By There is a stellar line up for the 2015 Cookstown 100.
The second round of the 2015 Duke road race rankings championship is set to mark Michael Dunlop’s first pure road racing appearance this year.
11 times TT winner goes into Cookstown with all eyes on him as he begins an exciting new chapter in his career that of been a factory Yamaha rider.
He looks set to compete on Milwaukee Yamaha superbike in open and grand final races whilst for supersport races competition on his own teams YZF R6 Yamaha beckons as he aims to begin 2015 on the roads with multiple race victories.
After a successful first outing at the Spring Cup National Road Races on Tyco BMW’s stocker Guy Martin goes into Cookstown 100 confident of pushing for superbike race wins.
The hugely popular rider is all set to compete on Tyco BMW’s superbike as he returns to Cookstown for the first time since 2013 when he finished second in open and grand final races.
Guy’s team mate William Dunlop is hugely excited about the opening round of the 2015 Irish road race championship.
Having enjoyed a highly successful 2014 campaign the reigning North West 200 feature superbike race winner will be looking to get his real road racing season off to a top start around Cookstown.
Alongside action in open and grand final races he’s set to compete on Ivan Curran/CD racing YZF R6 Yamaha in supersport races where arguably he will start favourite for race wins.
Back in 2013 Dean Harrison made his Cookstown 100 debut, Deano impressed hugely in particular in supersport race finishing in third position.
Two years on the 2014 lightweight TT winner is back and is greatly looking forward to competition on Mar Train Racing’s R1M and YZF R6 Yamaha’s in open, supersport and grand final races.
Having already tasted victory this season at Spring Cup National Road Races in opening senior race the prodigiously talented rider could well be looking at multiple podium finishes as could reigning Irish road race supersport champion Derek Mcgee.
Photo by Rod Neill
Derek is tipped by many to soon become an international road race winner having been hugely impressive during the last two road racing seasons.
Armed with top class machinery courtesy of Wilson Craig Racing he goes into Cookstown without a doubt amongst the favourites for race victories as he competes on CBR 600 and CBR 1000 Fireblade Honda’s.
Photo by Rod Neill
Jamie Hamilton is ready to push in 2015 for Irish road race superbike championship victory. Having joined John Burrows BE racing outfit for this season he has landed a golden opportunity and its one he is looking to grasp with both hands.
Jamie looks set to leading Suzuki mounted rider at Cookstown, another rider like Jamie rapidly getting quicker season on season is two time junior Manx Grand Prix winner Michael Sweeney.
Michael recently made his Oliver’s Mount debut at Spring Cup National Road Races where he went onto to be victorious in spring cup b race two.
Martin Jones Racing ZX6 and ZX10 Kawasaki’s are set to give him a great chance of pushing for top class results whilst super twin’s race is set to see him amongst the front runners.
2004 senior Manx Grand Prix winner Davy Morgan like Michael at Spring Cup National Road Races got his season off to a victorious start following victory in opening spring cup b race.
Backed by magic bullet motor sports for 2015 Davy is more than capable of securing standout results in open, supersport and grand final races when he competes on R6 Yamaha and CBR 1000 Honda Fireblade machines.
Current Duke road race rankings champion James Cowton enjoyed a productive start to his 2015 road racing season during the Spring Cup National Road Races.
Currently second in Duke road race rankings he goes into Cookstown amongst pre-race favourites in feature super twins race.
Action in open and grand final races is set to see him competing on Danny Tomlinson racing backed CBR 1000 Honda Fireblade which carries a distinctive orange, silver and white colour scheme.
James is also more than capable of causing a surprise or two in supersport races as is Seamus Elliott.
Seamus enjoyed a brilliant 2014 season which saw him finish eighth in Duke road race rankings championship.
He is set to compete on a R6 Yamaha in the hugely competitive supersport class whilst action in super twin and 400 races sees him Kawasaki mounted in both.
2014 junior Manx Grand Prix winner Andy Lawson, Andy Farrell, Brian Mccormack, Michal Dokoupil and Colin Stephenson are all capable of standout results as is Connor Behan.
Connor regarded amongst the fastest rising stars in pure road racing is set to lead KMR Kawasaki’s challenge at Cookstown as he competes on top class Kawasaki machinery in supersport and super twin races.
BikebitsNI racing make their pure road racing debut at 2015 Cookstown 100 as they run 2013 Irish road race superbike champion Derek Sheils in open, supersport and grand final races.
Derek is confident that he can continue his superb form from 2014 at Cookstown which saw him victorious in supersport invitational and open race.
Ambitious riders Ben Rea and James Neesom are more than capable of recording dazzling results, both Manx Grand Prix winners are competing at TT races for the first time this year.
Sam Wilson will be one of the most closely watched riders at Cookstown this year not only cause he’s a rising talent on the roads but also cause he’s competing for Joey’s bar racing team.
The team run by Joey Dunlop’s son Gary is all set to run Sam in 125 and 250 races on RS125 and RS250 Honda’s, both bikes carry the iconic yellow and black colour scheme.
2010 Irish road race senior support champion Alan Bonner made a great season to his 2015 campaign at Spring Cup National Road Races.
He marked his Oliver’s Mount debut with second place finish in opening spring cup b race, for open and grand final races at Cookstown he is set to compete on a top spec ZX10R Kawasaki.
Further riders to watch out for at Cookstown include Sean O’Neill competing for William Dunlop racing in 125 race, Sandor Bitter competing for T&R motorsport on a S1000RR BMW, Frank Gallagher, Stephen Mcknight, Maria Costello MBE, Tommy Henry, Michael Russell and Paul Gartland.
Leading newcomers to Cookstown this year include Chris Watson, Dominic Herbertson, Michael Hoffman and Tam Nicholl.
Excitement is building for the 2015 Cookstown 100 which has overall a brilliant entry list. Amongst the questions to be answered at Cookstown include how quickly will Michael Dunlop gel with the new R1M Yamaha.
Plus will the lap record around Cookstown go which Michael still holds from 2013 and will there be surprise winners in open, supersport and grand final races.
All answers will be known by the end of the weekend in what is set to be a truly pulsating, compelling, dazzling 2015 Cookstown 100.
