Magnificent Morgan on fire at Ulster GP

Magnificent Morgan on fire at Ulster GP

15 August 2012

LOCAL riders Davy Morgan and Michael Pearson excelled at Saturday’s 90th anniversary Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod.

It was a day of triumph for Saintfield man Morgan, who took the chequered flag in the Wash n Dash 250cc race to record his International race win on a 250 machine.

Morgan, who had set the pace during Wednesday and Thursday practice, was in a class of his own, winning by 13 seconds from fellow Honda rider Seamus Elliott. Morgan also set the fastest lap of the Lightweight race with a lap speed of 114.798mph.

Earlier in the day, he took a fine 15th place in the Lisburn City Council Superstock 1000cc race with a fastest lap speed of 125.235mph.

In the Aer Lingus Supersport 600 race he came home in 21st position with a fastest lap of 120.725mph.

In the McKinstry Skip Hire Superbike Race, Morgan just missed out on a top ten finish, coming home in 11th place with a speed of 126.551mph on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki.

In the UGP Supporters Club/Peoples Superbike race, he finished in 17th position and upped his lap speed to 127.148mph.

Ballygowan’s Michael Pearson crashed out of the Aer Lingus Supersport 600 race at the Tornagrough section of the Dundrod circuit, and was lucky to walk away with only minor injuries.

However, he did manage to start both Superbike races, and put on a fantastic display on the 36 Supporters Club/Richard Rawson Honda Fireblade.

In the McKinstry Skip Hire Superbike race, he took an excellent eighth place finish with a best lap of 129.168mph.

In the UGP Supporters Club/Peoples Superbike race, he was sixth overall and the first Superstock machine home with a best lap of 128.961mph. Pearson was also recorded 189mph through the speed trap.

English rider Guy Martin, on the locally-based Tyco Suzuki, took the man of the meeting award after winning the main Superbike race, while Michael Dunlop took a brace of wins in the Superstock and Superbike B race

William Dunlop, on the Wilson Craig Honda, and New Zealander Bruce Anstey shared the spoils in the two Supersport 600 race.

This year’s Ulster Grand Prix was however marred by the death of Stoke on Trent rider Lee Vernon who crashed in Thursday’s Dundrod 150 Superbike race.

Vernon (24), who was riding a 1000cc BMW, crashed out at over 120mph at the Rock Cross section of the Dundrod circuit.