By Five of the top ten finishers within the record breaking Circle K Airport Road Service Station Superbike race, were S1000RR BMW mounted including of course race victor, new Ulster GP lap record holder Peter Hickman.
Hickman’s world record breaking lap speed of 136.415 mph, was made all the more impressive given that he placed only fourth on the speed trap timings sheet.
Topping the speed trap timings sheet was Milenco by Padgetts Conor Cummins, who registered a new record speed of 202.8 mph!
The only other racers to top the 200 mph mark were Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston (201.0 mph) and Optimark Road Racing’s Xavier Denis (200.4 mph).
10 of the first 11 finishers from the opening Superbike encounter lapped the fabled, illustrious Dundrod at in excess of the 130 mph lap mark.
Racers to set major new personal best lap speeds included Market Rasen’s Phil Crowe (130.14), Michael Sweeney (130.65) and leading newcomers James Chawke (124.36), Laurent Hoffmann (123.78) and Richard Charlton (122.27).
Just two Yamaha mounted competitors finished inside the first 30 finishers, PreZ Racing’s Jamie Coward who placed a very creditable eighth and 28th place finisher, Scottish roads veteran George ‘Dod’ Spence.
There was yesterday three new International roads rostrum finishers, Melissa Kennedy (3rd Ultra Lightweight Race), Paul ‘Potchy’ Williams (3rd Lightweight Race) and Castle Mall Super Twins race runner-up Joe Loughlin.
Team ILR supported Loughlin was one of only five racers in the opening Super Twins encounter, to lap under the 3 minutes 50 second barrier.
Photo by Tommy Vennard
The four additional racers joining Loughlin in accomplishing this notable feat were race victor Paul Jordan, KTS Racing’s Jamie Coward, Christian Elkin and eight times International Road Race winner Lee Johnston.
Johnston who finished runner up within a gripping, thrilling Shoei Helmets Supersport race, accomplished the unique feat of registering at least a podium finish or better at the International roads events in 2019.
Others to complete this achievement yesterday were world’s fastest road racer Hickman, Silicone Engineering Racing’s Dean Harrison, speed trap record holder Cummins and TT Privateers champion Coward.
Words by Stevie Rial
