The Irish road racing season continues with the Around-A-Pound Tandragee 100 in Co Armagh, when the absence of Michael Dunlop opens the door for a new winner in the feature races.

Dunlop, who took a double in the Open and Cookstown 100 Superbike races to kick-start his 2013 campaign, has opted to give the event a miss as he focuses on his preparations for the Vauxhall International North West 200.

It’s anyone’s guess who will grab the limelight, although Lisburn man Michael Pearson is a serious contender for the top step on his Team Hotties BMW S1000RR in the blue riband races.

Pearson’s opposition includes young gun Jamie Hamilton on the Vauxhall KMR Kawasaki ZX-10R, plus CD Racing’s Derek Sheils, experienced roads regular Davy Morgan, Banbridge man Shaun Anderson, Irish ace Michael Sweeney, Derek McGee and Jamie Coward.

William Dunlop hopes to compete in the two-stroke classes and intends to ride brother Michael’s TSR 250cc Honda in the Open race.

Ballymoney man Paul Robinson and Sam Wilson will be Dunlop’s chief rivals in the 125cc race along with Nigel Moore, while Morgan and Sweeney also enter the fray for the 250cc class.

A little piece of history will be made at Tandragee when Anne Forsythe becomes the first ever female clerk of the course at an Irish road race as she takes the reins.

She told the News Letter she was ‘excited’ by the challenge.

“I’m really excited about it and I have a good team and reckon we can overcome whatever is thrown at us, though I’ll be glad when it’s all over and everyone is hopefully home safe.

“We have taken every safety precaution we can and the newcomers will be briefed about the challenges they face at Tandragee, because it is a circuit that is different to many other national road race circuits.

“Tandragee has a bit of everything, it has long, fast straights, jumps and really technical sections – I think it’s the best national circuit that we have, although obviously I’m biased!

“It’s set up to be a really interesting weekend because we could see some really close racing and a few new winners,” she added.

“I would love to see some of the up and coming young riders getting a big win on Saturday because they are the future of national road racing and I believe the nationals are a brilliant training ground for the bigger international events.”

Roads are scheduled to close on Friday at 3.30pm for practice, reopening no later than 9.30pm.

On Saturday, roads will close at 10am for an eight-race programme.

A two-lap Classic parade will take place shortly after 10am, when the line-up includes six-time world champion Jim Redman MBE, Ray McCullough, Brian Reid, Con Law, John Burrows and Ryan Farquhar.




Kyle White
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