2010 TT a model event for club

With names like David Bowen, British Saloon Champion, Ian Oddie, European off Road Champion and many more the event was always looking good.

With free practice on the Friday and the first of the qualifying on Saturday morning the pace was fast and furious from the off.

By the end of the first three rounds of qualifying the top five saloon drivers read as David Bowen and Ian Oddie on 33 laps, Kenny McCann and Michael Sloan on 32 laps and Cormac Wyatt on 31 laps.

In the modified buggy class Adam Griffiths from England dominated Saturday qualifying with his time continually improving after each heat.

In the standard buggies class Andrew Fegan was the man to beat outpacing the rest of the field throughout qualifying.

In the bike class England’s Roki Read was the main threat to the local drivers. Roki being just fresh home from finishing 7th in the world at a meeting held in Grenoble France.

With Saturday's qualifying complete it was now time for the 20 minute saloons challenge race, the race would be the UK top four drivers (David Bowen, Ian Oddie, Adam Griffiths and Mark Grant) vs CMCC top four drivers (Kenny McCann, Michael Sloan, David Cairns and Cormac Wyatt).

The showpiece race got off at a blistering pace with all drivers only separated by seconds, unfortunately for team CMCC disaster struck when Kenny McCann lost a wheel midway through the race, nevertheless the team pushed on in the hope of something happening to the opposition, but it wasn’t to be and team UK took the honours.

Sunday saw two rounds of qualifying with little change in track positions.

In the finals first up was the Saloon C-Final, steady and consistent driving from newcomers Pat Healy from Cork and Derek McCluskey from Drogheda saw them take first and second, promoting them both to the B-Final.

The Buggies final, both modified and standard ran together, not long into the final Adam Griffiths who had dominated the modified class all weekend was showing signs of struggle, Ian Oddie current European off Road Champion saw his opportunity and pounced on it, he took the lead and remained there to add the win to his long list of achievements.

Father and son Andrew and Nathan Fegan were left to fight it out for the winners trophy as they had been doing all year, Andrew got the best of Nathan this time and walked away as standard buggy champion.

In the B-Final Saloons after a slightly hectic race Stephen Smyth from Rasharkin drove a fantastic race to come from 8th on the grid to finish 2nd behind England’s Mark Grant and gain the all important promotion to the A-Final.

In the Bikes at the off in the first A final leg Read made the break and was never challenged throughout the eight minute run again throwing in another fastest ever lap and race long combination.

In leg two again Read made the break from the word go and with a completely clean run again went on to win and be crowned the Ulster TT champion 2010.

With the two legs put together the over all results were

1st Roki Read the 2010 Ulster TT bike champion

2nd Craig Robinson

3rd Chris Douglas

4th David Adair

5th Robert Charters

The B final Bikes was won by Lurgan's Michael Cairns who dominated both legs and claimed his first pole in the bike class. Portadowns Tom Patterson was 2nd also claiming his best result to date. Lurgan's Stephen Cairns had a great battle with Patterson throughout the two legs but had to settle for 3rd only for his front wheel to come loose in leg two.

The main A-Final was next up, the one everyone had been waiting for, four English Drivers and six Craigavon drivers ready to do battle. The race saw great fightbacks from top drivers who had had early setbacks with the top five cars coming home in their qualifying positions, Kenny McCann finishing as the top Craigavon driver in 3rd. David Bowens race pace was unreal, lapping at a steady 18sec pace every lap! He was untouchable all weekend and thoroughly deserved the win and becoming Ulster TT Champion 2010.

Overall the weekend was a massive success for the club and proved that all drivers and bike riders can hang with the top UK world class racers for pace and competitiveness. The event was the fastest racing CMCC has ever seen and is a credit to all drivers who competed.

CMCC thanked Mr Ronnie Harkness Chairman of Leisure Services and Mr Kieran Cahoon Parks Development Manager from Craigavon Borough Council for their continuing support and for taking time out off their Sunday to come along and present the trophies.