Clifford faces tough competition in special event at Bishopscourt
THERE will be a first for an Irish short circuit event at Bishopscourt this weekend when the two-day MCRRCI promoted IFS Global Logistics David Wood Memorial Trophy meeting has four championship races per class over tomorrow and Sunday.
Teen sensation Aaron Clifford came out on top last year.
There will be two practice sessions from 9am tomorrow for all classes and, from 2pm, one championship sprint race per class followed on Sunday, from 9am, with a 24-race (three races per class) championship programme, which will conclude at 5pm followed by podium prize distribution.
This multi-sponsored meeting is a tribute to one of Ireland’s best known racing personalities, Davy Wood, an ex-racer, Joey Dunlop’s manager, a man with the ability to garner sponsorship for events, individuals and clubs and a real driving force behind various championships.
He had contacts with a multitude of sponsors such as Imperial Tobacco, Shell, Enkalon, Pirelli and Arai, eventually under the Team Wood banner, with many of those sponsors having significant input into this meeting.
Indeed at one time it was said that Davy, a PR genius, wore a different sponsor’s jacket, shirt and hat for every race.
Irish Supersport racing over the last few seasons has pro- duced the most spectacular track action and will again be the headline event this weekend with the Pirelli Tyres IFS David Wood Memorial Trophy going to the overall winner of the four races over the weekend.
A healthy £3,500 prize fund will see the overall winner pick up £1,500 plus a set of Pirelli Tyres with cash rewards down to 10th position.
A Sail to Pole with Nutt Travel will see the top nine Supersport riders from timed practice in a six minute shoot-out for pole.
Last year’s winner, 17-yearold Clifford, will be out to retain the David Wood Memorial Trophy, but will have to see off some tough opposition in the form of Jason Lynn, Korie McGreevy, Ross Patterson, Christian Elkin, Mark Conlin, Aaron Armstrong and 19-year-old ex-motocross rider Eunan McGlinchey.
Exciting, close quarter heart-stopping action should be the order on both days with admission just £10.
Meanwhile the BSB Showdown commences at Oulton Park this weekend with just six riders — Shayne Byrne, Josh Brookes, Leon Haslam, Jason O’Halloran, Peter Hickman and Jake Dixon — now in contention to be crowned 2017 MCE British Superbike Champion.
Ulster pair Glenn Irwin and Michael Laverty unfortunately didn’t make the cut, nor did Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon, but all three could well have a significant say over the final three rounds of the series as to who is crowned champion.
Newtownabbey rider Andy Reid, who crashed at Silverstone last weekend and was run over by a following rider, has undergone six hours of surgery to repair a broken left femur and have a pin inserted, with the 23-yearold Tyco BMW rider starting the long road back to full fitness.