TT riders line up for Cookstown
Thursday 25 April 2013
TT
Perennial TT fans’ favourite Guy Martin, fresh from taking three wins at the Ian Watson Spring Cup, will be in action at Cookstown this weekend as he continues his warm-up for the Isle of Man TT.
The Tyco by TAS Suzuki star pleased race goers at the Scarborough meeting last weekend with an impressive display on the narrow, undulating Oliver’s Mount circuit.
With a winter’s worth of fettling on his Suzuki machines Guy will be looking to upset local favourites Michael and William Dunlop at Cookstown on Saturday.
Three-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael, who’ll be swapping his Honda TT Legends leathers for the distinctive Hunts/McAdoo outfit, is likely to be especially race fit - if he’s recovered after his gruelling sessions at the Bol d’Or last weekend.
Brother William on the flamboyant Milwaukee Yamaha says that only a win at the TT this year will be good enough for him – and his team – and what better way to start than with wins on Northern Ireland’s roads course.
With a pack of other TT stars on the start lists Cookstown is by no means a foregone conclusion for this trio.
Bradford’s Dean Harrison, the current leader of the Duke Road Race Rankings, and one of the star performers at TT 2012 will be making his Cookstown debut.
The RC Express Racing youngster’s not fazed by the new challenge though ‘I’ve done a few rounds of the Irish championship before but I’ve only ever seen Cookstown on TV. It looks right good craic and a good bit of fun, and it’ll give me a chance to sort a few little teething problems out with our new Superbike.’
Dean, son of TT sidecar legend Conrad Harrison, had an outstanding season in 2012 where he and KMR Kawasaki’s Jamie Hamilton seemed to trade the ‘Best Newcomer’ title at all the major meetings.
Hamilton, riding for Ryan Farquhar’s Vauxhall (Northern Ireland dealers) backed team will contest the Supertwin, Supersport and Superbike races and he’ll be looking to better his 2nd place in the 650s at the 2012 meeting.
Maria Costello will contest the Supertwin, Moto3 and Supersport races onboard an ER-6, NSF250 and 675R Daytona respectively.
Derek Sheils, who makes his TT debut in June, will also be making the trek up from Dublin with CD Racing team.