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What better way to start Irish road racing 2024 style, than with the longest running national road race, the now Cemcor title sponsored Cookstown 100.
Road Racing News pre-event previews begin with a focus on the Open, Supersport, Grand Final races.
Earlier this month Bob Smith Spring Cup winner, Michael Browne goes into Cookstown, in excellent form.
Entered on the Boyce Precision Engineering/Russell Racing Yamaha, he’s a strong candidate for Supersport race honours.
Open, Grand Final races wise, the TT podium finisher is set to be astride Aprilia machinery.
Perennial Orritor Circuit front-runners BE/RK (Burrows Engineering-Richardson Kelly) Racing, challenge is headed by new signing, Chasin the Racin host Dominic Herbertson.
Third in last month’s second Enkalon Trophy race at Bishopscourt, the ‘130 Mph Club’ member looks to have already formed a decent partnership with his new suitors.
Always enthusiastic, full of ambition, could a four-stroke Cookstown success arise this week? It’s a possibility as is Michael Sweeney making a stirring return to Irish road racing competition.
Sidelined throughout last season, following a major incident at the Northwest 200, ‘Micko’ has shown at recent purpose-built circuit meets, that the race-craft, pace, turn of speed remains in abundance.
Machines wise for Cookstown, he’s due to race the Martin Jones Racing BMW and EM Building R6 Yamaha.
Others extremely capable of attaining impressive results include Darryl Tweed, feature race podium finisher in 2022 Richard Charlton, Dean Campbell, Trison McMullan Racing’s Keelim Ryan, Aaron Spence and Manx GP great Andy Farrell.
Further depth to the big bike, 600cc fields is provided by the evergreen Paul Cranston, the Isle of Wight’s leading road racer Ryan Whitehall, Martin Morris, Jacque Foley.
Darragh Crean, Stephen ‘Degsy’ Degnan, Stephen McKnight, Graham McAleese, Cowton Racing’s Gareth Arnold, and newcomers Josh Corner (Parker Transport Racing), Kevin Keyes.
Not long at all now till the Orritor Circuit is serenaded by Kawasaki’s, Honda’s, BMW’s, Yamaha’s, Suzuki’s, Italian exotica.
As I stated last year, close, intriguing action is inevitable, ticking down the hours till competition commences!
Photo courtesy of Baylon McCaughey
Photo’s by Tommy Vennard, Derek Wilson
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
