IRISH CLASSIC PREVIEW

For 2015, 350cc champion, in both 2014 and 2013, Ballymena’s Barry Davidson will be returning to try for a hat trick aboard the Dempster Honda. Barry has also secured some UK sponsorship from Team Gimbert/rjp racing 500cc Honda for the PRE-TT Classic, the Classic TT and also Aintree. Ashbourne rider Eddie Manly made a popular return to racing in 2014, following career threatening injuries at Tandragee in 2012. Aboard Tony Carton’s G50, he had wins at both Skerries and Killalane. For 2015 Eddie will race his meticulously prepared 350 Honda and expects to be racing Tandragee at the beginning of May followed then by the PRE-TT Classic. Robert Mccrum will be keen to make it a hattrick in 2015 following his 1000cc Classic Road Racing Championship wins in 2013 and 2104, and will use his ultra-competitive 950 Weslake. Runnerup in the 1000cc class, Richard Ford from Cheshire, has invested in a new Terry Mead frame for his 750cc Norton. Richard plans to compete in each championship round in Ireland and also Gedinne for the Belgian Classic TT in August. Meanwhile, 500cc Classic champion Gary Jamison’s Black Bomber is also enjoying preseason improvements, including a nostalgic makeover which will see his machine in the same livery as Gary’s RC30 from 1990 which he raced in the Formula 1 World Championship at Dundrod 25 years ago. When not involved in the defence of his 500cc crown on the Irish roads, Gary’s 500cc Honda will be available to short circuit newcomer Jim Houston, who will compete alongside his 16-yearold son Luke aboard a 350cc Honda. Fellow 500cc competitor Tony Willis, who recorded fine wins at Cookstown and Kells, has secured the loan of a Gold Star for the 2015 Manx GP. Tony hopes to acquire an additional classic for the Irish Roads season, ideally a competitive 350 in addition to his Honda 500. Winner of the 250cc Irish Classic Road Championship in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, in addition to the 250cc North East and Scottish Championship for 2014, was Phillip Shaw. The 63-year-old from Hexham plans little more than a crank rebuild and new pistons before he returns to action at all road racing rounds. Dates for the 2015 Irish Classic Road Racing Championships are: April 24-25, Cookstown 100, Co Tyrone, NI; May 1-2, Tandragee 100, Co Armagh, NI; June 20-21, Kells Road Races, Co Meath, ROI; July 3-4, Skerries 100, Co. Dublin, ROI; July 11-12, Walderstown, Co Westmeath, ROI; July 24-25, Armoy Road Races, Co Antrim, N.I; August 15-16, Faugheen Road Races, Co Waterford, ROI; August 22-23, Cork Road Races, Mallow, Co Cork, ROI, and September 5-6, Killalane Road Races, Co Dublin, ROI. Mark Mccloskey