Shiels a surprise pole for Cookstown 100

BikeBitsNI Kawasaki rider Derek Shiels has unsettled the pecking order after qualifying for the Cookstown 100, sticking his ZX-10R on pole for the feature superbike race ahead of international stars Michael Dunlop, Guy Martin and Dean Harrison.

“It’s good to be on pole, and I got a few good laps. It was a bit damp for the 600 practices, so I wasn’t going to stick my neck out, but it’s going to be a very close race tomorrow. There’s so many good lads here!”

Dunlop was second, marking the new R1’s first outing on the Irish roads, with Wilson Craig Honda new signing Derek McGee and fellow Southerner Michael Sweeny.

Martin was fifth on the Tyco BMW, with Jamie Hamilton and Alan Bonner joining him on the second row.

TT winner Harrison, on the Mar-Train Yamaha, heads the second group, ahead of BMW duo Stephen Thompson, on his first roadrace for the Penz13.com team, and the second of the Dunlop brothers William.

However, it was William who topped the time sheets in the supersport class, leading McGee and Hamilton on his CD Racing Yamaha R6.