Farmer lands hat-trick of titles
By TMX Archives on 27th Nov 08
KEITH Farmer who clinched his third consecutive P&O Winter Supermoto Series on Saturday, at Kirkistown, wants a crack at the World Championship in 2009.
"It's all down to funding,” admitted 21-year-old Farmer from Clogher. "Bikes and product support shouldn't be a problem but to register for the world rounds you need 30,000 Euros up front.
"Given the current economic climate that sort of money is difficult to find but a couple of friends are working away in the background on my behalf.
"I'm not building-up my hopes but I definitely want another crack at the British S2 championship.
"In the meantime, it has been a long season and now it's time to party before I start training again in the New Year when I hope to go to Spain for some testing.”
The Farmer family had plenty to celebrate on Saturday with Keith's big brother, David, also getting in on the winning act while their mum, Paddy, was doing her best to keep a milestone birthday quiet!
Lancashire's Matt Winstanley had topped the table prior to Saturday's final round but he was unable to travel.
"Matt sent me a text to the effect that he was unable to make the trip because his truck failed its MOT test on Friday,” explained the organising Killinchy club's clerk of the course, Sam McMinn.
On the track, former champion, Davy McKee, had been quickest in qualifying but when it came to the first Prestige race, there was no stopping Keith Farmer on his flying Aprilia.
Leading throughout, he beat McKee by 3.6-seconds while David Farmer recovered from an early spill to take third following a close encounter with Johnny McAndrews.
It was the stage managed second race which produced the closest finish of the day with less than a second covering the winner David Farmer, his brother Keith and McKee.
Keith, who is an electrician, appeared to have the situation sewn-up, after all his lead just after mid-distance was seven-seconds! Behind him McKee and David Farmer were locked in battle for the runner-up spot. Then all of a sudden, on the final lap, the leader slowed dramatically and that allowed David Farmer to emerge as a surprise winner.
P&O WINTER SUPERMOTO SERIES
Final Rd – Kirkistown, Co Down
(Killinchy & DMCC)
PRESTIGE – Race One: 1 K Farmer, 2 D McKee, 3 D Farmer, 4 J McAndrew, 5 S Clarke, 6 A Marks.
Race Two: 1 D Farmer, 2 K Farmer, 3 McKee, 4 McAndrew, 5 P Gormley, 6 P Wylie.
Race Three: 1 K Farmer, 2 McKee, 3 McAndrew, 4 D Farmer, 5 P Wylie, 6 Gormley.
Final Series Standings: 1 K Farmer 446 points (CHAMPION), 2 McKee 365, 3 D Farmer 349, 4 M Winstanley 312, 5 McAndrew 284, 6 S Bloomer 196.
KTM EXPERT – Race One: 1 C Coyle, 2 P Gartland, 3 J Bonar, 4 C Thompson, 5 C Laverty, 6 E Johnston.
Race Two: 1 Coyle, 2 Bonar, 3 C Kelly, 4 Johnston, 5 Laverty, 6 P Dowds.
Race Three: 1 Coyle, 2 Bonar, 3 Thompson, 4 Johnston, 5 Laverty, 6 D McFaul.
Final Series Standings: 1 Thompson 358 points (CHAMPION), 2 Bonar 315, 3 McFaul 268, 4 Laverty 264, 5 R McGarvey 252, 6 Coyle 251.
ULSTER AERIALS CLUBMAN – Race One: 1 J Bergin, 2 S Dornan, 3 N Marsden, 4 G Henderson, 5 J Moore, 6 R McDaid.
Race Two: 1 Henderson, 2 Marsden, 3 Dornan, 4 J Moore, 5 Bergin, 6 D Bratty.
Race Three: 1 Marsden, 2 Bergin, 3 Henderson, 4 Dornan, 5 K Clarke, 6 S McIllwaine.
Final Series Standings: 1 Bergion 385 points (CHAMPION), 2 Dornan 377, 3 Henderson 338, 4 Marsden 291, 5 A McClelland 260, 6 J Moore 244.
QUAD – Race One: 1 M Troughton, 2 J Reid, 3 A Ebbitt, 4 C McCartan, 5 N McDermott, 6 S Goss.
Race Two: 1 Reid, 2 Troughton, 3 McDermott, 4 McCartan, 5 Ebbitt, 6 Goss.
Race Three: 1 Reid, 2 Troughton, 3 McCartan, 4 Ebbitt, 5 McDermott, 6 Goss.
Final Series Standings: 1 Troughton 428 points (CHAMPION), 2 Reid 383, 3 Ebbitt 359, 4 McCartan 304, 5 M Donnelly 268, 6 McDermott 237.
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2008
Justin Reid battles with eventual Quad Championship winner Mark Troughton at Kirkistown.