Mullingar rider, Derek McGee underlined his versatility when he qualified on Pole in both the Superbikes and Moto 3 classes for to morrows KDM Hire Cookstown 100.

Qualifying for to morrows races was held in excellent conditions, however only one race was run before the organizers decided to pull the plug on safety grounds. With low lying sun beginning to cause problems at the back of the circuit, the 600 Invitation race was red flagged after half a lap, as Mike Norbury slipped off at turn one, but riders, appeared to be uneasy with the Sun, and after talks with the organizers, Clerk of the Course Francis Everard wisely called it quits for the evening. Michael Dunlops debut with the TYCO BMW saw him qualify in third spot for the Superbike races behind Michael Sweeney and McGee, with only 0.44 seconds covering the leading trio.


Brian McCormack was 4th quickest ahead of James Cowton and William Dunlop. Derek Sheils only got half a lap before his machine expired, and he hurriedly returned to the pits, and took out his 600 Yamaha, and despite traffic , qualified in 12th place. Sheils then put his 600 Yamaha on pole for the 600 race ,just 0.095 seconds ahead of Adam McLean with McGee just a fifth of a second adrift in third. 4th on the grid will be James Cowton just ahead of the Dunlops with Michael in 5th spot.


The top four in the moto 3 class shattered the 5 year old lap record, with McGee taking pole from Adam McLean, Paul Robinson and best of the two strokes, Joesph Loughlin. Local riders Paul Jordan (Moto 3 ) and Nigel Moore completed the leaderboard. McLean and Cowton both went under the lap record inn the Supertwins where Joesph Loughlin was third, just a tenth of the existing lap record. Derek McGee only got one lap before retiring. Thomas Maxwell qualified in 4th ahead of newcomer Davey Todd and Michael Browne, with New Zealander Daneil Mettam in 7th spot. Best of the Supermonos was Shaun Anderson in 9th place on the Kramer.


Barry Davison stamped his authority in both the 350 and 500 classic qualifying with Brian Mateer heading the quarter litre class by whisker from Philip Shaw and Richard Ford. Nigel Moore qualified second in the 350 ahead of Ed Manly, with manx man, Chris McGahan in 4th. In the 1000 class, it is Richard Ford who heads the leaderboard from French newcomer Morgan Govignon and Jamie O Brein. Second on the grid for the 500 class will be Freddie Stewart with Mark Parret ,riding the Ex works Norton as ridden by Charlie Williams at the MGP two years ago, in 3rd spot.

Schoolteacher Barry Sheehan heads the junior support class from Jason cassels and Alaistair Haworth, with Michael Nagle, Liam Chawke and Rikki McGovern competing the top 6. Cork rider, Michael Browne heads the senior support from newcomers Darren Keys, Stephen Haddow, Aaron Mellish and Owen Graves. Darryl Tweed just holds on to pole for the Lightweight supersport from Alaister Haworth, with Seamu Elliot in third ahead of Stephen McKeown, Stephen Morrisson and best of the Forgotten Era riders, Gareth Keys in 6th spot.


The only race to go to night was the senior Support B, and it was Ballymoneys Tommy Henry who won the race on corrected time from David Murphy and John O Donavan. 

Baylon McCaughey