With practise/qualifying sessions on Tuesday and Thursday and race day on Saturday, the organisers have finally bowed to pressure from the public for more races and have scheduled in an extra two races (Supertwins and Superstock) for the Thursday evening. Lets hope the Irish weather does not throw a spanner in the works.

Over this past decade visiting racers (non-irish residents) have taken the Lion’s share of the glory. Then along came the wee Wizard Alastair Seeley who decided to have a go at what is his solitary outing ‘between the hedges‘ each year and he took to it like a duck to water and really made a name for himself.

Is this the year that the ‘Maverick‘ Michael Dunlop really makes his mark on the International road race scene?

The young ‘Maverick‘ has already chalked up wins at the North West, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix and if he avoids serious crashes he can dominate the sport for the next decade or more.

What price the young ‘Maverick‘ surpassing his Uncle Joey Dunlop’s all time TT wins record?

Michael has a great mix of youth and experience, aggression and single minded determination. With a real mix of machinery this year he is my tip to win at least one of the two big Superbike races at the North West 200.

It is always nice to have one of your images published even if it is in these circumstances. Lets hope Stephen can pull through.

I visited KMR Kawasaki HQ to do a quick-fire question and answer session with Ryan Farquhar for a media publication. When I arrived he was in the Dyno wagon mapping the fueling on a spare engine for Michael Rutter in prep for this years North West 200 Supertwins race.

Ryan is a bit of a perfectionist, his Kawasaki fleet are always well maintained and prepared. Racing alongside him at this years North West 200 will be Rutter, Jeremy McWilliams and of course Jamie Hamilton and if one of the KMR Kawasaki’s do not win the Supertwins race, it will not be for the lack of preparation.

There is very little room to move around inside the Dyno wagon, all these shots I captured with the widest Nikon lens I have (not ideal due to distortion) and shot using only the light within the Dyno room itself.

Stephen McKeever 1/2000th f2.8

‘The roads‘ have become very predictable in recent seasons; William Dunlop will always win the two stroke classes (if his bike keep going). Ryan Farquhar will win the Moto450 and Supertwins classes and then its either Michael Dunlop or Ryan Farquhar who will win the Supersport and Superbike races. It seems that no one else can or is willing to ride at their level on the roads consistently.

Ryan Farquhar is Ireland’s top national road racer at the present time yet his only serious competition comes from young-gun Michael Dunlop (and to a lesser extent William Dunlop).

Only Keith Amor who is now retired could get the better of Ryan. Who will Michael have to compete against when Ryan does quit the national scene? Both Michael and Ryan need each other to push themselves on and Michael will miss that when Farquhar quits the national scene. Farquhar is already being more selective about which events he races at and his young protege Jamie Hamilton needs a few seasons under his belt before he can be competitive on a Superbike.

Numbers of spectators at Tandragee were visibly down (in my opinion); yes there were good crowds around the paddock section but very few out around the circuit. Is road racing losing its appeal or are people just not going any longer due to not being able to get as close to the action now in this ‘health and safety gone mad‘ world we live in?

The grand final Superbike race saw a real ‘fast n furious‘ battle between Ryan Farquhar and Michael Dunlop with Michael just getting the better of Ryan on the final lap to take a popular victory by less than a second. But it very nearly wasn’t to be as Michael had a big rear wheel slide with two laps to go as my Photograph (below) shows.

The road race action now moves on to the Relentless North West 200 and then finally after a years wait the daddy of them all, the Isle of Man TT.

With some road races already cancelled and others in doubt it was good to see Cookstown run and get some good weather too.

Richie Ryan was in top form on his Triumph 675 in the Supersport class winning the first Two races before crashing out of the third.

A downpour shortly before the Adelaide Masters grand final race left the track very wet but drying off quickly. Brian McCormack got the holeshot only to crash out after the first corner. Tralee’s Emmett O’Grady then took over at the front until a big high-side saw him part company with his Suzuki leaving BJ Toal leading only for him and his Yamaha to also part company. Damien Byrne kept a cool head to come through and take the win from Lee Johnston and Carl Phillips.

Brian McCormack had a great weekend on the CD racing machinery taking three superbike race wins and a win in the 3rd Supersport race. McCormack and CD racing will now turn their attentions to this weekends Cookstown 100.

One of my Photographs of Brian McCormack was published in the sports section of todays Newsletter.