4 days ago
Mike Browne proud to claim Supersport victory at Armoy Road Races, while Paul Jordan savours Supertwin success
The Cork man claimed pole on Alistair Russell's R6 and Browne made a winning start to the weekend, leading every lap and pulling away from the chasing pack to win by over six seconds.
He set the fastest lap of the race at 104.074mph to secure the win comfortably after seven laps of the three-mile course in County Antrim by 6.39 secs from Michael Sweeney (EM Building Yamaha), who had to work hard to fend off Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan on the Jackson Racing Honda by Prosper2 Honda for the runner-up spot.
Sweeney and Jordan were locked in battle throughout the seven-lap race, but Jordan was unable to make a decisive pass as the experienced Skerries man defended his lines.
They were clear of Manx racer Conor Cummins, who finished fourth on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Browne, who was a Supersport winner at the Southern 100 at the Billown course a few weeks previously, said: 'I wouldn't say I dominated from the start.
'There was a few spits of rain there and we took our time for two laps, and there was a bit of a wet patch down into Church, so I had a look at that.
'I looked back and was surprised I had a little bit of a gap, so I tried to keep that and I wanted to try and keep a bit of room in case we came across some backmarkers towards the end of the race.
'I had a good, clear run, so I'm happy. It's good for the team to get a win.'
Sweeney said he expected Jordan to be a threat in the race based on his lap times in qualifying.
'I could hear him at every turn and my board was saying +0, so I knew I wouldn't get away and I knew from the qualifying times that he had the pace,' he said.
'I was a little bit off it this morning, but I ran a couple of laps with Mike (Browne) at the front and then he just pulled the pin and got away.
'Then I had to defend against Paul (Jordan) at every turn and I knew he would try and get the drive on me up to the line.'
Jamie Coward (KTS Macadam Racing Triumph) and eye-catching newcomer Franco Bourne (Cowton Racing Kawasaki) were the top six.
Jordan won the earlier Supertwin race and established a new lap record for the class at 100.694mph.
The Magherafelt man had to fight his way through from fourth after a sluggish start, but once he overhauled Sweeney (MSR Aprilia), he was able to make a break for it.
Jordan won by 5.58 secs on the Jackson Racing by Prosper2 Aprilia from Sweeney, with the Isle of Man's Joe Yeardsley in third on the Scott Racing Aprilia.
'It was just the usual Paul Jordan start and that was it,' Jordan said.
'To be fair, after the practice we had this morning, I knew I had a bit of pace and I knew not to panic.
'So, I just bided my time and, once I got to the front, I just kept on banging out the laps, and I felt I was going a lot slower than I was this morning.
'The bike is probably the best bike I've rode.'
Coward retired on the KTS Racing Kawasaki, with Barry Furber (DC Autos Yamaha) taking fourth.
Joey Thompson (TH Racing Aprilia) and Marcus Simpson (LMR Kawasaki) completed the top half-dozen.
Roads close on Saturday for practice from 9.00am, with 12 races scheduled.
The prestigious Race of Legends is the headline event and a new winner will be crowned in the absence of Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd.
