CLASSICRACERIRISHCLASSICROADRACING
86 ClassicRacer
RobertMcCrumleadsRichardFordinthedashtothecheqqqueredflaggg.Right:PatrickWalkermanaged
animpressivesecondplace.Below:PatrickWalkergoes
aroundtheoutsideofHoward
Guestonhiswaytosecond
place.Phillip Shawcompletedan all-Suzuki podium.
Later that afternoon,inthe SeniorClassic
race, RichardFord wastoprovide whatwas
regarded as the mostthrillingduelofthe
afternoonwhen he went toe-to-toe forsix
laps with CountyTyrone riderRobertMcCrum
at the frontofthe field.MCJackCorry nearly
screamedhimself hoarseoverthe PA system
as he kept the crowdsinformedthroughout
their epic battle as McCrum, leading by a
whisker,did everything he could to trytokeep
Ford at bayfor the first fewlaps.Then, on the
sprint to the line on lapfour,Fordymanaged
to powerpast and take thelead, whichhe
held despiteagaggle of back-markersonthe
sweep past the mushroomfactory,all the
way to thelastcorner,the hairpin,onthe final
lapwhen,brakingalittle toohard, he allowed
McCrum to get within striking distance again
and as the twoexitedthe hairpintogether it
wasMcCrumwho got the better driveout
of the corner and roaredhis wayuptothe
flag. Compensation forFord came with the
news thathe’dset anew lap recordfor the
Unlimited Class–two laprecords in one day
–at88.661mphinlap five.TrevorRufus took
third spot.
In the 500cc raceitwas Davidsonwho
made it look easy as he added yetanother
win to his alreadyimpressivetally.Patrick
Walker,overfrom RugbyUK, took second
on his worksNorton, withMonaghan rider
Freddie Stewart taking thirdplace. With three
roundstogo, Faugheen, Armoyand Killilane,
thechampionshipisfar fromover. In addition
there are three short-circuit championship
races scheduled forSunday, August27at
Mondello Park as partofClassicBikeLive
and not forgetting SpiritofDunboyne on
September30.There is stillplentytolook
forward to.e080 081 082 084 085 086_SEP.indd 86 27/07/201709:10:46