Five years ago today the 2016 Irish road racing season, kicked off at the returning Mid Antrim 150 Road Races.
Amongst the main highlights of the last Clough Circuit based meet of the 2010’s, included a gripping Open Superbike race as Cookstown BE Racing team mates Derek Sheils and the late great Malachi Mitchell Thomas battled it out for race spoils.
At the end of a thrilling three lap race, it was Irish road racing newcomer Mitchell Thomas who banked his second of three victories at Mid Antrim.
Photo by Rod Neill
He edged out his team mate Sheils by just 0.802 of a second whilst twice Junior Manx GP victor Michael Sweeney rounded out the podium finishers.
Ryan Farquhar’s new venture at the time with BMW Motorrad machinery, began in productive style with a fourth place finish.
Paul Jordan placed fifth as Colin Stephenson, Neil Kernohan, Paul Cranston took respective sixth, seventh, eighth place finishes.
2015 Irish road race Senior Support Champion Kevin Fitzpatrick was ninth and Michal Dokoupil piloting Wilson Craig Racing’s Superstock CBR 1000 Honda Fireblade, concluded the top ten finishers.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou