Warning :
Some dates are still to be confirmed and all dates are subject to change – make sure to check before you leave home!
2019 Road Racing Calendar : Click Here
The full 2019 Road Racing Calendar has now been updated – a few dates are still to be confirmed, but it is looking like it’s going to be a great event packed summer of 2019.
Make sure to subscribe to the completely free TBNI.Blog Road Racing iCal Calendar – that way you won’t miss a thing!
Have you ever thought that you fancy trying something other than the usual Sunday run out on the bike, along the same route, with your head down and bum up?
If so have you ever considered long distance motorcycling?
That is what the Iron Butt Association is all about. Safe, enjoyable long distance motorcycle riding that gets you out and about to places you probably haven’t seen before, or take routes or challenges that you probably had never even thought of before.
“The 60,000+ members of the Iron Butt Association are dedicated to safe, long-distance motorcycle riding. Although based in the United States, we have thousands of enthusiastic members throughout the globe! One of our more popular slogans is, “The World Is Our Playground.”
Check out out the IBA Website here : http://ironbutt.com
Check out the IBA Ireland Website here : https://www.ibaireland.org
Check out the IBA UK Website here : https://www.ironbutt.co.uk
IBA Ireland : 2018 Photo Rally : A Bridge Too FarHaving been a member of the Iron Butt Association for a few years now I thought I would give their 2018 Photo Rally a go.
The info on their site sums it up pretty well :
The locations are spread all over the island of Ireland and the route between them amounts to many thousands of miles.
I’m sure you could plan a route and tackle every location across a few days (reducing the mileage), but personally I used my free time over the summer months and probably took about 5 or 6 individual day trips to gather up all the checkpoints.
Some of those days trips were very long. For example my final trip took in the far west and south west of Ireland coming from Northern Ireland that specific trip, which took in 4 bridges started at 7.00am and finished at 1.30am and consumed about 780 miles.
But long mileage is all part of the Iron Butt Challenge, so if you enjoy full days in the saddle, seeing parts of the country (world even) that you probably didn’t even know about Photo Rallies are a good way to go about it and there are plenty of them about. Most motorcycle clubs, and the bigger Internet forums all offer Photo Rallies, so now that winter is here have a good look about and see what may take your fancy for the next year.
Welcoming the announcement, star of the 2018 MCE Insurance UGP and Man of the Meeting, Peter Hickman, who romped to easy victories in both the 600 and superbike races said: “I’m already looking forward to racing back at the Ulster GP, it’s one of the best circuits on earth!”
The dates for the 2019 Ulster Grand Prix have been confirmed.
Wednesday 7th August 2019 will get the Practice Sessions underway.
Thursday 8th August 2019 will see four race sessions – currently scheduled as Superbike, Supersport, Ultra Lightweight/Lightweight and Supertwins.
Saturday 10th August 2019 is Race Day and is currently scheduled for 7 race sessions across all classes.
Check out the Official Ulster Grand Prix Website Here : http://ulstergrandprix.net
“It’s always close racing and the track is a firm favourite among fans and riders alike, but there is so much more to enjoy during Bike Week, as it is five days packed with full of entertainment and activities for all ages.”
Now is a good time to subscribe to the TBNI.Blog Road Racing Calendar. It is a totally free iCal Calendar you you can add to your phone / iPad / tablet / home computer etc and it will automatically update with all the dates for the all the Irish, Northern Irish and Manx Road Racing Meetings. It is completely secure, ad-free, free and regularly updated with the latest info including meeting dates, road closures and any important announcements.
The calendar is now entering its third year and is an absolutely essential resource for your race attendance planning, so if you are still to subscribe and wondering what to do, it is very simple – just click the link…
Simply Click here and you will be offered to Subscribe to the TBNI Road Racing Calendar :
If you want to read more about the TBNI.Blog iCal Calendar have a read here : https://tbni.blog/2017/04/05/road-racing-calendar-now-available/
It’s the final day of the Northern Irish Road Racing Calendar, and it’s one of the biggest – The 2018 Ulster Grand Prix Saturday Race Day.
This article is being written real time during the event, in a new approach for me, it may work it may not. So I welcome your comments and input either way. That should explain why things may bounce about a little, but if it works I may use it in the future as a sort of live blog…
The day got off to an absolutely flying start with Peter Hickman showing once again that he is the fastest road racer on the planet and had his eyes firmly fixed on breaking more records – breaching 200 mph at the Flying Kilo speedtrap…
.@peterhickman60 tops this morning's 20 minute free practice session – 133.992mph and 201mph through the speed trap on the Flying Kilo.
Now it's time to go racing!
Listen live: https://t.co/kTuNWUr9QK#MCEUGP pic.twitter.com/9iTVxWpyvu— Ulster Grand Prix (@UlsterGrandPrix) August 11, 2018
The previous best was held by William Dunlop #6 (RIP) at a still whopping 200.4 mph.
Read on for the results and a brief summary of the day’s racing.
The last road race meeting in Northern Ireland for the year is underway at Dundrod in the form of the Ulster Grand Prix and as usual we have all the results from every race right here for you.
Unfortunately during Thursday’s session we lost Derek McGee and Seamus Elliot (who have both suffered suspected broken bones) Derek McGee was flying through the last couple of meetings – at Fuagheen he had recently made it 14 out of 14!
Derek would like to thank everyone for their messages. All the injuries should heal. Disappointing end to the day from a non fault accident. We wish Seamus a speedy recovery too. The times looked promising & we were at the sharp end and feeling confident of decent results pic.twitter.com/jnWYbh7E3E
— Derek McGee (@DerekMcGee86) August 9, 2018
A few more riders suffered spills but most importantly none suffered any serious injuries.David Murphy came off at Dawson’s, Davo Johnston at the hairpin, a red flag halted the action in the first 600 race due to rain and Joey Thompson suffered a high side.
On a much more positive note Conor Cummins took the Supersport race in outstanding style and Adam McLean dedicated his Supertwin win to James Cowton. Neil Kernohan and Christian Elkin took the honours in the hotly contested lightweight categories.
Full results below :
After a 66 year absence road racing returned this weekend to Enniskillen, in the form of the relaunched and revitalised Enniskillen 100. Further to that it is extremely pleasing to be able to report that everything about the event was positive.
No red flags, no injuries, a full and comprehensive race scehule (along with a packed Practice and Qualifying Session on 29/06/2018).
Couple all the above with a record equalling 5 race wins in a day for Derek McGee (and it could have been six, as he had entered six races but due to the five races in a day rule had to withdraw from one.)
The result was an epic days racing, and don’t forget the weather – we can do nothing about it but when it is with us it hard to beat. At 29.4 degrees Celsius it was an absolute scorcher with wall to wall sunshine from well before the race started until it set for the evening.
Hopefully next year the meeting will have Championship status and will tempt in an even larger field of competitors. Which is only a good thing for the greatest sport on the planet!
Check out the results of the 2018 Enniskillen 100 below :
Here are all the times, all the splits, all the categories and all the results from the 2018 Around A Pound Tandragee 100 Race Day.
A full gallery of images from the day’s action is still to follow, but honestly it was a glorious day with what can only be described as an epic Tandragee 100 Feature Race. I won’t spoil the result – just keep scrolling to see it, but know this, we got a new lap record from the winner at 2:55:11s!
Race week is fast approaching and here are all the details you need to catch all the action…
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Tuesday 9th May |
Practice |
9.15am – 3.00pm |
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Thursday 11th May |
Practice |
9.15am – 3.00pm |
|
Thursday 11th May |
Evening Racing |
5.00pm – 9.00pm |
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Saturday 13th May |
Race Day |
9.15am – 7.00pm |
After last weeks soaking I had been keeping an constant eye on the weather forecast for Cookstown and the Cookstown 100 Races.
It changed every day! Sunny, wet, overcast, wet, sunny but cold… it just changed every time I looked it up!
By this morning the forecast was dry but overcast and then some rain round about 1pm that should blow over pretty quickly.
With that in mind I figured the trip would be worth it and I ventured towards my first ever Cookstown 100.
It wasn’t far wrong…
As I said above this was my first Cookstown 100 and it is instantly one of my favourite race meetings.
Maybe I was just lucky but the spot I managed to find was outstanding. The bikes were close, fast and spent most of the time I seen them either on the back wheel or in the air. It was truly amazing and has instantly made me a huge fan of this event! The effort these guys were putting in was breath taking.
The event had many red flags, pretty much a red flag for every race – bar the 125 / Moto 3 race and the Classics. Thankfully there were no reports of any serious injuries. More than that, even with so many incidents to deal with the organisers still managed to get the full program raced – leading to a great day for the riders and spectators alike.
I haven’t had a look through my camera yet but I think I managed some awesome photos so a full gallery will follow shortly but in the meantime here’s what you came here for…
The 2017 Cookstown 100 Results :
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW6Z_zWcwE4&w=560&h=315]
Guy Martin’s return to the road racing scene took an early spill at the 2017 Tandragee 100 when his Honda collided with that of fellow racer, Paul Jordan, at Marlacoo Corner, on the opening lap of the Superbike Race.
Most importantly neither rider was hurt and as the photographs show it turned into probably the most amicable spill ever with the two guys sitting up, having a chat and a cup of tea.
Paul Jordan even found the light hearted side of the crash a short time later on his Twitter Feed.
So today Guy Matrin wanted to meet me, had to tell him after there is always easier ways to say hello. Both of us were totally fine. ?? pic.twitter.com/j00bVVClpx
— Paul Jordan (@PaulJordan61) April 22, 2017