Overhauling after a keenly contested battle on the sixth and final lap, reigning Irish Road Race Superbike champion Derek McGee, BE Racing In Conjunction With Richardson Kelly Racing’s Derek Sheils sealed in cool but dry conditions at Tandragee, for a third successive year, the Open race crown.
Headed throughout by current Duke Road Race Rankings champion McGee, GSX-R 1000 Suzuki mounted Sheils in determined fashion on lap six, found that extra gear needed to hit the front, ultimately finishing victorious by nigh on half a second.
Photo by Rod Neill
Photo by Tommy Vennard
Concluding the rostrum finishers behind Sheils and McGee, was McAdoo Kawasaki’s Adam McLean, who kept tough throughout with the two Derek’s, along the way setting the fastest lap of the race, lapping at 2 minutes 58.886 seconds.
Martin Jones Racing’s Michael Sweeney finished fourth, Noel Williamson Racing’s Shaun Anderson battled his way to fifth, whilst under 0.6 of a second covered respective sixth, seventh, eighth place finishers, Thomas Maxwell, James Chawke and Michael Browne.
Wrapping up the top ten finishers were Steven Procter, and Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams who starts amongst the favourites for the upcoming Lightweight race.
Others quietly going about their business, securing solid results, included Cornwall’s Forest Dunn 11th, Stephen McKnight 14th, Damian Horan 15th, lead newcomer Tom Weeden 18th and 19th place finisher Paul Gartland.
Open race results in full, are as follows:
1 Derek Sheils
2 Derek McGee
3 Adam McLean
4 Michael Sweeney
5 Shaun Anderson
6 Thomas Maxwell
7 James Chawke
8 Michael Browne
9 Steven Procter
10 Paul Williams
11 Forest Dunn
12 Neil Kernohan
13 Davy Morgan
14 Stephen McKnight
15 Damian Horan
16 Darryl Tweed
17 Mike Norbury
18 Tom Weeden
19 Paul Gartland
20 Alan Connor
21 David Murphy
22 Stephen Tobin
23 Alan Johnston
24 Anthony McColgan
25 Dennis Booth
26 Emmett Burke
27 Kris Duncan
28 Lloyd Collins
29 Donald MacFadyen
30 Jonathan Gormley
Words by Stevie Rial