Irish Motocross Championship kicks off
By Team TMX on 9th Apr 14
The 2014 Irish Motocross Championship kicks off this Saturday, April 12, at the Quad Racing Ireland home venue of Tinker Hill, Newry.
Quad Racing Ireland have been working tirelessly to prepare the track which is one of the most picturesque in Ireland and always produces close racing.
In the Premier MX1 class it looks as if it will be the usual faces up front with defending champion Gary Gibson (Bannside Pallets & Haulage 450 Suzuki) from Ballygowan battling it out with his 2013 rival, Lisburn's Richard Bird (Watt KTM).
KTM-mounted after two years on a JAR Honda, Comber's multi-time Irish and Ulster champion Wayne Garrett will also be hoping to get in the mix.
Rising star Ryan Adair (Adair Building Services Suzuki) could show well at this circuit and southern visitors Stuart Edmonds (CCR Suzuki) and Michael Mahon (Yamaha) should run near the front too.
And don't rule out Tommy Merton (Watt Kawasaki) or Robert Hamilton (Risk Racing Yamaha) either.
Premier MX2 is where the closest racing will be with defending champion Glenn McCormick (Agnew Recovery Watt KTM) and his nemesis Jason Meara (Watt Kawasaki) expected to renew their titanic battle from 2013.
Joining them will be 2013 Semi Expert Champion Luke Smith (Watt KTM) and returning Newtownards youngster Jordan Scott (Husqvarna) who has been showing promising form recently.
Jordan Martin from Killyleagh is also looking good and could feature in the results.
In the Semi Expert MX1 class youngsters will be at the front with Scott Leaney from Saintfield – now on a Yamaha – and newly-promoted Jordan Blakely (KTM) sure to be setting a fast pace along with old hands like Christopher Orr.
The Semi Expert MX2 class is a very competitive field filled with young talent with 15-year-old Belfast lad James Mackerel showing excellent form in his first adult race at Desertmartin recently, taking six wins from six starts on his 125cc KTM.
Chris Cully, Jordan Wade, newly-promoted Chris Eccles, Alexander Atkinson and local man Scott Bailey should all figure at the front.
The Clubman classes are a bit of a mystery at the first round as there is always a new face
in there.
But expect Kyle Darley to show well in MX1 along with young Matthew Bruce in MX2.
Racing begins at 11am on the circuit on the A1 just north of Newry City.
Admission is £5 for adults with no charge for under 14s.
