The Oliver’s Mount circuit hosts the first of a total of twenty-four rounds throughout the year at ‘pure’ road races in Northern Ireland, Eire, and the Isle of Man and culminates at the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix in November.

Current Champion and five time winner of the coveted Geoff Duke Trophy, Ryan Farquhar starts the defence of his Rankings title and is entered in all twelve of the solo races in the programme on his KMR Kawasaki machines, aiming to increase the tally of 68 race victories he has achieved at the ‘Mount’ to date.

Runner-up last year William Dunlop begins his 2011 racing season determined to improve on his 2010 ranking. The likable Ulsterman has a brace of two-stroke Hondas at his disposal and will also be riding his 600cc Wilson Craig Honda in anger for the first time.

Ian Lougher, who has an incredible 128 wins at Scarborough since 1989 and has won the Duke Rankings on three occasions and finished sixth last year has four machines to do battle on, the pair of Black Horse Kawasaki’s; a 125 Honda and new for 2011 a Stewart Smith prepared 650 ER6 Kawasaki.


Fellow veteran, Chris Palmer with 81 chequered flags to his credit since 1991 will be campaigning his faithful Mannin Hondas with the aim of improving on his seventh in the Rankings in 2010.

With four second places behind Ryan Farquhar at the Ian Watson Spring Cup last year, Michael Pearson returns to the 2.43-mile circuit hoping to go one better this year on his 600 Kawasaki and 1000 BMW and improve on his tenth position in the Rankings table.

Others in the top twenty of the 2010 Duke Rankings entered in the opening round are Dean Harrison (12), Davy Morgan (13), Adrian Archibald (15), Ivan Lintin (17), Derek Sheils (18) and Peter Wakefield (19).

The Trustees of the Duke Road Race Rankings wish all competitors a safe and successful days racing and all the best for the 2011 season.