By An exciting April is in prospect for pure road racing, as the 2016 Irish road racing season and International Road Racing championship’s spring onto the horizon.
Opening roads action of the month begins right at the start from the 1st to the 2nd at the returning Mid Antrim 150. The meeting taking place on the 1st to 2nd of April has attracted a top class entry list, which includes 60 newcomers, plus Ryan Farquhar and Cookstown BE Racing duo Derek Sheils and Malachi Mitchell Thomas.
Following Mid Antrim attentions turn to Oliver’s Mount for the Spring Cup National Road Races, on the 16th to the 17th of April.
The meeting is set to see Dean Harrison, East Coast Racing’s Lee Johnston, Devitt RC Express Racing’s Ivan Lintin and Alan Bonner, Jamie Coward, James Cowton, Mark Goodings and Dan Cooper all open their 2016 roads campaigns.
Next up on the calendar is the Tandragee 100 on the 22nd to the 23rd, which sees Dan Kneen back at the popular meet as he bids for his second grand final victory in three years, as he pilots Mar Train Racing’s YZF R1M Yamaha.
Further stand out entrants are set to include Seamus Elliott TT debutant this year with The Peoples Bike Team, current 125 Irish road race champion Paul Jordan, Logan Racing’s Neil Kernohan and 2015 Ulster Grand Prix super twins winner Derek McGee.
With over 150 riders already entered, the 2016 Cookstown 100 on the 28th to the 29th of April, is set to see an entry list comprising of international road race winners, rising stars, up and coming road racers and international stars.
Ones to watch include 2009 TT zero winner Rob Barber on the PRB Racing YZF R1M Yamaha, newcomer to Cookstown Alex Pickett set to compete on CF Moto machinery and Joey’s Bar Racing’s Sam Wilson.
Photo by Rod Neill
All eyes will be on William Dunlop who will in my opinion start favourite for victories in the open, supersport and grand final races, when piloting Ivan Curran/CD Racing YZF R6 and YZF R1M Yamaha’s.
April concludes with the Hengelo Road Races in the Netherlands on the 30th of April to the 1st of May. Hengelo marks the start of the 2016 International Road Racing Championship as Sebastien Le Grelle and Marek Cerveny begin their IRRC superbike and supersport championship title defences.
Multiple questions will be answered in April, has the YZF R1M Yamaha improved from last year?, how quickly will Ryan Farquhar gel with S1000RR BMW machinery.
Photo by Rod Neill
Plus who will go into the international’s in form, all these questions and more will be answered plus many more in what is set to be a thrilling month of pure road racing action.
Words by Stevie Rial
