Local riders impress as new season hits the road

Massive credit must go out to the Cookstown club for a well-run event and with only one red flag incident all day.

Home fans were given a boost on Friday morning when Michael Dunlop made a late appearance at the event.

Three races were held on Friday night and, in the main event, Dunlop showed his class with a dominant display by winning the Open A invitation race with 15 seconds to spare over his nearest rival Dominic Herbertson, with Michael Sweeney third.

In the Supersport event Dunlop, who was favourite to win, came off his machine on the opening lap resulting in a red flag.

Dunlop did not take part in the re-run Supersport race, nor did he take part in any further racing on the Saturday.

Michael Sweeney went on to win the re-run four lap sprint with 0.042 of a second to spare over second place man Dominic Herbertson with Darryl Tweed third.

This was Sweeney’s first time back racing on the roads after a spill at last year’s NW200.

Dromore man Mark Johnston took the honours in the Supertwin B race with a 0.008 of a second advantage from second place man Kevin Baker.

On Saturday, with no Dunlop on the grid, English man Dominic Herbertson competing for Burrows/RK racing team from nearby Dungannon had a day to remember, taking four wins and, with it, the Man of the Meeting award.

It all started with a win in the Supersport race with 0.478 sec advantage over second place man Michael Sweeney and Darryl Tweed third.

In the moto 3 event he was a clear winner from local Dungannon man Nigel Moore.

In the Open A race 2 again it was Herbertson who led from start to finish.

Banbridge man Stephen McKnight was twelfth overall.

The Cookstown 100 race was the main event of the day and it turned out to be a superb race between Herbertson and Sweeney.

The 12-lap race saw both riders swap places at the front throughout, but it was Herbertson who took the chequered flag with 0.175sec to spare over Sweeney.

Third place went to Ryan Whitehall.

Fastest lap went to Michael Sweeney with a time of 1:23.383, close to record breaking time.

The Supertwin A race was a comfortable win for Michael Sweeney from Gareth Arnold and Michael Gahan, third.

Local interest saw Dean McMaster racing for JMcC Roofing team, Banbridge, finish sixth on his road race debut. Stephen McKnight took eighth place on his Suzuki 650cc machine.

Two local competitors, James Doy from Tandragee and Jordan Grier from Banbridge, made their road racing debuts at the Cookstown 100 where they both competed in the Senior Support event. Both have had superb results this season on the short circuit track, but a move to the road scene is a very different game.

James finished third, making it onto the podium.

Jordan on the Larkin Racing Kawasaki 600cc was in 15th place.​