By Kyle White Belfast Newsletter.
Richard Cooper is among the top names confirmed for the GO Classic Bike Festival Ireland next weekend at Bishopscourt in Co Down.
The Nottingham man will ride the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha in the Invitation Supersport races at the two-day event, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, August 5-6.
A former double British Superstock 1000 champion, Cooper was victorious in the Supersport Sprint race in the wet at Brands Hatch last weekend.
The 40-year-old, who won both Supertwin races at the North West 200 in May, will line up as a top contender at Bishopscourt, where invitation races for Supersport and Superbike machines have been added to the programme for the first time in 2023.
Former Irish road racing star Phillip McCallen, one of the event organisers, said: “Fans can expect to see over 200 riders on 250 bikes on track over the festival weekend.
“We decided to add invitation races for the modern bikes this year to offer something extra and bring in some of today’s leading riders along with the Classic competitors.”
The entry also includes Ballymena’s Jason Lynn and Adam McLean from Tobermore on the J McC Racing Yamaha machines along with McAdoo Kawasaki Racing’s Korie McGreevy, who was a hat-trick winner on the opening day of the recent Neil and Donny Robinson Memorial Ulster Superbike meeting at Bishopscourt.
National Superstock 1000 rider Scott Swann is also entered along with Donegal’s Caolan Irwin, whose brother Rhys – who won the British Supersport Feature race at Brands Hatch last Sunday – will participate in the parade laps.
Christian Elkin, Gary McCoy, Aaron Spence, Luke Johnston and Andrew Smyth have also been confirmed in the AJ Plumbing Supplies Supersport class.
Lynn and McGreevy top the line-up in the Bayview Hotel Invitation Superbike races, when Cooper and McLean are set to ride their 600cc Yamaha machines.
Jonny Campbell (Magic Bullet Yamaha) and Ryan Gibson (Gibson Motors Kawasaki) will also be on the grid on their 1000cc machines.
Declan Mullan of festival sponsors GO said: “It’s great to see the festival grow year on year and GO are very pleased to offer our continued support, and looking forward to what we all hope will be a huge turnout.”
In the Classic Superbike class, Michael Rutter and Jeremy McWilliams are the standout names as they prepare to lock horns once more after battling it out in 2022.
A sparkling cast of guest riders will take to the track on an array of evocative machinery for the parade laps, including McCallen plus Alan Irwin, Brian Reid, Ryan Farquhar, Denis McCullough, Kevin Mitchell, Ian Simpson and Denis McCullough along with many others.
A large display of bikes will be on show in the paddock, with a special focus on 500 Grand Prix machines.
Several motorcycle clubs will be in attendance with their own displays, including the local and Irish Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club and the Island Classics Club.
Live entertainment will be provided in the festival marquee on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Discounted tickets can be purchased online at www.tickettailor.com costing £20 for Saturday or Sunday admission. A weekend pass is £30 when purchased online.
Tickets can also be bought at the gate costing £30 per day or £40 for weekend admission.
