Weather plays havoc with Dundrod 150

Yesterday morning’s Ulster GP practice and the afternoon’s Dundrod 150 races were thrown into disarray by rain, swirling mist and crashes with the big event of the day, the Dundrod 150 superbike called off at the end of the first lap.

Riders, including Keith Amor, Guy Martin and Michael Dunlop gathered on the grid to question the safety of starting the race with the mist descending on the course and rain imminent. Amor pushed his bike off the grid but everyone else started the race – though several, including William Dunlop, John McGuinness, Cameron Dunlop and Michael Pearson pulled in at the end of the first lap as the rain started to fall.

But it was all academic when the race was red-flagged due to increasing rain and reducing visibility when Guy Martin had a nine second lead over Ryan Farquhar.

The programme was decimated with only two races going full distance. Jamie Coward won the National Challenge 600 race by four seconds from Michael Jiros. Olie Linsdell dominated the Classic race on a Royal Enfield Bullet by 51.143s from Mark McGraw and Paul Coward.

The duel race Twins/125 race was red-flagged after a crash at Tornagrough and, due to the conditions, the race was declared at two laps – less than the prescribed distance for a red-flagged race. Wayne Hamilton took the Twins race from Ryan Farquhar. Ian Lougher won the 125 class but Paul Robinson was closing fast when the race was stopped.