Michelin renew sponsorship of Mid-Antrim trials

The series, which was introduced last year and was a great success, will be run over the four Mid Antrim events this year.

The series is open to all Mid Antrim Club members but they must be members BEFORE the events take place, so I would appeal to all competitors to get joined up prior to the first event so as they can ensure that all the rounds count in their final score.

The club are deeply indebted to Michelin for their continuing support especially in these financially challenging times. This vote of confidence in the activities of our club by a multi national company is a great incentive to all our members to promote top class events within trials sport.

The prize winners will receive their awards at the special awards evening which is planned for Friday, November 12, in the Michelin Athletic Club in Ballymena. The trials committee of the MCUI (UC) Ltd have also agreed to give out their awards at the same event following the success of last year's event.

KINGS HALL BIKE SHOW

I had my annual dander round the Kings Hall last weekend, finding out a few things I didn't know about what is going on within racing circles.

I have now got the complete list of dates, as they stand at the moment. As usual, they are subject to change.

The Tandragee 100 will be replaced by a short circuit, which will be run by the MCUI themselves. It will be held at Kirkistown, on the same date as the Tandragee was planned for, May 1. It should give Southern Centre Club riders a decent weekend's racing, as they have a Clubmans round at Bishopscourt on the Monday, May 3.

Kirkistown is also being touted as a chance for the road racers to get a run out before the North West. With the Tandragee being cancelled Kirkistown will be a poor substitute, but its about the road racers are left with.

If the local papers are to be believed, although they sometimes aren't, we could be in for a May 1 short circuit that will bring the likes of Cameron Donald, Alistair Seeley and maybe Bruce Anstey to Kirkistown to race, using the meeting as a test session for their bikes ahead of the NW200.

BACK TO MONDELLO

At the show I was told that the 'Kildare championship' that Mondello had planned is now a non starter.

To be honest, I had serious doubts that it ever would be, but I was told that the whole concept has been changed following threats of boycots etc.

It appears there will now be four race meetings, with some of the races carrying ISB points, as well as 2 Clubmans meetings, as in 2009.

The first race meeting will be on the 11th April, for Clubmen. A 2 day meeting, the 22nd and 23rd May will be the next, for the Mondello Championship, while 4th July will be the next round. August 7th and 8th will have yet another round of this, but will also carry ISB points. September 19th will be the last trip to Mondello for the Clubmen, while 2nd and 3rd October will be the Mondello Masters final, and will carry ISB points.

It’s a good thing that this series didnt get off the ground. Ultimately, the MCUI were going to have the final say, as all they would have to do was withdraw the track certificate, and Mondello couldn’t run any bike meetings. Thankfully, common sense has prevailed, and we will have bikes at Mondello - a brilliant circuit, which would be a shame to have lost.

OTHER NEWS

A few other snippets I heard at ther weekend. The Kells club and the Armoy club, two of our newer road race meetings, have joined together to run a mini championship.

At both meetings riders will score points in what is being called a Cross Border Championship. Both clubs will have races that will carry points in the Senior Open race, the Supersport 600 race, and the Senior Support race. The overall points winners in all three classes will receive a trophy and a win bonus, with awards down to sixth place.

A good idea, I think, and good to see two clubs taking an initiative and trying to push forward new ideas to help their conjoined race meetings.

I see that the Dundrod club have started a very exclusive club. Its called the 130 club, and is just that. A special award will be given to any riders who have lapped the Dundrod circuit at 130 plus mph. Its a bit like the 100mph club at the Southern 100.

Fastest man at the minute, is Manxman Conor Cummins, with an awesome lap of 133.284mph. The fastest Irish based rider is, not too surprisingly, Ryan Farquhar, who has a fastest lap of 132.402mph. Ray Porter was the fastest Irish rider for a while, setting his 130.510mph lap as far back as 2006. Michael Dunlop is the only other Ulsterman in the current list of 130+ riders. He lapped at 130.243 last year.

The riders will have their new medals presented at this years UGP Bike Week, which will be from the 9th to the 14th August.

There will be a revived Classic race at the Dundrod circuit for the Prix. It will be held on the Thursday of Bike Week, and already men like Ryan Farquhar, Guy Martin, Ollie Lindsell and Gary Johnson have expressed interest. There will be 4 classes, which will run concurrently, 250, 350, 500 and 1000.

With a view to raising a few quid in order to help the North Armagh club run next year’s Tandragee 100, the supporters club are holding a bike run. It will take place on Sunday the 18th April, and will be about 100 miles long. Further details nearer the time.

EASTER FESTIVAL RACES

An entirely new idea to Ireland is to be tried at the Good Friday and Easter Saturday short circuit meeting this year.

Similar to WSB and BSB, the idea will bring the fastest riders together in a Superpole thrash out.

The Superpole will be sponsored by Billy Nutt of Nutt Travel, and will start on Friday, 2nd April, at aprox 11.15am, with an untimed practice session. At 11.45am the fastest 20 riders will take to the track for 10 minutes. At about 1.30pm, the top 10 riders will have an 8 minute session. At about 2.30pm the quickest rider will lift a cheque for 250, and a special trophy.

There will also be a full set of championship races on the Friday afternoon, with the 34th running of the Enkalon Trophy being on the Saturday, at about 2pm.

The MCRRC and Killinchy clubs, who jointly promote the Easter Saturday meeting at Bishopscourt have further announced that Walter Bell & Sons, Oil Fired Central Heating Services, from Carrickfergus, will be their sponsors for the meeting.

There will also be the traditional Easter Monday meeting at Kirkistown this year. With the 12th July being on a Monday, Easter Monday will now be held on the Tuesday. Work that one out! Practice will be at 9am, with the first race at 1pm.

MCUI RACE SCHOOL

The final MCUI race school will be this Sunday at Kirkistown, which will determine whether or not the newcomers get licences.

I will be at Kirkistown this weekend, and hopefully will get a chance to speak to a few riders. Anyone from the Times' circulation area (Ballymena and Antrim boroughs), please give me a shout. I always make a point of watching local riders, and any wee bit of publicity that you get out of that, can be a great help to maybe picking up some much needed sponsorship.

I can be contacted on 07540 608757 any time during the week, and right up to Sunday morning.