Yesterday's racing at Olivers Mount, Scarborough, including the 67th running of the prestigious Gold Cup race, was abandoned following two serious incidents saw up to a dozen spectators hospitalised, three in a serious condition.

Northern Ireland riders and fans were at the meeting, but none were involved.

In qualifying for the feature race, Jamie Coward crashed at Drury's Hairpin with both rider and his machine crashing through the trackside fence. Coward was relatively unscathed while injured spectators were treated at the scene.

Three races later in the Junior 'B' race, a similar incident at the same place saw Daley Mathison crash and once again several people injured.

With ambulances, including two Air Ambulances, taking the injured to hospital, the organising Auto 66 Club in a statement said:

"In view of the seriousness of these incidents and our requirements to call on outside assistance to help us with treatment we have reluctantly taken the advice of everyone concerned and decided to cancel the rest of the meeting."



During Saturday's opening series of races at the 2.43mile public roads circuit, Tobermore rider Adam McLean was in tremendous form taking three runner-up finishes - second behind Ivan Lintin in the Super Lightweight 6-lap race and second to Dean Harrison in the Junior and Open 8-lap races.

Then in the second Junior race yesterday, McLean was relegated to third behind Harrison and James Cowton.

In the Junior and Senior events, Michael Dunlop was forced to retire from all three of his outings.



Further afield in Germany during the 55th Frohburg road race meeting, late entry Derek Sheils, riding for the Penz13 BMW Motorrad team, finished a fine second, fourth and fifth in Superbike races, while the Dubliner's team mate for the weekend, Danny Webb, was a double winner with both Supersport and Superbike race victories.

William Dunlop was out of luck with a retirement in the first Superbike race, a non-starter in the Open race and retired from the opening Supersport race on the eighth of 10 laps, but finished fifth some 14 seconds behind Sheils in the second Open race while Shaun Anderson from Banbridge finished second in the Supermono race.



Eunan McGlinchey scored a superb second position in the Thundersport GB Supertwin second race at Oulton Park on Saturday. Having been forced out of the opening race on the last lap, McGlinchey made amends in race two, runner-up to new Thundersport champion in the class Jonny Towers.

In Supersport qualifying, the 19-year old was down in 19th position but in the two races he piloted his Suzuki to ninth position in his class in race one, improving to seventh in race two.

Young Cameron Dawson, helped by Ryan Farquhar, scored a 10th and eighth in the Superteens class on his debut on a 300 YZF Yamaha, improving his lap time by over two and a half seconds in his Oulton debut.

The Quadcross and Sidecarcross of European Nations in Cingoli in Italy yesterday saw Irish Quadcross team of Mark McLernon, Michael McAneney and Justin Reid finish a superb third, a first time podium for Ireland at this event while the Sidecarcross team of Gary Moulds and Steve Kirwin, Neil Campbell and Craig Parmenter and Emma Moulds and Niki Adair finished eighth overall.

The Irish Trials Des Nations Trials squad of Sean Doyle, Jonathan Lunney and Stuart McClurg finished fourth of 13 nations in the International class at Baiona in Spain.

" As you may already know, I was involved in the last incident yesterday at Oliver's Mount.

After enjoying showcasing the electric superbike in its new spec, we decided to take part in the Junior B final.

On lap 3, disaster struck with front brake failure. I did everything in my power to slow the 280kg Electric superbike but it was useless.

Fortunately, I managed to miss several competitors before making the decision to jump off the bike at between 50/60mph. The bike unfortunately hit the fence at Drury's hairpin, before being involved with spectators in the field behind. This has to be the hardest thing I'll have to come to terms with, in my career. I am so traumatised by what has happened, as I am sure a lot of people are who witness/experienced the crash and I am so deeply sorry for the spectators involved and their families. I'd like to send my best wishes and thoughts to everyone involved.

Being a family man, I cannot begin to imagine what these families are going through right now.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to all of the medical staff involved, marshalls, police and the circuit officials for doing such an amazing job, taking care of the injured and everyone involved.

Finally, thank you for all of your concerns, messages and comments. It just goes to show what fantastic supporters and family I have around me; you're the reason I do what I do - I strive to entertain. I'm just so sorry how yesterday concluded. "

Regards
Daley