Now we're Farm'ing!
By TMX Archives on 15th Nov 07
THE jokes are over for Keith Farmer (Aprilia), who is the official leader of the P&O Irish Sea Winter Supermoto series even though he was forced to share Saturday's third round honours with Davy McKee and Carl Shield.
Farmer elected to play his wild-card' Joker for double points atBishopscourt and that elevated him from third to first in the titletable with one round remaining.
Now it's all to play for at Kirkistown in a fortnight's time, saidthe 20-year-old Farmer who is firm favourite to retain the title.
Thanks to six wins from nine starts, Farmer has scored 355 points, McKee has 317 and Shield 313.
Happy to head the field, Farmer was a little disappointed that he wasn't able to repeat his Kirkistown treble of the previous week.
I ended up with a win, a second and a third, reflected Farmer.But I was hoping to do better that's why I played my Joker. Still,I'm 38 points ahead and that's not a bad cushion.
Quickest in qualifying, Farmer came from behind to win the openingrace where he beat Shield by two seconds with McKee, who was the earlyleader, a close third. Multi-motocross champion Wayne Garrett was well off the pace in fourth position.
The second race was a blinder with Shield, McKee and Farmer, in that order, almost nose-to-tail for the full distance.
For Shield, a former speedway rider from Durham, this was his first win in the current series and he was clearly delighted.
I knew that the pace was hotting-up behind me, said Shield. But I was happy that nobody got ahead of me.
At the end of ten tense laps, just half-a-second covered Shield,McKee and Farmer who made several bold attempts to get the better ofMcKee, who switched from his customary 450 Suzuki to a 630 KTM.
You need the bigger bike if you're going to stay in touch with Keith and Carl, confessed McKee.
How right he was! In the final race, where Shield bit the dust atthe end of the opening lap, the focus of attention switched to Farmerand McKee who took the lead four laps from home.
P&O IRISH SEA WINTER SUPERMOTO CHAMPS
Rd 3 Bishopscourt (Killinchy MCC)
Prestige Race One: 1 K Farmer, 2 C Shield, 3 D McKee, 4 W Garrett, 5 D Farmer, 6 A Lyons.
Race Two: 1 Shield, 2 McKee, 3 K Farmer, 4 D Farmer, 5 Lyons, 6 P Wylie.
Race Three: 1 McKee, 2 K Farmer, 3 Lyons, 4 J McAndrews, 5 D Farmer, 6 D Marks.
Series Standings: 1 K Farmer 355, McKee 317 points, 2 Shield 313, 3 D Farmer 258, 3 Lyons 226, 3 W Garrett 169.
Expert Race One: M Dunleavy, 2 D McFaul, 3 J Crawford, 4 R Bird, 5 E Johnston, 6 D Robinson.
Race Two: 1 Bird, 2 B Laman, 3 Crawford, 4 McFaul, 5 S Clarke, 6 P Gartland.
Race Three: 1 Laman, 2 Bird, 3 Clarke, 4 Dunleavy, 5 Crawford, 6 McFaul.
Series Standings: 1 Laman 286 points, 2 Crawford 284, 2 Bird 265.
Clubman Race One: S Arnott, 2 C Laverty, 3 J Wright, 4 C Thompson, 5 G Dickinson, 6 R Griffiths.
Race Two: 1 Laverty, 2 Thompson, 3 Wright, 4 M Brooks, 5 M Hamilton, 6 D Calnan.
Race Three: 1 Brooks, 2 Laverty, 3 Wright, 4 Thompson, 5 R Griffiths, 6 R Elliott.
Series Standings: 1 Laverty 304 points, 2 Brooks 202, 3 M Spratt 174.
Quad Expert Race One: M Donnelly, 2 J Reid, 3 C McCartan, 4 N McDermott, 5 A Ebbitt, 6 T Mackin.
Race Two: Donnelly, 2 Reid, 3 Ebbitt, 4 McDermott, 5 Mackin, 6 J Monteith.
Race Three: 1 Reid, 2 Donnelly, 3 Ebbitt, 4 McDermott, 5 Monteith, 6 Mackin.
Series Standings: 1 Reid 339 points, 2 Donnelly 256, 3 C McCartan 223.
Quad Clubman Race One: D McDermott, 2 R O'Doherty, 3 K Wells, 4 J Lyons, 5 M O'Hanlon, 6 P Kane.
Race Two: 1 McDermott, 2 O'Doherty, 3 O'Hanlon, 4 Wells' 5 D Leckey, 6 M Reavy.
Race Three: 1 O'Doherty, 2 O'Hanlon, 3 Kane, 4 Leckey, 5 Lyons, 6 Wells.
Series Standings: 1 McDermott 331 points, 2 O'Hanlon 287, 3 O'Doherty 237.
See T+MX News, Friday, November 16, 2007 for full report and pictures.