Adelaide Mondello Masters reaches conclusion

Having recently announced that they are to change their name, the final round of the Adelaide Mondello Masters championship will take place over the Co. Kildare track’s full International circuit.
Luke Johnston will be in action at Mondello Park this weekend. Picture: Roy Adams.Luke Johnston will be in action at Mondello Park this weekend. Picture: Roy Adams.
Luke Johnston will be in action at Mondello Park this weekend. Picture: Roy Adams.

Since its inception in 2011 the series has become bigger and better than anyone could have hoped, and now I feel has eclipsed the ISB series as regards popularity and standard of racing.

I have no information directly from Mondello, as they seem to send that out a few days before each meeting. Obviously, no real use to a local newspaper that prints at the start of the week. I have, however, been able to glean a few snippits from the www.adelaidemasters.ie

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The final meeting will, as usual, be held over two days. Practice will commence at 9am on Saturday, with a set of races on Saturday afternoon. Following a short warmup on Sunday morning there will be another set of races and then a lunch break.

The last events will take place after lunch, including the Grand Final, which promises to be one of the best races of the year, with the fastest 30 riders on the day coming to the line.

I have, obviously, no details on entries, but I am quite certain that man like Cody Nally, Brian McCormack, Marshal Neill, Gerard Kinghan, David Haire, Mark Glasgow, Damien Byrne and Philip McNally will all have entered. Cody Nally leads the overall championship, with 195 points. Brian McCormack, on 169, is second and Marshal Neill third on 138. Numerically, it is possible for any of this trio to win, and with three races over the weekend, theres 75 points up for grabs.

In the Superbike Cup class Lisburns Declan Hoey leads on 232 points. Ray Casey sits in second place on 178 points, while Thomas O’Grady has 173.

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In the Supersport 600 class Carl Phillips leads on 186, while Robert English has 140. Jason Lynn is only two points back of English and will be wanting to improve on that over the weekend. Edenderry lad Kevin Keyes has already won the Supersport 600 Cup championship. With a score of 246 points he cannot be caught.

I will, as normal, have a full report and photos from Mondello.

SUNFLOWER TROPHY

The final round of the Irish Superbike series, the Sunflower Trophy meeting, will take place at Bishopscourt on the 24th and 25th October. Boasting a prizefund of £7,500, its the richest short circuit of the year.

I’m not too sure if the meeting will use the full International circuit. I hope it does. The new loop is brilliant to watch from.

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Since Joey Dunlop took the first Sunflower in 1977, at Aghadowey, the Sunflower has had its own special place in Ulster short circuit racing. The meeting moved to Kirkistown in 1987. Who can ever forget, in 1989, the sight of Gary Cowan on the little Docshop 250 Yamaha, outbraking Ron Haslam on his GP factory Suzuki, only for Haslam to blast ahead on sheer power? One of the best David and Goliath races I ever saw. The meeting moved to Bishopscourt in 1994, where it is still run to this day.

It used to be that the Sunflower was a standalone meeting, with riders not scoring ISB points. Over the past few years it has become part of the ISB series, but visiting riders can score points.

With that in mind, the race organisers are talking to a number of BSB teams with a view to bringing them over for the meeting. Final entry lists are not available as yet, obviously, but hopefully I will know more coming closer to the time.

Any riders wanting to enter can contact Derek McWhirter by the usual means. Entries close on the 11th October.

SUPERMOTOS

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A few years ago the P&O Winter Supermoto series was great from some after season entertainment.

The winter series has disappeared, but now there are moves to revive it. A 3 round championship has been organised. The first meeting will be on the 19th of October in Omagh, the second at Eglinton on 2nd November and the final at Nutts Corner kart track, which to me is the home of the sport here. Full rules and regs can be found on Facebook at SupermotoNI.

I don’t have very much myself as yet, but I do know that the final meeting, on 16th November will feature the David Jefferies Memorial Trophy race.

Roy Adams

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