CLLAAASSICRRAAACERIRISHCLLAAASSICROADRACING
80 ClassicRacer
Above: An
impressivegrid
forthecombined
classesClassicrace.Right:Richard
Fordoptedforhis
250ccSuzukiinthe
combinedclasses
Classicrace.FIERCE
The 2017 Irishseasonsofar.
LancashireregularRichard Ford set twonew lap recordsat Walderstown.
T
he IrishClassic Road Racingseason
is at half distance, and whata
terrific season it’sbeen so far. It
startedwith theTandragee100,the
first road race of the 2017 season, and what
atruly thrillingevent it wasdespite thedamp,
drizzly conditions of raceday.
With an impressive34machines fillingthe
grid forthe combined classesClassicrace,
most onlookers envisaged atwo-horse race
between Robert McCrumonpoleand last
year’s winner, Jamie O’Brien, bothof whom
were on 850ccWeslakes, machinesthatare
well-suitedto fivelapsofthe demanding5.3
milesper lapNorth Armagh circuit.However, at theend of lap one it was
BarryDavidson on boardthe 500cc Gimbert
Honda in thelead, with Norton 500-mounted
newcomerDeanStimpsonright on hisback
wheel,closely followedbyNigelMoore on
350cc Honda withO’Briencatching fast.
By lapthree it wasO’Brieninthe lead with
Stimpson, Davidson and Moorehot on histail.
Then Stimpson’s gear leverbroke, forcinghis
retirementandallowing Davidsonto nip past
Mooreintosecondplace at the beginning
of the final lap. Just overfour minutes later,
as the lead group barrelled down towards
thefinal corner,itwas Davidson in the
lead, crossing the lineagoodhalf asecondaheadofO’Brien,with Moore and McCrum
following.IntermsofClasses,theTandragee
100Unlimited Race went to O’Brien with
McCrum in secondandTriumph-mounted
TrevorRufus taking third.
Davidsonset the fastestlap at 81.152mph
to take the 500class aheadofGaryJamison
and Bedfordshire rider Keith Clarke. In the
350cc, it wasMoore ahead of SeanLeonard
and Linton Irwin andseventimeschampion
Phillip Shawtook top spotinthe 250cc ahead
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