2014 Mid-Antrim road races cancelled

The Mid-Antrim 150 road races have been called off for 2014, with race organisers citing financial difficulties after a number of difficult years for the historic race.

Run on the 3.6 mile Clough circuit, it is one of the most spectacular races in Ireland, known for a number of fast jumps before the circuit winds its way through the village and past the church.

First run in 1946, the race suffered financially in 2011, when oil was deliberately spilled on the track the night before the race, leaving it unusable. Despite a police investigation, no one was ever brought to blame for the attack.

“We’ve been debating the financial side of things for a couple of months but we just couldn’t see how it would work. We’ve had a few bad years and that has taken its toll. The race made a huge loss last year so we’ve decided to sacrifice 2014 and concentrate on returning the following year.”

“We plan to return in 2015, perhaps on a different date. We’ve been in discussions with the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland and it is our intention to explore the suitability of an alternative date for the future.”

The race traditionally falls in a busy period of the Irish season, as the eighth back-to-back road race. With the Ulster Grand Prix only week after the race, in recent years top competitors like the Dunlop brothers have sat out the event.