By Warm, dry conditions greeted racers for the opening day of competitive action at the reincarnated Enniskillen Road Races, as the whole entry steadily got up to grips with the UK’s newest pure roads course.
The pace on track like the weather was red hot, as two stroke specialists, next generation roads competitors, local favourites and overseas visitors impressed in the practice, qualifying sessions.
Photo courtesy of Philip Anderson – Road Racing Daily
Alongside dominating Superbike qualifying, Derek McGee went the whole day unbeaten on the timing screens, as the popular Mullingar racer in addition to his big bike exploits headed the Supersport, Super Twin and 125/Moto 3 time sheets on B&W Racing, KMR Kawasaki and Joeys Bar MCC Honda machinery.
Second quickest to McGee in Supersport qualifying was McAdoo Kawasaki’s Adam McLean, who piloted in timed Super Twins practice for the first time a McAdoo Racing twin following technical problems afflicting the Roy Hanna Motors Kawasaki.
Photo courtesy of Philip Anderson – Road Racing Daily
Outside of modern day Irish roads greats McGee and McLean, others to impress aboard 600, 650 steeds included Thomas Maxwell and Kevin Fitzpatrick respectively third quickest in Super Twins, Supersport qualifying.
Junior Support, Senior Support class honours went respectively to Darryl Anderson and Stephen McKeown, whilst leading the Lightweight 400 brigade was local favourite, reigning Irish road race 400 champion Paul Gartland.
Yesteryear machinery wise, prominent classic racing exponents Richard Ford and Barry Davidson topped the Junior 250 Classics, 350 Classics time sheets.
Final qualifying session of the day for the Senior 1000, Senior 500 classic mounted fraternity, saw class honours go respectively to 250 classic pace setter Ford and former Senior Manx GP winner Mark Parrett.
Overall an extremely positive first day of pure roads action on the new Enniskillen course, which in spite of melting tar largely due to the fantastic weather, proved extremely popular with many competitors, including Senior Support class competitor Stuart McCann.
Speaking this evening via his Facebook page, he summed up the nature, aesthetics of the just over three miles long circuit:
“Circuit has everything, big rollers, fast sweepers, bumps everywhere, and a flat out whoops section on the fastest part of the course. Hoping tomorrow’s a little cooler, with less melting tar!”
Results per class from qualifying at Enniskillen, are as follows:
Junior Support:
1 Darryl Anderson 2.03.996
2 Robert Cairns 2.05.218
3 Brian Loughlin 2.07.982
4 Noel Smith 2.10.271
5 RJ Woolsey 2.11.564
6 Dave Walsh 2.15.724
7 John Cahill 2.16.193
8 Nigel McAuley 2.24.414
Supersport:
1 Derek McGee 1.49.050
2 Adam McLean 1.50.832
3 Kevin Fitzpatrick 1.54.169
4 Thomas Maxwell 1.55.499
5 Graham Kennedy 1.55.891
6 Raymond Casey 1.57.948
7 Paul Cranston 2.00.050
8 Dean Campbell 2.00.246
9 Alan Johnston 2.00.559
10 Ryan Maher 2.00.606
11 Eric Wilson 2.02.330
12 David Murphy 2.03.061
13 John Ella 2.09.029
14 Stephen Degnan 2.09.834
125/Moto 3:
1 Derek McGee 1.57.254
2 Kevin Fitzpatrick 2.06.093
3 Nigel Moore 2.08.743
4 Sam Dunlop 2.12.362
5 Sean Leonard 2.14.007
6 Ronnie Scott 2.19.310
Senior Support:
1 Stephen McKeown 1.59.393
2 Darren Keys 1.59.792
3 Darryl Anderson 2.00.964
4 Steven Clarke 2.01.781
5 William Hara 2.02.986
6 Robert Cairns 2.04.665
7 Stuart McCann 2.04.816
8 Noel Smith 2.05.843
9 Mathias Winkenjohann 2.07.325
10 Jordan McFerran 2.08.466
11 John Cahill 2.11.153
12 George Scott 2.12.824
13 Aaron Boyd 2.13.550
250 Classics:
1 Richard Ford 2.21.565
2 Brian Mateer 2.21.623
3 Philip Shaw 2.25.019
4 Alex Mcvicker 2.46.573
5 Robert Wright 3.01.494
6 Allen Gibson 3.16.689
7 Trevor Stewart 3.21.594
350 Classics:
1 Barry Davidson 2.15.567
2 Ken Parkes 2.19.975
3 Nigel Moore 2.20.645
4 Ian Thompson 2.24.741
5 Linton Irwin 2.24.801
6 Andy Kildea 2.28.623
7 Freddie Stewart 2.28.966
8 Billy Lyle 2.33.790
9 Paul McMahon 2.36.669
10 David Crawford 2.37.404
11 Dave Brough 3.19.641
Super Twins:
1 Derek McGee 1.50.609
2 Adam McLean 1.53.894
3 Thomas Maxwell 1.56.703
4 Stephen McKnight 2.00.812
5 Paul Gartland 2.01.484
6 Robert Cairns 2.07.515
7 Brian Loughlin 2.07.686
8 Ryan Maher 2.12.128
9 Des Butler 2.19.036
10 Seamus Elliott 2.21.265
Lightweight 400:
1 Paul Gartland 2.05.114
2 Brian Loughlin 2.12.430
3 Enda Trearty 2.13.247
4 Stephen McKeown 2.14.140
5 Dave Walsh 2.14.795
6 Aaron Boyd 2.15.005
7 John McAllister 2.25.499
Senior Classic 1000:
1 Richard Ford 2.10.352
2 Robert McCrum 2.13.679
3 Philip Shaw 2.23.786
Senior Classic 500:
1 Mark Parrett 2.15.233
2 Barry Davidson 2.15.754
3 Wattie Brown 2.17.023
4 Freddie Stewart 2.19.104
5 Billy Lyle 2.22.056
6 Andy Kildea 2.24.264
7 David Carleton 2.27.700
8 Patrick Walker 2.29.063
Words by Stevie Rial
