2021 Cookstown 100 Results :
The second, and final, road racing event of 2021 was the Cookstown 100 and was held over the weekend of 10th and 11th September 2021.
What is traditionally the season starter has actually marked the end of the Northern Irish Road Racing Season in 2020 and now 2021 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and as restrictions now start to ease I, and the rest of the road racing fraternity, hope to see the Cookstown 100 back to its rightful place as the opening event in the 2022 Season.
In respect of the 2021 event we were treated to another well run event with a busy Friday Practice Day with a few races to wrap up the day and then a Saturday Race Day that started off rather slowly with a number of red flags, but then picked up steam and rattled through a packed schedule of 12 Races.
We had classics, support, 125s and Moto 3s, 600s, 1000s and superbikes… Something for everyone. Despite a few last minute withdrawals such as Michael Dunlop to a BSB event, Derek Magee to injury we were treated to some excellent racing, and every competitor deserves a mention. So to everyone who donned a set of leathers and took part this weekend we applaud you!
In a horrible twist of fate the weather followed in an almost carbon copy of 2020 in that it was dry all day race day right up until the Superbike Cookstown 100 final. Then a heavy shower soaked the circuit, red flagging the final which had just got underway with a full grid.
(In 2020 the rain actually led to the final race being abandoned and there was no Cookstown 100 feature race).
After a delay to let the rain stop, 2 sighting laps were offered to the riders to make a decision and the decision was that the race would run however only seven riders took to the grid to take on the now damp and rather greasy Orritor circuit.
The 2021 Cookstown 100 Final ran as a short four lap sprint and from start to finish there was a duel between Darryl Tweed and Forest Dunn, with Tweed initially in the lead, but Dunn snapping hard his his heels for the first couple of laps. However, at the point that mattered, Forest Dunn took the chequered flag by 0.551 seconds to take home the coveted Cookstown 100 trophy.
2021 Cookstown 100 Results :
Race Results : Friday 10th September 2021:
Race 1 (Fri) : Steelweld Fabrications Open B
Race 2 (Fri) : Super Seal Windows Senior Support B
Race 3 (Fri) : Mid-Ulster District Council Supersport B
Race Results : Saturday 11th September 2021:
Race 1 : Super Seal Windows Senior Support A (Restart)
Race 2 : Keylite Lintels / Loughran Commercials Moto 3 / Supersport 300
Race 3 : Mid-Ulster District Council Supersport A (Restart)
Race 4 : VW Audi Bitz Supertwin / Supermono A
Race 5 : VW Audi Bitz Supertwin / Supermono B
Race 6 : JMB Coaches / Bill Eastwood Contracts Junior Support (Restart)
Race 7 : Steelweld Fabrications Open A
Race 8 : McKinstry Skip Hire Junior Classic A
Race 8B : McKinstry Skip Hire Junior Classic B
Race 9 : Royal Hotel Lightweight Supersport / 250GP / Post Classic
Race 10 : Skegness Raceway Senior Classic
Race 11 : KDM Cookstown 100 B
Race 12 : KDM Cookstown 100 A (Restart)
My final thoughts on Entry Charges :
2021 saw the Cookstown Club again up against numerous restrictions imposed by the ongoing global pandemic and what we got was a well organised, well run event that kept people safe and treated us all to two days of fast bikes on tiny country roads.
A great deal of thanks must go to the Cookstown Club and their team for organising and implementing the event.
The turnout around the course looked good and with each head representing £25 hopefully the Club secured the funds to keep things moving forwards.
Personally I see the way forward, post pandemic, as a ticket only entry at every event.
Only with people paying, what to be fair is a rather nominal fee will the clubs be able to secure to the funds they require moving forwards and secure their future and that of road racing as a sport.
We had the chance and the choice previously to support the Clubs simply by buying a program, unfortunately no where near enough of the race going public opted to make this purchase. So I feel that to secure the future of these events the Clubs really need to look at working together to lobby for the legislation to allow the charging of entry fees to road racing events.
Just my humble opinion.
Keep up with all the latest News on the Official Cookstown 100 Facebook Group, the Official Cookstown 100 Twitter Feed and the Official Cookstown 100 website.
The TBNI Road Racing Calendar will be updated as soon as new information comes to light so make sure you are subscribed to that : https://tbni.blog/road-racing-calendar/
You will also find new information as soon as it is available through the TBNI Facebook Page and TBNI Twitter Feed.
So Follow those also.
