Despite blue skies and bright sunshine in downtown Scarborough, Oliver’s Mount was shrouded in sea mist as practice got underway at 9.00am.

Between practice and qualifying for the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup Race, seven times winner Guy Martin was interviewed by course commentator Tony Coupland. Guy was unable to ride due to a leg infection and was getting around with the aid of crutches! Also out and about was current Gold Cup winner Ian Hutchinson who is now minus the metal work on his leg having had it removed on Wednesday.

The opening race of the second days racing at the 61st Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races, the Solo Non Qualifiers race run over 7 laps of the 2.43-mile course as the rain started, causing a number of riders to pull off the grid, was won by circuit debutant Paul Shoesmith, 17 seconds ahead of John Simpson and Gary Graves.

The second leg of the Darran Lindsay Superbike Trophy was next, Ryan Farquhar was leading the opening lap of eight until he overshot Farm Bends and had to let his pursuers through, handing the lead to John McGuinness by half a second when they crossed the line to complete the opening lap. Third was Michael Dunlop.
Lap two and positions remained the same with McGuinness increasing his lead by a tenth of a second.
A lap later and the lead had been cut to just 0.306 of a second as Michael Dunlop held on to third 5 seconds adrift.
Half distance and the gap had increased again to 7/10ths of a second.
Next lap and the see-sawing of the gap had decreased to 4/10ths of a second.
Three quarters race distance and Ryan Farquhar was back in front of his Honda rival John McGuinness with an advantage of 7/10ths of a second as Michael Dunlop was now 10 seconds back in third.
Lap 7 and the lead was up to 1.5 seconds and at the chequered flag it was Ryan Farquhar, John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop.
Ryan retaining the Darran Lindsay Superbike Trophy for the third year in a row!

Race 15, the second leg of the Phil Mellor SuperTwins Trophy and despite Farquhar getting ‘boxed-in’ at the start, he was leading the race at the end of the first lap of eight from Ivan Lintin and Ian Lougher.
By half distance with the rain again falling Farquhar’s advantage at the front was now 1.3 seconds from Lintin with Lougher third another ten seconds down.
At three-quarters Farquhar was holding his lead with a gap of 3.12 seconds from Lintin, with Farquhar’s team-mate, Jamie Hamilton now third 38 seconds behind.
Ryan Farquhar took his 85th race victory at Oliver’s Mount and collected the Phil Mellor SuperTwins Trophy. Ivan Lintin was second and Jamie Hamilton third.
Next up was the feature race of the meeting the International Steve Henshaw Gold Cup.
Farquhar and McGuinness were first into Mere Hairpin, but it was Farquhar who led up Sheene Rise on the opening lap of eight. At the end of the first lap, it was Farquhar by 0.402 of a second from McGuinness, with Keith Pringle third one second behind.
Lap two and Farquhar’s lead had increased to half a second. With positions being the same, in fact the top 12 places remained unchanged.
Lap three and McGuinness was now 1.446 seconds adrift of Farquhar, as William Dunlop retired to the paddock.
At half distance the lead was nearly two seconds, with Cringle a further five seconds adrift.
Next lap and Ryan’s lost a tenth of a second on John, as Ian Lougher moved into third and opened up a 1.5 second advantage over Pringle now fourth and Michael Dunlop slots into fifth.
Lap six and the gap between the Kawasaki and Honda riders is up to 2.3 seconds.
The end of the penultimate lap as the sun came out to watch the spectacle the lead was now 3.4 seconds.
Ryan Farquhar took the chequered flag to become the first Ulsterman, to win the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup. Second was John McGuinness, third Ian Lougher and fourth Michael Dunlop. Fifth and sixth were Keith Pringle and Ivan Lintin.

After the presentation of the Steve Henshaw Gold Cup Trophy, the Phil Mellor Trophy and the Darran Lindsay Trophy to Ryan Farquhar, it was time for the F2 Sidecars.

Father and son Ian and Carl Bell led from the start and completed the first lap still in front, but flipped the chair at Mere on the second lap letting Conrad Harrison and Lee Patterson into the lead, which they maintained to the chequered flag. Second were Carl Fenwick and Mark Sayers, with Tony Thirkell and Nigel Barlow in third.

Race 18 the second leg for the David Jefferies Supersport Trophy saw Ryan Farquhar lead at the end of the opening lap by 0.28 of a second from Michael Dunlop and Ivan Lintin in third.
Lap two and the distance between the two Ulstermen had increased to 0.8 of a second, as Ian Lougher retired to the paddock.
Lap three and the distance was now 2.5 seconds as positions remained the same. Dean Harrison, William Dunlop and Jamie \Coward completed the top six.
At half distance Ryan continued to stamp his authority on the race adding another half second to his lead.
William Dunlop moved into fourth on lap five and by lap six the gap between Farquhar and Michael Dunlop 4.15 seconds and at the chequered flag it was Ryan Farquhar, Michael Dunlop, Ivan Lintin, William Dunlop, Dean Harrison and Jamie Coward.

Racer 19, the second leg of the Lee Pullan 250cc Trophy, firstly had sunshine and showers at the same time and initially it was Chris palmer who had the lead, but on the second lap it was Derek Clark who headed the field, with Seamus Elliott moving into second as Chris Palmer slipped to third. William Dunlop had moved from sixth to fourth.
Lap three; it was Clark still in front but only by one second from Elliott. Palmer and Dunlop were also only separated by half a second.
Half distance saw William overtake Chris for third place as the leaders were only 0.418 of a second apart.
Lap five and Seamus Elliott was in front by 1.5 seconds on Derek Clark with William Dunlop some seven seconds down in third.
Lap six and the lead for Elliott was now 1.3 seconds. Chris Palmer retires to the paddock with machine trouble. Meanwhile in third was William Dunlop, but some 15 seconds back.
Lap seven and the first three remained the same and at the flag it was Seamus Elliott 29 seconds ahead of William Dunlop with Kevin Strowger third.
Derek Clark was off at Memorial but OK. William Dunlop receives the Lee Pullan Trophy.

Race 21 the 2nd leg of the Stu Reed 125cc Trophy proved to be a start to finish victory for Manxie Chris Palmer, who was awarded the Stu Reed 125cc Trophy.

The penultimate race of the weekend, the second leg of the National 400, Daniel Frear enjoyed a start to finish ride to take the chequered flag from Alistair Haworth and Chris Smith.

The final race of the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races 2011 was the third leg of the F2 Sidecars over six laps.
After flipping the outfit in the previous leg, Ian and Carl Bell ensured all three wheels stayed right side down and took the final race victory at Oliver’s Mount this year. Carl Fenwick and Mark Sayers were second and Tony Thirkell and Nigel Barlow completed the top three.














.