DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR MCGUINNESS AT THE ULSTER GP

HM Plant Honda’s John McGuinness was disappointed not to get his Ulster Grand Prix campaign off to the start he had hoped for today (19 August) after retiring two laps into the first seven-lap race of the day, the Lisburn City Council Superstock Race.

McGuinness commented: “The conditions had improved apart from a river of water running across the track at Wheelers. It’s a shame as despite my best efforts I was just was unable to run the pace.”
 
McGuinness was hoping that his fortune would change in the first superbike race of the day in which he had qualified his HM Plant Honda in pole position, but it was not to be as he was forced to retire from the Jester Interactive UGP Superbike Race due to a punctured rear tyre.
 
McGuinness grabbed the hole shot and was followed closely by Guy Martin who claimed the lead from McGuinness, however by the famous Deer’s Leap section McGuinness moved ahead once again. Martin repassed the Morecambe-based rider for a second time across the start finish straight but the Honda rider regained the lead at Deer’s Leap for a second time. By the end of lap three it was clear that McGuinness had a problem, finally calling it a day after he had realised what the concern was.
 
McGuinness commented: “I’m gutted. It was going really well up until the puncture. I could feel the rear end moving around and every time I touched the throttle I was sliding. I simply couldn’t continue.”
 
Next up was the second supersport fixture of the day. McGuinness finished in seventh place after a strong battle with all the key protagonists. Off the line he dropped four places to ninth but undeterred the determined 33-year-old set to work and moved up the order to sixth, a position he looked to hold until the chequered flag, but was passed on the last lap by Jason Griffiths.
 
McGuinness commented: “I’ve not been strong on the Supersport bike all week and I think that came through in that race. I got my head down and pulled in a strong finish.”
 
The final race of the day was the Ulster Grand Prix Supports’ Club Superbike
Race and McGuinness looked set to finish on the rostrum, however the rain fell and the race was red flagged on lap four.
 
McGuinness had just moved into second place when the race was stopped but the race results were declared based on the previous lap which left him in fourth; just off the much sought after podium.
 
A disappointed McGuinness said: “The rain was really heavy out the back part of
the track, they were right to red flag it. I’m disappointed really but at the end of the day I’ve just not been as fast as the others and luck certainly hasn’t been on my side. I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes.” 

Race Results

Lisburn City Council Superstock Race Result
1. Bruce Anstey                      TAS Suzuki                             25:26.216
2. Guy Martin                          AIM Yamaha                           25:29.180
3. Darran Lindsay                  Tillston Suzuki                         25:42.503
4. Adrian Archibald                TAS Suzuki                             25:58.704
5. Keith Amor                          Cupar Suzuki                          26:03.388
6. Ryan Farquhar                   TAS Suzuki                             26:06.759
7. Conor Cummins                  Millsport Yamaha                    26:06.825
8. Paul Hunt                            Linley Deans Yamaha             26:18.182
9. Mark Buckley                     Black Horse Finance Honda  26:18.217
10. Stephen Thompson          T&R Suzuki                             26:22.980

Davy Wood Supersport Race Result
1. Guy Martin                          AIM Yamaha                           25:06.739
2. Ian Hutchinson                    McAdoo Kawasaki                 25:07.268
3. Ian Lougher                        Blackhorse Finance Honda    25:17.157
4. Bruce Anstey                     TAS Suzuki                             25:17.204
5. Raymond Porter                 DMRR Honda                         25:33.752
6. John McGuinness             HM Plant Honda                  25:45.946
7. Martin Finnegan                 Alpha Boilers Klaffi Honda      25:50.915
8. Ryan Farquhar                   TAS Suzuki                             25:51.364
9. Conor Cummins                 Millsport Yamaha                    25:52.196
10. Mark Buckley                   Blackhorse Finance Honda    26:15.825
 
Jester Interactive UGP Superbike Race Results
1. Guy Martin              AIM Yamaha                                       27:26.819
2. Raymond Porter     DMRR Honda                                     27:27.088
3. Ian Lougher              Stobart Honda                                    27:31.361
4. Martin Finnegan     Alpha Boilers Klaffi Honda                  28:04.099
5. Ryan Farquhar       TAS Suzuki                                         28:04.614
6. Paul Cranston         P&J Honda                                         28:32.703
7. Conor Cummins      Millsport Yamaha                                28:32.832
8. Stephen Thomopson         T&R Suzuki                             28:40.636
9. Adrian Archibald    TAS Suzuki                                         28:41.287
10. Ian Armstrong       Canteen Smithy Engineering Yamaha28:42.257
 
Road Racing Ireland Supersport Race Results
1. Guy Martin              AIM Yamaha                                       21:28.063
2. Ian Hutchinson        McAdoo Kawasaki                             21:28.208
3. Ian Lougher             Blackhorse Finance Honda                21:30.411
4. Bruce Anstey         TAS Suzuki                                         21:38.950
5. Darran Lindsay       Donut Tree Honda                              21:52.875
6. Jason Griffiths        Millsport Yamaha                                21:53.060
7. John McGuinness  HM Plant Honda                                 21:55.778
8. Conor Cummins     Millsport Yamaha                                21:57.573
9. Martin Finnegan     Alpha Boilers Klaffi Honda                  22:03.368
10. Les Shand             Wilson Craig/Uel Duncan Honda       22:26.567
 
UGPSC Superbike Race Two Result
1. Guy Martin              AIM Yamaha                                       10:17.422
2. Ian Lougher            Stobart Honda                                    10:18.875
3. Ian Hutchinson       McAdoo Kawasaki                             10:18.949
4. John McGuinness  HM Plant Honda                                 10:19.786
5. Raymond Porter     DMRR Honda                                     10:23.062
6. Martin Finnegan     Alpha Boilers Klaffi Honda                  10:34.695
7. Bruce Anstey          TAS Suzuki                                         10:35.088
8. Jason Griffiths        Yamaha UK Ltd                                  10:35.403
9. Keith Amor              Cupar Suzuki                                      10:40.547
10. James McBride    Austin Powered Yamaha                    10:44.287

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