 3rd.
Keeping up his consistency, Andy Neil was 5th, with Phil Archer 18th.
Noel Hudson suffered leg injuries when he crashed out on lap 4.

The Feature race of the day, the ROYAL HOTEL and BRAESIDE Cookstown 100, Was yet another thrilling Record breaking race.
Canny Scot, Keith Amor was out for revenge in the Open race, and again took an immediate lead, hot on his heels was Ryan farquhar and Conor Cummins.
Farquhar kepth the pressure on Amor, and two laps from home, Amor dropped his machine at McAdoos bends!, uninjured, he could only stand back and watch Ryan farquhar take the win, that he so much wanted!.
Such was the pace of this race, that both these guys broke, and re broke the lap record, which had only stood for about an hour or so!
Cummins, on board the McAdoo Kawasaki also had the privilege to break the lap record.
Gary Johnson was 3rd ahead of Archibald and Walsh.J ohn Burrows retired on lap 7, with bake problems.
In the first ever Supertwins race, sponsored by Conway Snooker , Ryan Farquhar was the easy winner, taking his Kawasaki home some 10 secs ahead of Richard McCartney and lee Hill.
This gave Farquhar win no 11, only two wins behind the legendary Ray McCullough, who holds the record no of wins around the Cookstown circuits.
Ronnie Scott took 10th , with Hot Stuffs rider, Colin McWhirter in 14th.
Roy Scott was an unfortunate retirement on the PK Racing Kawasaki, when his gear linkage broke.
Farquhar set a new lap record for this class at 77.118 mph, the old record standing to another local, Adi Mullen.
Mark Megaw made up for his earlier spill, when he won the 500/000 classics, sponsored by HAYES FUELS.
On the exoctic 500 Paton, Steve Linsdell took second ( and winner of the 500 class), ahead of returnee, Neil McWhirter on the immaculate ATH Manx Norton. Indeed, despite his lay off, McWhirter was getting quicker as the race went on, and had the fastest lap of the race. Billy Lyle took 3rd in the 500 class on his Honda.
English visitor, Anthony Redmond snatched victory on the last lap of the S P Harkness Construction senior support B race from Gerry Daniel.
Local rider, making his road race debut, Stephen McAleese was 8th, with Julian Kirk taking his Honda home in 10th.

Ian Morell took his 250 honda to a win in the HAYES FUELS 250/400 B race, beating Paul hediaon and dave walsh.
Trevor Black took his SV 650 home in 6th spot.

The Warehouse direct Junior B RACE was won by English visitor, Richard Ford from Baylon McCaughey and gary Fowler.Colin McWhirter took 6th place.
Tim Poole, a newcomer to the circuit, finished off the days racing, witha win, when he was first home in the SP Harkness Construction Cookstown B race.
A delighted Poole beat Andrew Courtney and Dwyer Agnew.
Andy Neil was again having another steady ride on the NDW 1000 suzuki, finishing in 6th place. Phil archer took his beautiful sounding triumph home in 18th place.

Track Day Tools race team were well pleased with their riders at the Cookstown 100, , Team manager, David Hamilton spoke highly of his riders, in particular, Darren Burns, who wowed the spectators with a dramatic come-back after injury at the incident at the NW200 last summer which cost Robert Dunlop his life. Darren has made steady progress in his recovery and silenced all doubters by bring home a 2nd place victory on the Track Day Tools 125cc.
Team mate Wayne Hamilton 18, newcomer, also caught the spectators gaze as he finished 5th on the practice on Friday and a glorious first in the 125cc B race on race day.
"Its been an excellent day all round" said David Hamilton team manager of Track Day Tools. "Darren has surpassed everyone's expectations, and we are delighted with Wayne's debut on the roads with a win".

Credit must go to EVERYONE involved with the 2009 Cookstown 100 Races.

BAYLON MCCAUGHEY

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