Latest news with #KMRKawasaki
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Manx GP roars into life as Limavady rider impresses in practice
Gahan, from Limavady, put down an early marker around the infamous 37.73-mile Mountain Course, recording his fastest lap on the opening day of the festival at 111.85mph on the Scott Racing Aprilia machine. He was around six tenths of a second faster than the returning Jamie Williams, who missed his home meeting last summer after suffering injuries in a crash on the first day of qualifying. Williams, one of the big favourites, did 111.794mph on the NCE Racing Aprilia as he eased himself back into the groove. Republic of Ireland rider Liam Chawke was fourth fastest on a KMR Kawasaki for Ryan Farquhar behind Lewis Arrowsmith on the time sheets, while Caomhan Canny from Donegal put his injury woes behind him to end the first day in fifth position. Canny, riding an Aprilia Supertwin, sustained multiple injuries in a red-flag spill at the Tandragee 100 seven weeks ago but has been cleared to race at the Manx meeting. 'When we came last year, we knew the machinery might not be competitive but all we wanted to do was finish races on the Isle of Man circuit,' Canny said. 'The machinery this year is a lot better, so hopefully we'll see how we go all week, and we'll just take it as it comes.' Last year's Manx Grand Prix was hit by unprecedented weather disruption due to Storm Lilian, with six races crammed into the final day. However, yesterday's fine summer weather was in stark contrast and Canny was eager to make the most of the dry conditions. 'To put it into context, after this evening I'll have [completed] as many laps as I did all of last year [on the Mountain Course],' he said. 'That's a massive thing because it takes years and years of learning; this is somewhere you don't want to push too quick because unfortunately things can happen, and we just want to take our time, be smooth and we feel very comfortable with the times we're doing, so let's just hope we can keep progressing as the week goes on.' In the Senior class, Scotland's Chris Cook set the fastest lap of the day at 117.731mph on his Kawasaki ZX6R. Cook was seven seconds faster than Williams in second on the NCE Racing Honda (116.959mph), with Andy Farrell in third on his Yamaha. Southern Irish rider Farrell is back at the event after an absence of a few years and was quickly up to speed. Gahan was fourth fastest on his Yamaha R6 at 115.226mph ahead of Ryan Whitehall, with Canny in 12th following a lap of 114.197mph on his Suzuki 750. Practice for the Manx Grand Prix will continue on Monday, with roads closed from 6pm. Top TT riders including Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd, Dean Harrison and John McGuinness will be in action on Wednesday, when the opening Classic TT qualifying sessions are held. The Classic TT is running in tandem with the Manx GP this year for the first time since 2019. At the weekend, record-breaking 33-time TT winner Dunlop unveiled a replica of Joey Dunlop's Formula 1-winning Honda SP1 machine from 2000 that he will ride in a special parade lap. Dunlop built the machine to participate in the Joey Dunlop F1 Tribute Lap, when he will ride the legendary Honda around the Mountain Course on Friday, August 29 as the festival comes to a close. Ulster sporting great Joey won the Formula 1 race for the final time 25 years ago at the TT as part of a famous hat-trick, just weeks before he was killed in a racing crash in Estonia.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Cooper on Supertwins pole at North West 200
Richard Cooper has qualified on pole position for Saturday's two Supertwin races at the North West Kawasaki rider Cooper, who has four wins in the class to his name, was fastest ahead of home riders Adam McLean and Paul Hickman, who won both races last year, was fourth while former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams rounded out the top five. After three red flags on Wednesday forced the Supertwins' qualifying session to be cancelled, the class opened Thursday's running with an hour-long Cooper and Yamaha rider McLean traded fastest times in the early stages of the session. Cooper eventually pulled clear with a lap of 4:48.326, which was 0.754 seconds faster than McLean. They will be joined on the front row for the two races on Saturday by Jordan, who has had an impressive start to his North West 200. Hickman, McWilliams and Michael Sweeney will start on the second row, while the returning Jamie Coward and Michael Rutter round out the top eight. Cooper, who switched bikes mid-session, said he felt "really good" after the sole qualifying session. "I'm really happy with the KMR Kawasaki, we made good steps with it and I feel there is a little bit to come from the suspension. "Everyone is making strides and the times are getting tighter. I think Hicky [Peter Hickman] is always going to be a dark horse, Adam McLean is on his new Yamaha and you can never count out Jeremy McWilliams."Supertwins qualifying results1. Richard Cooper (Kawasaki) 4:48.326 (111.998 mph)2. Adam McLean (Yamaha) +0.754 (111.706 mph)3. Paul Jordan (Aprillia) +5.229 (109.721 mph)4. Peter Hickman (Yamaha) +1.325 (109.230 mph)5. Jeremy McWilliams (Aprillia) +0.535 (109.032 mph)6. Michael Sweeney (Aprillia) +0.409 (108.882 mph)7. Jamie Coward (Kawasaki) +0.780 (108.596 mph)8. Michael Rutter (Yamaha) +2.088 (107.839 mph)
Belfast Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Veteran star on why he still has what it takes to be in the mix at North West 200
Jeremy McWilliams (61) says age is no barrier to north coast wins Three-time North West 200 Supertwins race winner Jeremy McWilliams marked his 61st birthday in early April, but the former MotoGP rider has no notion of stepping away from the north coast road race while he remains competitive. McWilliams made his Irish road racing debut around the 8.9-mile course in 2012 and finished as the runner-up in the Supertwin race behind class specialist Ryan Farquhar, whose KMR Kawasaki team famously completed a clean sweep of the podium with Michael Rutter joining them on the rostrum in third.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dunlop and McGee clinch wins at Cookstown 100
Michael Dunlop and Derek McGee have taken wins at Saturday's Cookstown 100 road riding a V2 Ducati, led from start to finish in the Supersport race, run in dry conditions over nine laps of the 2.1-mile Orritior on an ex-Ten Kate World Supersport machine, pushed Dunlop for much of the race but trailed by four seconds at the chequered flag in finishing Sweeney, Darryl Tweed and Kevin Keyes made up the top rider McGee was a convincing winner of the Moto3 class, coming home 18.75 seconds ahead of Manxman Dan Sayle, with Nigel Moore a former Irish Superbike, Supersport and Supertwin champion, is now based in the Netherlands and is making his first appearance at the Cookstown races since will ride a KMR Kawasaki in the Supertwins race later on Saturday, with an Open race and the feature Cookstown 100 race also on the action was restricted to free practice sessions because of the wet and windy weather at the county Tyrone course.
