Ulster Championship RD1: Preview – Barr & Irwin to race!
The 2017 Ulster Motocross Championships have their now traditional opener at Desertmartin on Easter Monday, with one certainty, we will have a new MX1 Champion with the news that 2016 double Champion John Meara is out injured for the season with a nasty shoulder injury.
However, good news for spectators is the entry of our two British Championship regulars, Buildbase Honda team mates, Carrickfergus man Graeme Irwin, and Ballyclare’s Martin Barr will be taking the opportunity to have a bit of race practice before the June MAXXIS British Championship round.
Along with Dublin’s Stuart Edmonds on his TM, the regular runners will have a race on their hands, and Championship favourite Lisburns Richard Bird will be looking for a good start, with Newtownards man Jordan Scott looking to improve on his debut MX1 season bronze medal position, and newly Honda mounted ex Champ Robert Hamilton a threat for the Championship too.
MX2 Class looks like a renewal of the Jason Meara vs Glenn McCormick perennial rivalry, the KTM Mounted rivals seemingly destined to head the table once again, although youngsters like James Mackrel, Cameron Turley and David Galvin will be giving them a hard time.
Semi Expert MX1 Class produced some excellent racing in 2016, expect some familiar names at the top of the tree again, with Ryan Esler, Chris Orr & David Martin renewing their rivalry, and in the MX2 Class, expect Kris Rea, Aaron Gardiner and Jake Hall to be at the sharp end.
Clubman MX1will be without 2016 Champ Jordan Allingham, but if Ciaran Boyle can avoid injury the Yamaha two stroke will be at the front particularly in the sand on Easter Monday, with Ryan Canning and Ian Dunlop in there too, while in MX2, expect Ruari Grimes from Lurgan, Sean Laverty and Tony Conlon to shine too.
Words: Malcolm Beattie
