By Their is a high quality line up of newcomers for the 2016 Cookstown 100.
The most high profile newcomer to the Orritor circuit is Duke Road Race Rankings championship leader, Malachi Mitchell Thomas.
Having enjoyed a quite stunning start to his Irish road racing career at the Mid Antrim with a hat trick of victories, he goes into Cookstown full of confidence.
Photo by Baylon McCaughey
Although he’s a newcomer don’t at all be surprised to see the Cookstown BE Racing rider, challenging the likes of William Dunlop, Dan Kneen, his team mate Derek Sheils and Derek McGee in the feature race of the meeting, the grand final.
Australia’s Alex Pickett set to compete in the super twins race on Sammy Crossett’s CF Moto, has the pure road racing craft to gel quickly with Cookstown.
Set to compete in the Monster Energy supersport races at TT 2016, he’s hoping to take in a full season of Irish Road Racing in 2017.
Gary Dunlop son of the legendary Joey Dunlop, recently made his roads debut at the Mid Antrim 150. For his Cookstown 100 debut he’s set to be 125 Honda mounted.
Rhys Hardisty is another rider more than capable of causing quite an impression on his Cookstown debut. He’s one to watch in particular in the 250 race and super twins race, where he will be competing on McKinstry Racing’s ER6 Kawasaki.
Further riders confirmed to make their Cookstown debut’s include Alistair Kirk, Sam Cross second place finisher in the 2015 newcomers B Manx Grand Prix, Michael Weldon and Chris Thompson.
Words by Stevie Rial
