Donemana and Seaforde Race Report

Reid Moves To 5th As Series Hits Halfway
After a hectic weeks racing action that saw two Championship race meetings
on consecutive weekends, Comber based rider Justin Reid is now sitting 5th in
the 2011 Ulster Premier Quad Championship with four of the scheduled eight
rounds yet to run.
The last Saturday of May saw the Justwin Racing crew head to the Northwest
of the province to Donemana Motocross Circuit for the re-scheduled round 1
of the series, heavy rain in the preceding days and on race day leaving the
sand-based surface in less than ideal condition and providing a tough test
over the two eighteen minute plus one-lap motos. After qualifying in 6th in
timed practice with a good pick of gate, Reid made a superb start to the first
heat and was running 2nd on the opening lap, only to have his race abruptly
halted with a battery problem forcing an early retirement.
Quickly putting the disappointment behind him as they lined up for the final
moto, Reid once again repeated his blistering start grabbing the holeshot as
the field charged out on the first of thirteen laps in the constantly changing
conditions. Involved in a four way battle for the lead, a slight mistake on the
first lap saw him drop back two slots, but determined to improve his position
Reid re-composed and closed the gap to the leading riders, blasting through
on the final lap to take the chequered flag in a superb 2nd place.
Just one week later saw the Team travel the short distance to Seaforde
Motocross Park in their native County Down for the 4th round of the series,
the weather conditions in total contrast to the previous meeting with glorious
sunshine the order of the day as the Ulster Premier Quad Championship
made it’s first appearance at the hard-pack hillside venue since 2005.
Quickly getting to grips with the re-vamped layout in timed practice, Reid
posted 6th fastest time to once again secure a good gate pick for the allimportant run to the tight one-hundred and eighty degree first corner. As
the gates dropped for the first of the two eighteen minute plus two-lap heats,
Reid got good drive off the line and swept up the inside to slot in to 5th as the
twenty-six strong field charged out on the opening lap, immediately
beginning to work his way through the pack to complete the first of twelve
laps in 3rd. Finding his rhythm and challenging for position as the race
progressed, Reid moved up to 2nd at the five-minute mark and set about
closing the five second gap to the leader, setting a relentless pace and
posting the fastest lap of the race as he caught up to the leader with three
laps to go, Reid charging to the chequered flag but thwarted by back markers
in the closing laps to cross the line just two-tenths of a second adrift.
A fantastic start to the final heat of the day saw Reid grab the holeshot and
head the field in a cloud of dust, the lead changing hands on the opening lap
before Reid made the move to the front again to resume the lead. Setting a
blistering pace with a clear track in front, Reid gradually pulled away from
the ensuing pack only to have his hard work negated, the race red-flagged
on safety grounds with the dusty conditions necessitating some heavy
watering before action could resume. Gating 5th on the re-start, Reid quickly
adapted to the slick and muddy surface and increased his pace as he charged
through the pack, moving up to 3rd and challenging for 2nd as the race
approached the halfway point when mechanical gremlins halted his progress,
Reid forced to call it a day and retire from the race.
Having moved to 5th with four rounds remaining, Reid commented afterwards
“It’s such a pity to have lost valuable points over something a stupid as a
battery at Donemana but these things happen. Unfortunately because I didn’t
do most of the first race I didn’t know ehere the lines had developed in the
second so I lost a couple of places on the first lap, thankfully my fitness was
good until the end so I was able to get back into 2nd.
My pace was great in the first moto at Seaforde but the track is very fast and
one lined in places so it’s hard to pass. Unfortunately I got caught out by a
couple of back markers towards the end and was never able to make a
decent challenge for the lead, it was a great race though and 0.2 seconds
wasn’t very much at the line! I had a major mechanical problem in the
second which is certainly going to put us under pressure for the race next
weekend but that’s racing…”
Results
2011 Ulster Premier Quad Championship Rd 1 (re-scheduled) –
Donemana Motocross Circuit, Saturday 28th May 2011
Race 1
1st – David Wray, 2nd – Michael McAneney, 3rd – David Cowan, 4th – Sean
Goss, 5th – Jonny Kelly, 6th – Johnny McKnight
Race 2
1st – Michael McAneney, 2nd – JUSTIN REID (JUSTWIN RACING), 3rd –
David Wray, 4th – Sean Goss, 5th – David Cowan, 6th – Johnny McKnight
2011 Ulster Premier Quad Championship Rd 4 – Seaforde Motocross
Park, Saturday 4th June 2011
Race 1
1st – Michael McAneney, 2nd – JUSTIN REID (JUSTWIN RACING), 3rd –
David Wray, 4th – Jonny Kelly, 5th – Mark McLernon, 6th – Johnny McKnight
Race 2
1st – David Wray, 2nd – Jonny Kelly, 3rd – Michael McAneney, 4th – David
Cowan, 5th – Ricky Toye, 6th – Johnny McKnight
2011 Ulster Premier Quad Championship Standings after four rounds
(of 8)
1st – David Wray 178, 2nd – Michael McAneney 151, 3rd – Jonny Kelly 145, 4th
– David Cowan 125, 5th – JUSTIN REID 120, 6th – Sean Goss 118
Next race: Sunday 12th June 2011, GOLDSPEED ACU British Quad
Championship Round 2, Duns Motocross Circuit, Duns, Scotland
www.justwinracing.com