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Barry Sheene Classic Road Race Festival – Saturday

Author: Superbike News
Posted on: Sunday, May 24 2009



Practice completed and lunch taken it was time for past Grands Prix riders Mick Grant and Jim Redman to set the afternoons Parade Laps off.

The first of the days twelve races, the opening leg of the 350cc Classic Syd Barnett Trophy race over six laps, saw Ryan Farquhar in pole position on the K4 Honda, although it was Paul Coward on another K4 who got the hole-shot as Farquhar was third into Mere Hairpin.

However, by the end of the opening lap it was number 77 who headed the field with Paul Coward half a second down, with Bob Price third.

Doug Snow had moved into third after a further circuit. By half distance Farquhar had opened the gap to 2.488 seconds from Paul Coward, while Grant Sellars troubled the lap scorers moving into fifth place. By the end of the fifth lap Coward had reeled in Farquhar by half a second, as Snow maintained his third place some 30 seconds adrift of the leading pair.

At the all important chequered flag only 0.787 seconds separated Farquhar and Coward with the latter setting the fastest lap of the race. Bob Price passed Doug Snow to take third.


Race two was the first leg for 600cc modern machines, this time over eight laps.

Farquhar was once again in pole position and maintained his advantage into Mere Hairpin when the lights went out. At the end of the lap he held a 1.13 seconds advantage over Richard Gibson, increasing the gap to 3.291 second at the end of the second circuit. Keith Pringle was holding onto third spot from Jukes Croft and Mick Goodings. By half distance the difference between the leading duo was 6.169 seconds, as Michael Russell moved ahead of Mick Goodings to take fifth place.

Positions remained the same for the final four laps as the ‘flyin’ Ryan’ took his 27th victory at Oliver’s Mount by 15.464 second from Richard Gibson with Keith Pringle third a further seven seconds down.


Next up was the opening leg of the 500cc Classic Denis Parkinson Trophy an eight lapper, which saw Olie Linsdell take the hole shot, closely followed by that man Farquhar.

At the end of the lap it was Farquhar and Linsdell on the Paton’s followed by Paul Coward on the Honda Drixton.

A lap later and the Dungannon man had opened up a gap of 5 seconds over the rival Paton of Linsdell, with Coward almost a second down in third.

The lap scorers weren’t troubled on laps 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 as the lead remained around the five seconds, then increased on the penultimate lap to 6.391 seconds and finally stopped at 4.805 seconds at the chequered cloth, with Paul Coward third.



After a brief break, whilst a number of European Classic machines and their riders paraded around the 2.43-mile hill side circuit, it was time for the first leg of the 1000cc National class for modern machines, with Richard Gibson in pole.

It was Farquhar on his 600 KMR machine who got the hole shot into Mere Hairpin, holding the lead through to the end of the opening lap of eight from Keith Pringle (1000cc Yamaha) and Richard Gibson (600cc Yamaha).

By the end of the second lap the lead was up to 3.814 seconds, as Mick Gurnhill moved into fifth place.

Lap three saw Michael Russell move into sixth place and was chasing fifth placeman Mick Gurnhill, as race leader Farquhar continued to increase his advantage over Pringle to 4.2 seconds, increasing it to 4.585 seconds on the half distance lap.

At two-thirds distance places were static as Farquhar eased the pace a little keeping a 4.656 second cushion between himself and Pringle, with Gibson maintaining station in third.

At the flag it was Farquhar, by 5.625 seconds from Pringle with Gibson third another 11 seconds down.



Race five for Classic Superbikes and the first leg of the Geoff Barry Trophy.

Gary Thwaites got the hole shot, and held the lead at the end of the opening lap with Paul Coward second, John MacFarlane third with Ryan Farquhar fourth six seconds down on the leader who was enjoying a 4.640 second advantage.

Farquhar was up to second at the end of the second lap 5.499 seconds adrift of Thwaites, with Coward now third.

Paul Coward was forced out on the third lap with machine trouble, letting MacFarlane into third spot. Meanwhile Farquhar and shortened the gap to 2.413 seconds.

At half distance the lead was down to less than half a second, 0.436 of a second, and a lap later Farquhar was leading having turned a half second deficit into a 1.605 second advantage.

At two-thirds race distance the lead was up to 4.155 seconds with two laps to go, as placings remained static.

At the end of the penultimate lap the lead had been upped to almost six and a half seconds.

Ryan came home to take his fourth race victory of four races by 8.539 seconds from Gary Thwaites, with John MacFarlane third another 14 seconds down.



Race six, another opening leg, this time for National 400 modern machines for solos up to 400cc and Mini Twins.

David Bell had pole, but it was Mick Goodings who got the hole-shot into Mere at the charge into the first hair-pin.

Bell had got back into the front at the end of the lap with Lee Vernon second and Goodings back in third, just 2.4 seconds separating the first three.

No changes in position at the end of the second of the eight laps, but Vernon had reduced the gap to 1.439 seconds over leader Bell.

The advantage was reduced even further during the third lap, down to 0.719 of a second, with Goodings five seconds down.

At half way the gap was only 0.675 of a second – could Vernon turn the tables with fours laps remaining?

The answer was yes, as on lap five the disadvantage was turned into an advantage of nearly one second (0.928 of a second) as Vernon set the fastest lap of the race.

Lap six saw the lead increase to 4.782 seconds, with placings unaltered.

Lap seven and the gap was up to 10.173 seconds and at the chequered flag it was Vernon, who will turn 21 next week, from Bell with Mick Goodings third. The lead was 16.328 seconds.



Race seven, the first leg for Classic 350 machines for the Red Rose Trophy, over six laps, had Ryan Farquhar in pole position, however it Was Paul Coward who took the hole-shot, with the Ulsterman close behind into Mere Hairpin.

Coward still led at the end of the opening lap by three-tenths of a second with Doug Snow third.

Lap two and it was business as usual with a half second lead over his Honda K4 mounted rival, with Snow still third, with Grant Sellars moving into sixth place.

Lap three and Coward was back in front, by 0.162 of a second. On the fourth lap, positions were reversed with Ryan enjoying a 0.480 of a second lead this time round. The penultimate lap had Ryan still leading, now by 0.906 of a second, as back markers came into play. Paul Coward retired on the sixth lap with machine problems, as Ryan claimed his sixth victory of the day, with Doug Snow now second and Bob Price third.



Race eight was the second leg of the National 600’s, once again Farquhar was in pole and achieved the hole-shot when the lights went out, leading at the end of the opening lap of six. Richard Gibson was second followed by Jules Croft.

By lap two the lead was 3.215 seconds, with positions remaining the same.

Lap three and the lead increased to 5.852 seconds, despite slowing his lap speed.

Ryan added another two seconds to his lead on the fourth lap and on the penultimate lap the race leader slowed and reduced his advantage to 7 seconds. At the flag it was Farquhar from Gibson by 8.533 seconds with Jules Croft third.



Classic 500’s were next; yet again Farquhar was first into Mere Hairpin from Gary Thwaites. At the end of the opening lap it was the pair of Paton’s first and second, Farquhar and Linsdell, 1.822 seconds between them, with Phil Sharp third.

Lap two and the lead was up to 2.939 seconds as the three Italian classics, two Paton’s and the MV3, looked and sounded magnificent as they went through the start-finish on full chat. Lap three and the gap was slightly less as Olie lapped a fraction quicker than Ryan.

Lap four and the gap was under two seconds as the positions remained unchanged – Farquhar, Linsdell and Sharp.

Lap five, no change, with both the Paton’s lapping in under two minutes. Olie Linsdell breaking Bob Heath’s lap record from 1996! The youngster lowering the record again on the sixth lap.

Lap seven and the gap between the first and second places suddenly widened to 5.5 seconds, as they began to overtake the back markers.

Ryan Farquhar took the chequered flag from Olie Linsdell, with Phil Sharp on the MV third over one minute adrift of the twins.



Race ten, for 400’s and Mini Twins – Lee Vernon was in pole, although it was Mike Minns who got the advantage into Mere Hairpin.

David Bell led at the end of the first lap, but a lap later it was first leg winner Vernon who headed the field by 0.832 of a second, with early leader Minns in third.

Lee increased the advantage to one and a half seconds on the third lap.

At half distance, Vernon’s lead was up to two and a half seconds, with no change in the top ten positions.

Lap five and the gap was just short of six seconds between first and second with third man Minns a further 17 seconds down.

Last lap and Lee Vernon took his second win of the day from David Bell by 13.318 seconds with Mike Minns third.



The second leg of the Geoff Barry Trophy for Classic Superbikes saw Ryan Farquhar lead from the off, with Gary Thwaites and John MacFarlane second and third after the opening lap.

By the third lap the leader’s advantage was 7.407 seconds, with Olie Linsdell moving into fourth place.

Positions remained unchanged on the fourth lap, and by the end of the fifth circuit Farquhar’s lead over Thwaites was up to 9.459 seconds.

At the chequered flag it was Ryan’s ninth win of the day.



The final race of the day, leg two of the 1000cc class for modern machines, and Mr Farquhar was in pole position for the six lap race and took the hole-shot.

At the end of the lap it was Farquhar, Pringle, Gibson, Mick Goodings, Percival and Croft, with the leader enjoying a 0.852 of a second lead.


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