Double Masters Win For Seeley But Kinghan Lifts The Norman Brown Cup
Randalstowns Gerard Kingahan won the Norman Brown Memorial Cup yesterday at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit.
Having dominated the first two Masters Superbike races earlier in the meeting it was Alastair Seeley who started as the hot favorite to take the win but his hat-trick attempt was short lived when on lap two of the feature race when he slid off at the hairpin unhurt. This left the door open for Masters regulars Gerard Kinghan and Charles Stuart and they both took full advantage, the pair gapping the rest of the field. Kinghan controlled the remainder of the race from the front increasing his lead slightly lap on lap taking the chequered flag 2.66 seconds in front of Stuart with Peter Moloney in third a further 5 ½ seconds behind.
Taking a break from his Spirit Moto2 development duties at Cadwell Park Seeley took up the offer of the IFS Yamaha R1 previously raced in the Masters Championship by Ryan Rainey, this being his first appearance in the Masters Championship since 2009. Immediately he stamped his authority qualifying on pole and then winning the opening two Superbike races in dominant style winning both encounters by just over 11 seconds, Gerard Kinghan was second and Charles Stuart third in both outings.
The best and closest fought races of the day were the hotly contested Superport races. Race one Jason Lynn led from the off closely chased by Ross Patterson and his team mate Aaron Clifford. On the last lap Patterson took the lead going into the final chicane a lead he held to take the win by 0.171 seconds from Lynn with Clifford 1.3 seconds behind.
Race two saw the same trio fighting it out at the front, this time Patterson got the better start and had the lead for the first three laps when Lynn took to the front, but a repeat move by Patterson into the final chicane gave Patterson the lead again and second win of the day this time by only 0.081 seconds Clifford this time only 0.4 seconds behind in third. Pattersons double win reducing the deficit in the championship to 10 points.
Eunan McGlinchey was a double winner in the Production Twins races, while Mark Hanna and Cathal Graham took a win apiece in the Supertwins races.
The Principal Insurance Pre-Injection championship standings were left unchanged following Bishopscourt as Joe Grant and Darryl Sharkey each took a win and a second place to cancel each others results out and leave the gap at the top at eight points in favour of Sharkey. Grant won race one, helped in part by Sharkey getting caught out by the lights on the re-start, following a short stoppage due to an incident. The Championship leader later made amends by taking a dominant victory in race two.
The Masters makes its final trip of the season to Mondello Park on September 30th and October 1st when the championship will be decided on the International Track.
