Irwin struggles with injury in season opener

The Carrick rider was nursing a broken arm after a practice crash in America on the Heads and All Threads Suzuki a couple of weeks ago. At Hawkstone he finished a respectable 15th in race one and ninth in race two.

“In race one I was having problems with my arm and at one point was having trouble feeling my hand.

“At the half-way point of the race I crashed out and really only rode to the finish to take 15th. I had a go in race two and considering the injury I was happy with ninth,” he explained.

Strong start for Barr

Doagh rider Martin Barr had a good start to his MX2 season when he finished the Hawkstone International, Shropshire with three top 10 finishes on the VMXMOTO.COM/Malin KTM.

The local man qualified ninth for the MX2 races and in his first outing made a good start but a crash meant he dropped to 24th before fighting his way back to 10th at the chequered flag.

Race two, however, went much better and Barr was second at the end of lap one. By the flag, though, he had to settle for third after a close battle with Mel Bocock for second. It was enough though to qualify him for the super final that consisted of the top riders in both the MX1 and MX2 classes. He eventually finished fourth overall and the third MX2 across the line.

“I am well pleased with this start to the new season,” he said. “My fitness is good, the bike is really working well and my speed is up there with the best of them. I will get a couple of more races in before the start of the British championship, and to be honest it is all looking good. I couldn’t be happier.”