By Last minute KDM Hire Cookstown 100 entrant Derek Sheils, turn of pace proved far too strong for the opposition in this afternoon’s Open race qualifying stints.
Triple Irish Road Race Superbike Champion Sheils piloting the Roadhouse Macau BMW that he took opening Superbike spoils at Kirkistown, looked in imperious form, registering a best lap time of 1 minute 26.351 seconds.
Photo by Rod Neill
This lap time gave him an advantage of 2.156 seconds over Group B, overall qualifying nearest pursuer Thomas Maxwell (1.28.173).
Maxwell in turn was under a tenth of a second clear of Martin Jones Racing’s Michael Sweeney (1.28.262) whilst Group A pace setter Paul Jordan (1.29.195) was the final racer to go sub 1 minute 30 seconds.
Supersport pole sitter Adam McLean (1.30.344), Neil Kernohan (1.30.466), Michael Browne like the aforementioned Group A front runner Jordan having his first real roads outing with new suitors BE Racing In Conjunction with Richardson Kelly Racing, placed respectively fifth, sixth, seventh on the overall times sheet.
Concluding today’s ten quickest Open race qualifiers were Dean Campbell (1.33.007), multi Manx GP podium finisher Stephen McKnight (1.33.180) and Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed (1.33.225) who forms part of McAdoo Kawasaki’s Super Twins class challenge.
Fastest Orritor Circuit newcomer was Danny Tomlinson Racing’s Dan Harrison, who placed a very respectable 20th fastest.
The full run down of the top 20 combined fastest racers from the group A, group B Open race qualifying sessions, is as follows:
1 Derek Sheils 1.26.351
2 Thomas Maxwell 1.28.173
3 Michael Sweeney 1.28.262
4 Paul Jordan 1.29.195
5 Adam McLean 1.30.344
6 Neil Kernohan 1.30.466
7 Michael Browne 1.32.828
8 Dean Campbell 1.33.007
9 Stephen McKnight 1.33.180
10 Darryl Tweed 1.33.225
11 Graham Kennedy 1.34.755
12 Stephen Tobin 1.35.753
13 Paul Cranston 1.36.371
14 Davy Morgan 1.36.414
15 Richard Charlton 1.37.056
16 Dermot Cleary 1.37.313
17 Rob Barber 1.37.679
18 Paul Gartland 1.38.878
19 Stephen Degnan 1.39.413
20 Dan Harrison 1.39.455
Words by Stevie Rial
