- 6 weeks ago
Part 1 of Highlights from the 2025 road races (Race Of Legends) at Armoy on the 25th-26th July 2025.
04:20 - Supertwin Race 1
16:20 - Supersport Race 1
25:20 - Classic Superbike
34:15 - Open
04:20 - Supertwin Race 1
16:20 - Supersport Race 1
25:20 - Classic Superbike
34:15 - Open
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to County Andrew in Northern Ireland where anticipation is building for
00:17another weekend of high-speed and high-stakes motorcycle road racing. It's time for the Armoy
00:23road racers.
00:53What the fuck?
00:54Look at me.
00:55Dreams are getting tired and it's hard to see the light inside you. Just remember you're
01:00a flower.
01:03Shades are getting tired and it's hard to see the light inside you. Just remember you're
01:09a flower.
01:14First established in 2009, the Armoy road race quickly gained notoriety and respect among
01:33fans and riders alike. So much so that every year, talent flocks to the paddock. Sadly,
01:40last year's dominant champion, David Todd, he's missing from the entry list, meaning
01:44the battle for the Armoy crown is more open than ever.
01:47Coming back over here and experience the raw Irish fans that makes it special for me, they
02:03always lean out and it doesn't matter where you finish, you could be finishing last first,
02:07but they always wear your programs at you and always commend you for going out there and
02:11putting on a show for them. So I think I appreciate that and that's what makes me come back.
02:16You know, it's nice to see a big smile on everyone's face. Riding a BMW M 1000 RR in a
02:21Superbike class on the open race and Race of Legends. Riding the Triumph 765 in Supersport
02:28and then Kawasaki Z650 in a Superclin race.
02:35In his first competitive year on the roads, Manxman Joe Yerdsley is a face of the future
02:40making his Armoy debut.
02:42I've been wanting to come here for three years and coming from the Isle of Man, having to take
02:46three days off all the time, it's not been easy. So this year ran for an Irish team. It's given us the
02:50opportunity to do it and it's been great. The track's unique and special. I've never felt so welcomed by a club before.
02:56And they go out the way to help you so much. It's fantastic. I'm riding the Scott Racer Motorcycles,
03:01a brilliant Supertwin, the Superstock Bike for Scott Racer Motorcycles and the SpinArena.net R6 Supersport Bike.
03:11An intense challenge ahead for Joe Yerdsley in his first time on the Armoy Road Race circuit.
03:16This is where the riders will do battle. A tight and twisty course lined with trees, fences and the enthusiastic public.
03:25Riders must contend with the lumps, bumps and several jumps that make up the course.
03:30But Laney Cross and Robo's Corner in the village, they will be key overtaking zones across today's racing action.
03:37So keep an eye out there.
03:38And it all starts here with the first race of the event, the Supertwins. They're lining up on the grid.
03:54The sound of Supertwins coming to the grid at Armoy. Chris Boyd joins me in the commentary box. Looking forward to this one.
04:01Oh, this should be an absolute cracker. We've got Paul Jordan on pole. He's joined by Michael Sweeney and Barry Ferber on the front row.
04:07Then Franco Bourne and Joey Thompson on row two. Newcomer Franco Bourne riding for the Couch and Racing Team.
04:12Jamie Coward, Joe Yerdsley, Neil Kernaghan and Marcus Simpson-Manks Ryder make up row four and the first wave away.
04:18Three waves here. Three waves, Chris Boyd. That's a lot of Supertwins, isn't it?
04:23Packed grid. We're away. Jordan makes a start. Coward's going down the outside, but Sweeney through the middle.
04:28Oh, he's on it here. I think Sweeney's going to have this into the Armoy home chicane for the first time.
04:32He is then Coward, then Barry Ferber right up there in third.
04:35We mentioned Franco Bourne at the start then. Newcomer here. You can see him with the orange bib on there.
04:39He's right about fifth place at the moment. And great to see that counting name back at the top of the Supertwins class.
04:45Near enough anyway. But here we go into the village, lap number one, and look how good it is to see Jamie Coward.
04:50Showed glimpses of this at the Southern 100 a couple of weeks ago.
04:53Oh, Michael Sweeney. Heavens above.
04:56Neil Kernaghan, though, just in behind Joe Yerdsley and just to the left of Neil Kernaghan there.
05:00That's Manxman Marcus Simpson.
05:02Yeah, Kernaghan coming off the third row and you can see how busy it is into Armoy Village and then up through the cuttings.
05:07We've got Neil Kernaghan, as you quite rightly said, on board with him.
05:10He's on the Aprilie this year, changing machine. Only got it early on, over the jumps to go in down towards Church Bend.
05:15This part of the circuit, as you can see from these aerial shots, it's beautiful.
05:19All the riders love this part. Then they go to the left-hand side of the tyre and then it's flat to the mat for these machines on the Twins.
05:25The Superbikes, the Supersports, it's flat for the laggy dams first off, then through the jumps.
05:30They're heading through the dams here now on board of Marcus Simpson.
05:32Joey Thompson on the TH Racing Machine, just in behind him but more at the front.
05:36Michael Sweeney. Wow, wow. The scariest man. He looks racy.
05:40That jump is unbelievable. And then they go over Dunlop's leap after that and then they've got these jumps.
05:45This laggy road is a sensational piece of road for road racing.
05:49Dropping down onto the brakes.
05:51Blaney Cross, lap number one of seven.
05:52Barry Firb, we've not really given him a mention yet.
05:54He's not the Yamaha but Paul Jordan on the Jackson Racing Machine.
05:57The Aprilia for this year slots into fourth.
05:59So with Sweeney, we're on board with the Scaries, man.
06:01He's had a good year so far, hasn't he?
06:03Brilliant year. Really getting himself right up there in the top echelon now.
06:06We're back with Neil Kernaghan who's still chasing Marcus Simpson, the 26-year-old from Douglas on the Isle of Man.
06:11Just going past a very popular part there, that's called Taggart's Barn.
06:14It's a barn that they basically put in a barn and all the locals, all the fans go there and watch the bikes go past them.
06:20At 140 miles an hour with a pint in the hand. Fantastic.
06:23That's what road racing is about.
06:25Kernaghan trying to make the move there but just had to back out of that on Simpson as they went into the chicane.
06:30Neil Kernaghan, very, very local man.
06:32So there we go after lap one.
06:33Sweeney needs Coward from Ferber and Jordan and Bourne.
06:36Good show by that.
06:37You're mad at Barry Ferber bouncing in on the brakes.
06:39You can see the different changes in tarmac.
06:41You can look out for the grids as Paul Jordan as the exit Rommo's corner and they head up towards Atchison's Leap.
06:46Ferber always goes so well in this class on the DC Autos.
06:49Yamaha, really good runner in the Super Twins but Jordan's trying to move up, I think.
06:53Yeah, I think Paul Jordan's gone up to third.
06:55He's got past Barry Ferber.
06:56He's on the red, white and blue.
06:58You've seen the Jackson racing colours of Paul Jordan.
07:00Paul Jordan, of course, had success at the North Western 100 on that machine and he's looking good.
07:04Now we're behind a returning to form Jamie Coward as they go through the church bend section and now back onto that laggy road you love so much.
07:11Oh, it's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And Jamie Coward is great to have him back on form.
07:15But Jordan looks like he's pulling alongside here, trying to anyway.
07:18Yeah, that's a move and a half if he makes that happen there.
07:20Paul Jordan sideways as he landed there.
07:23Now they're going to drop over to Dunlop's lead.
07:25And that is so fast through there as all the front wheel air rates.
07:27Remember watching Davey Todd there last year getting in all sorts of shape.
07:31But Michael Sweeney in the front, a little bit of a gap.
07:33But Paul Jordan with the rear wheel as he squeezed that front brake, hopping in the air and the rest of them.
07:38Joe Yerdsley, Franco born in there too.
07:40I'd say Joe Yerdsley finding a bit of form.
07:42And that's Joey Thompson on 74 just in behind them.
07:45Slightly off that Bellaney cross.
07:47That kerb stands out to you on the outside, but it's almost like a double left-hander almost.
07:51It does and there's a big kerb on the exit.
07:53You've really got to watch out for that.
07:54But at the front, here we go across the start and finish line, just over three miles.
07:58He kind of span out a little bit.
08:00Is Paul Jordan going to make a move this time? No.
08:02Michael Sweeney tidies it all up on the MJR Aprilia.
08:05And you see Aprilia of the Jackson Racing Aprilia, should I say, of Jordan in behind him.
08:10And then we've got Barry Furber on the Yamaha.
08:12And then we've got another machine that, of course, is Jamie Coward.
08:16It is on the Kawasaki, on the orange machine there, on the KTS Racing Machine.
08:20Jordan making the move.
08:21Jordan making the move.
08:22What a move that is.
08:23That is tough into there because the road service is different on either side.
08:26The grids, you've just gone over on it.
08:28You've got to watch out.
08:29It's so, so bumpy.
08:30Coming downhill off the leap and then getting the braking right for the village.
08:34Then a way up through the cuttings.
08:35Can he make this lead stick now?
08:37He's got himself to the front, has Paul Jordan.
08:39As you were saying, Chris, a winner at the North West 200.
08:42A podium at the TTs.
08:43Having quite the year on this super twin machine, the Japsons bike.
08:46Turner-Robert, they've just gone through.
08:48Now they're at Church Bend.
08:49A very popular spot with the fans, both sides of the road.
08:52They'll be cheering the Northern Irishman on.
08:54He's just ahead of the Southern Irishman.
08:56Then it's the two Englishmen.
08:57And third and fourth.
08:58And there's Manxman Joe Yersley.
08:59So every nationality covered there.
09:01Yersley sticking with them as best he can as well.
09:03We've got a two and then a two now.
09:05This is developed into Ferber and Coward.
09:07Wow.
09:08That is so spectacular, that jump.
09:10I'm just having a little look down the entry list.
09:12That's the only Yamaha in the entry as well is the R7 machine of number 80.
09:16Barry Ferber running out for a few years now.
09:18But at the front, Paul Jordan, Michael Srini.
09:20Then, of course, it is Barry Ferber and Jamie Coward, your top four.
09:23Going down into Blaney Cross.
09:25Just look at that kerb on the outside.
09:26Look how big it is.
09:27Yeah, it must be to the riders.
09:29It must be huge to us.
09:30It looks big to them.
09:31It's a good lord.
09:32Here's the overtake for the race lead.
09:33Yeah, good stuff by Paul Jordan.
09:35Got it nice and settled.
09:36You've got to pick your line through there and cut it back in.
09:38Again, it's another one that comes back on you a little bit.
09:40You've got to watch out for the kerb.
09:42And then as you head up through the middle there towards Etchison's Leap,
09:44it goes so, so narrow.
09:46But here we are into the chicane.
09:47Ooh, Michael Srini.
09:49How tight is that?
09:50Have you ever seen a chicane that tight?
09:51Wouldn't get a rally car through there, would you?
09:53The opening races of the meeting.
09:55And look at what they're doing already.
09:56We're out on two lap four.
09:58And you can see Jordan is piling on the pressure,
10:00trying to make the break if he can.
10:02He's got six tenths of a second over Srini.
10:04He wants more than that.
10:05Oh, my word.
10:06You've got to watch out for the bumps.
10:08If you get too far on the right-hand side of the road,
10:10they're near where all the houses are.
10:12Next to the kerb, it can get quite bumpy.
10:14But the Scott Radius racing motorcycles,
10:16Aprilia, Joe Yerzi.
10:17Showing well at the moment.
10:18He's running around fourth or fifth position.
10:20And going well.
10:21Getting some form back.
10:22And he's ahead of the battle between Marcus Simpson and Neil Kernan.
10:25They've been running all race long,
10:26but Yerzi is getting right on the pace here of the two in front of him.
10:30Might be able to get a double slipstream as they go through the laggy
10:32for the fourth time.
10:33I think it is at number four.
10:34Goes so quick, doesn't it, round here?
10:36But back at the front.
10:37Well, you can just see the shot there, 74.
10:39And of course, it's Joey Thompson.
10:40Michael Sweeney.
10:41Michael Sweeney goes through.
10:42Oh, Ferber.
10:43Goodness me.
10:44And Ferber, I tell you what, it looks spectacular.
10:46It looks out of control, but it's in control.
10:48But up at the front, Paul Jordan.
10:50Then we've got Michael Sweeney.
10:51Then we've got Barry Ferber.
10:52Who's going to get that third spot?
10:54It's a big battle, isn't it?
10:55But up at the front, Jordan's on a huge charge here.
10:58He's extending that advantage over Sweeney.
11:00We're going to have to keep an eye on the lap times, I think, as they come through.
11:03Look at this battle for third.
11:04This is a podium battle here.
11:06This is tremendous stuff.
11:07Looked like he was going through a motocross there.
11:09A whoop, whatever you call it.
11:11Barry Ferber there.
11:12He was right up on the curb.
11:13But here comes Joe Yardsley.
11:14He's getting into the slipstream as he go across the start line to complete lap number four.
11:18Coward right with them as well.
11:20Coward in the middle there of the sandwich, if you like.
11:23But Yardsley looks particularly racy at the back of this.
11:26It's just whether he can get the passes done.
11:27And that's a new lap record for Paul Jordan on lap number four.
11:30The old lap is 100.536, 100.694.
11:34He smashed it.
11:35That is sensational.
11:36Jamie Coward did hold the lap record.
11:38And where's Jamie Coward gone?
11:39Jamie Coward has disappeared.
11:40He's gone out of our shop there.
11:42So he's lost Jamie.
11:43He's lost the lap record and he's lost his place in the race.
11:45Unfortunately for Jamie Coward, it seems to be out of things.
11:47So that moves Yardsley up to fourth.
11:49What can he do about Ferber now to try and get onto the podium in this opening Super Twin race?
11:54And that knocks Joey Thompson on the 74 bike.
11:56Yeah, there he is.
11:57Jamie Coward in the village, stopping there by the road that takes off to Ballantoy.
12:01He is out of the race.
12:02That's a big shame for him.
12:04Real shame because he was showing real pace there.
12:06And it's been great to see Jamie coming back and showing this pace.
12:09We've got Lee McGavick there on number three machine.
12:11He's on his Aprilia this year, just being overtaken by Michael Sweeney on the 65.
12:15But Barry Ferber, he's got to get round Lee McGavick if he can.
12:19Love the paint scheme on Lee's machine.
12:21Lee knows they're there.
12:22Pulls to the left-hand side and lets the two boys go off.
12:24Chris Boyd, they're out on lap number five already.
12:26This is just madness.
12:27It goes so fast, doesn't it?
12:29The pace is incredible.
12:30It's just a shade over three miles this course and it's just got everything.
12:33It is an absolutely fantastic course for road racing up here in the north.
12:38Looking at the front though.
12:39Paul Jordan out on the final lap.
12:41They are now Paul Jordan well away with it with Michael Sweeney in the second place.
12:44But it's the battle we're concentrating on with Joe Yersley using all the kerb and all the rumble strips,
12:49whatever you want to call it.
12:50But Barry Ferber, you know, a lot of experience under that helmet.
12:53I think Barry Ferber could hold him off here.
12:55And they've developed this Yamaha, as you've been saying, they've had this for a few years now
12:59and they've developed it along the way.
13:00But here comes Yersley.
13:02Yeah, Joe backing it in.
13:03Barry backing it in as well on the DC Autos machine.
13:06Runs a little bit wide again.
13:07Joe cuts it a little bit tighter.
13:09Heading uphill there.
13:10Gets so narrow there through Edgerton's leap and then they head towards Turner Roberts.
13:14He's definitely closer.
13:15He is. Oh, he is.
13:16Absolutely.
13:17Right into Church Bend.
13:18This is where he's got the run because it is quite a long run.
13:20Even though it's really narrow, there's a little corner at the top of it at the Dunlop sleeve.
13:23If he can get close enough in that slipstream.
13:25At the front is Jordan and at Sweeney.
13:27Those two are pretty safe home and house.
13:29But these two.
13:30It's just on a mile long, this lag of road.
13:32And look at that.
13:33Oh, it's fantastic.
13:34I love watching this.
13:35Dunlop sleep is next.
13:36Boydie Dunlop sleeps.
13:37So there we go.
13:38We got a lot of back markers coming up.
13:40Anthony McGolgan in there.
13:41He's going to be snapped up by Michael Sweeney.
13:43First off, Joe Yerzi.
13:44Look around the outside.
13:45If he makes that move.
13:46I'll tell you what.
13:47The Laxey man.
13:48What a move by Joe Yerzi.
13:50Getting himself up in the third place.
13:52Oh, nearly getting a small high side.
13:54Paddy McGolgan has just been taken by Michael Sweeney on the 65.
13:57But Joe Yerzi, what a move.
13:59Is that going to allow Ferber to try and come back at all?
14:01There's traffic getting in the way as well.
14:03It's a win, though, for the Matrafelt man.
14:05Paul Jordan takes victory.
14:06Second place will be across the line.
14:08Michael Sweeney, that lap record, of course, of Paul Jordan.
14:10100.694.
14:11What's happening in this battle?
14:12Oh, and it's Joe Yerzi.
14:13Joe Yerzi, the Manx man, on his debut around the Armoy circuit.
14:17He takes third with Barry Ferber in fourth.
14:19What a race.
14:20A sensational podium for Joe Yerzi.
14:22But up front, it's Paul Jordan winning for the Jackson team.
14:25Michael Sweeney in second on the MSR Aprilia.
14:27Then behind the Yerzi, it's Ferber, Thompson and Simpson running out the top six.
14:32Still can't really believe it, to be honest.
14:34The little bike's been fantastic all year.
14:36And at the 700, we managed to get a few other issues out of the way.
14:40And the bike's fantastic.
14:41So, no, it was great to come here and get a podium.
14:43Getting on the podium is always a good start in the first race.
14:46So, we'll just try better on for the races later on and tomorrow.
14:49But, yeah, I just got away in the front of that and I thought I could lead it.
14:52I knew Paul's pace was strong from qualifying.
14:55But I knew if we had got in front, I wouldn't be able to go with it for some reason.
14:58I don't know why.
14:59It's the same bike I've rode all year.
15:01So, maybe it's just me and the circuit.
15:03I don't know.
15:04Just not clicking that much properly.
15:05But Paul rode fantastic.
15:07I just couldn't go with his pace.
15:09And that was it.
15:10I've just done the best I could do.
15:11Yeah.
15:12Hopefully, that's the start of something for the rest of the weekend.
15:14Every time we go out on the bike, we're making improvements.
15:16To be honest, that's the best that Super Twin's ever felt.
15:18Even coming back from the TT and having to win the North West,
15:21I believe that's twice the bike I rode there.
15:23So, yeah, if we can keep improving on the bike, I believe next year will be a lot better for us.
15:31So, Paul Jordan kicks the event off with a bang.
15:34A race win and the fastest lap.
15:36Join us again after the break to see if he can continue where he left off.
15:40Welcome back to the Armoy Road Races where Super Sport Machinery, they're getting ready to do battle.
15:57Time for the Super Sports to make their way to the grid.
16:01The next generation's in there.
16:02It's all up to 7.54 strokes.
16:03And, of course, the Ducati twins.
16:05And there's one right in the middle of the front row.
16:07Connor Cummins.
16:08With Mike Brown and Paul Jordan either side of him.
16:10Row two is Dominic Herberton and Michael Sweeney.
16:12Yeah, Dominic.
16:13Good to see him back at Armoy.
16:14And, of course, we've got Jamie Coward.
16:16Franco Bourne, Barry Furber.
16:17Row three.
16:18Row four.
16:19The young Manx fan Joe Yerdsley on his Yamaha.
16:21Here we go, though.
16:22Chris Boyd.
16:23Oh, hot for Connor Cummins there.
16:25Is that going to allow Brown to get past him on the run down to the Armoy home chicane?
16:29They're all looking for a little gap that's possibly not there.
16:31Is he going to make it?
16:32Connor goes, ooh, right up the kerb on the inside for Connor.
16:34Sliding into third place is Michael Sweeney.
16:37With a little up there, of course, at Barry Furber.
16:39But Mikko Sweeney, the scariest man on the R6.
16:42So it's a Yamaha lead.
16:43This is a Ducati second and a Yamaha third.
16:45But Sweeney's building, quite literally the EM building Yamaha,
16:48dropping down to the village, lap number one of seven.
16:51Inside of Connor Cummins and makes it stick in the run through the village.
16:54A run through the village of Robbo's.
16:56Paul Jordan behind in fourth.
16:57There he is.
16:58Yeah, Paul Jordan's got a pretty good start as well.
17:00He looked to go well on the Jackson Racing 600 CC Honda machine.
17:03It looks like he's getting up the inside of Connor.
17:05Yes, he is.
17:06As they drop down to Turner Robert, lap number one.
17:08Then they flick to the left-hand side over the jump.
17:11The front wheel comes up and then they have to square the bike up.
17:13Then flick it to the left again.
17:15Then straighten it up again.
17:16Go to the other side of the road and head towards Church Benz.
17:19Great course this.
17:20Just a constant challenge for the riders as it's brown out front from Sweeney.
17:25Yeah, these two.
17:26They've been bumping fair-ins all through the national scene and on the international
17:29scene as well at the North Western Rundle.
17:31Let's watch the start now for Joe Yardsley.
17:33Good start by Joe.
17:34And a big hole there for Joe.
17:35Got himself up to round about fifth position nearly alongside Paul Jordan.
17:39But there's Franco Bourne at 154 on the couch and racing machine.
17:42He's in about, there he is in fifth place.
17:44In behind Connor Cummins as a newcomer.
17:46Amazing over the jumps.
17:48Absolutely superb watching.
17:50Brown though at the front from Sweeney.
17:52Then Jordan.
17:53Then Cummins.
17:54And then, as you say, Franco Bourne has been impressing pretty much everywhere he's been.
17:57He's an almost total newcomer to road racing.
18:00Absolutely.
18:01Just in behind them is Joe Yardsley.
18:02Then we've got Barry Furban.
18:03Jamie Coward in there as well.
18:05Early days for Jamie back after, of course, his big spill at the North Western Rundle.
18:08But showing a good bit of form at the Southern Rundle 100.
18:11He's building, isn't he?
18:12Building his way back into it all the way through.
18:14He spent all winter putting together a package of bikes under him that he said were his best ever.
18:18Then he went and had the crash at the North West.
18:19And now he's having to start again whilst everybody else is well into their season,
18:23including Mike Brown here at the front.
18:25Two Yamahas first and second.
18:26Then it's a Honda.
18:27Then it's Ducati.
18:28So it's Paul Jordan holding on to that third position at the moment.
18:31Connor Cummins just in behind him.
18:33He has him short shifting there as he went to go towards McGookan's corner.
18:36And dropping downhill now into the village.
18:38Big crowd in here by the Armada pub, Chris.
18:41Yeah, huge crowds.
18:42Oh, Michael Sweeney with the rear wheel up in here.
18:45He cut that tight.
18:46That's a really tight line, Micklewood.
18:48He was really close to the walls like Church Benz on the Southern London course.
18:51Sweeney was looking at Brown.
18:52Jordan was looking at Sweeney.
18:54Everybody's looking really racy here.
18:56Here we go over the top of the hill.
18:58You can just see there from the drone shot that the front wheel just goes light as they go over the top there now.
19:03You've got to watch for all the little bits around here.
19:05The white lines, the grids, the changes of tarmac.
19:08It's a great three mile circuit this is.
19:10It's brilliant.
19:11They've had all day qualifying and practices have gone on.
19:13Now they get to do it for real.
19:15Let's look at some of the pace there on the moment in the 104s at the moment.
19:19That's a pretty good pace lap record for the Supersports, Chris.
19:22It's round about a 1.42.
19:24It's about 1.2 off that at the moment.
19:26Yeah, Michael Dunlop, of course, holding that Supersport lap record.
19:29But Brown out front here in Sweeney as they all do the leaps.
19:32It's impressive.
19:33It really is impressive how these bikes just land, plant and go.
19:37Franco Vaughan got to be impressed with that young man.
19:39Round about fifth position on the counter racing machine.
19:41Great to see that name back on the roads also.
19:43The counter name we remember, James, with fondness, don't we?
19:46Very much so.
19:47Absolutely.
19:48It's brilliant to have the team still putting all of their efforts into
19:51bringing young riders through on the grid, especially at the very top end
19:55of the field here as Jordan makes a move.
19:57Jordan's pushing up the inside here in Sweeney.
19:59He's going to have to maybe think twice.
20:01No, it doesn't make that stick.
20:02You can just watch in the front wheel of Jordan there now
20:04as he was pushing onto that front brake.
20:06You can see the front tyre start to spread out a little bit.
20:08He was putting more and more pressure under that tyre,
20:10but he decided best of it.
20:12So, Brown out front, and now Jordan has closed right in on Sweeney here,
20:18who we are with.
20:19Yeah, Paul will be looking for a little bit more for that little 600
20:23just to get past Mikko, but Mikko, of course, has been in the Irish roads
20:26already this year at Tandrake.
20:28Had a pretty reasonable Southern 100 he did, but he will be looking, of course,
20:31to get on the podium, get a possible first podium of the weekend.
20:34A big weekend possibly for Michael Sweeney because he's been right at the forefront
20:38and qualifying in all these classes.
20:40He just needs to translate that now into race pace.
20:42He's doing that.
20:43He's sticking ahead of Jordan at the moment.
20:45And you can see the shift change lights on the reflection in his crash helmet as well.
20:49He was hitting red for a little bit of a moment there.
20:51It'll hit red there as it revs out going over the top of that hill.
20:54Incredible.
20:55Both wheels totally off the ground, and then again for the front wheel,
20:58off over Dunlop sleep as they run down into the hairpin once again.
21:03As Connor Cummins came over the top of that,
21:05I actually involuntarily moved in my seat as well
21:07to try and straighten the bike up.
21:09Michael Sweeney ran a little bit deep there.
21:11I thought Paul might have had a bit of a chance to catch up with him.
21:14He might do.
21:15He might get a run up the hill here.
21:16Up through Kennedy's.
21:17Let's have a look.
21:18See, does he close in at all on that Jackson Racing Honda?
21:21Here he comes.
21:23Here he comes, yeah.
21:24Oh, wow. That's a great run.
21:25It's like Northwestern 100.
21:26There's some station down.
21:27But no, no, no.
21:28Through Matty Benny, no, it's not.
21:29It doesn't get that right.
21:30Michael Sweeney second.
21:31Paul Jordan in third.
21:32Connor Cummins in that fourth place.
21:34But at the front, Mike Brown running a good ball.
21:36Here we go.
21:37That's a shame.
21:38Joe Yardsley out of about sixth or seventh place.
21:40The Yamaha Spin Arena dotnet machine.
21:42A retirement for the young Max man.
21:48Michael Sweeney.
21:49Do you know what?
21:50He's a roads man.
21:51He does not mind the bike doing that at all.
21:52He likes to feel the bike moving under him.
21:53But Mike Brown at the front on the 16 bike.
21:55He's got this one in the back.
21:56But here we are into Balaney Cross for the final time.
21:59Michael Sweeney, 65.
22:0022 Paul Jordan.
22:01He's letting off that brake.
22:02Just letting it run in a little bit hot.
22:04Maybe cuts it in tight.
22:05And then we've seen on the last lap
22:07how he could try and get underneath him
22:09onto that final start finish corner.
22:11Another go on the power for Jordan.
22:13Can he get closer this time?
22:15Right up on Sweeney.
22:16This was where he closed right in on the last lap.
22:19He's doing it again.
22:20They're going out onto the final lap.
22:22Can he have a look?
22:23I don't think he can.
22:25Not close enough.
22:26No, Sweeney continues to hold on to that second place.
22:28So the next big breaking point will be down into the village.
22:32It's a fantastic scrap these two are having for this second place.
22:36Yeah, away with it is Mike Brown at the front.
22:38I was just waiting to see what was going to happen there.
22:40Whether Paul was going to take a little...
22:41Had a bit of a pregnant pause as he came into the chicane.
22:44I thought, don't Paul.
22:45Don't you dare try and stick that off the inside.
22:47But do you know what?
22:48That's the tightest I've seen Paul Jordan take that corner.
22:50He's normally round that grid.
22:51He was really inside there now.
22:53Trying to get that power on hard.
22:55Can he try and get alongside Sweeney?
22:57At least show him a wheel.
22:58Maybe force a mistake anywhere as they head out down into Turner Roberts.
23:02And then on out through Church.
23:04Sweeney's handling this pressure really well at the moment.
23:07Yeah, you're around with Michael Dullop in Tandra Gee a couple of weeks ago.
23:10Well, a couple of months ago as it was now.
23:12Just before the Northwest 200.
23:13So you know he can run the pace.
23:15But here we go.
23:16Look how tight this is.
23:17You mentioned it.
23:18Listen, you wouldn't want to try and get a coach down there.
23:20Look how tight it is.
23:21This is the Laggy Dams.
23:22They were on the jump right about there.
23:24Wow!
23:25Michael Sweeney.
23:26It was all action style.
23:27That made you sit up, didn't it?
23:28Just a little bit.
23:29Yeah, good grief.
23:30And there's traffic as well ahead of them.
23:32Yeah, Stevie Degnan that is.
23:33The number 43 by Connor Cummins getting all racy in behind.
23:36So Steven Degnan's going to get a wake up call.
23:38This is not the ideal spot to catch Steven.
23:40He's having his own race.
23:42He knows they're there.
23:43He pulls to that side of the track.
23:45Paul Jordan gets past them as well.
23:46But Michael Sweeney made a great move there.
23:48But Steven, a lot of experience on those shoulders.
23:50He'll know exactly those boys were there.
23:53Jordan doesn't look as close this time.
23:55Mike Brown takes the victory on the Russell Racing Machine.
23:57But what's going to happen in this battle of a second?
23:59Jordan didn't look as close.
24:00But he comes.
24:01Oh, that was close.
24:02I think Sweeney maybe just held it.
24:04He did.
24:05Wow, 100.
24:06Really close.
24:07Brown then takes victory on the BPE by Russell Racing Gamma Hart.
24:11And Sweeney and Jordan.
24:12Connor Cummins beats Jamie Coward to fourth.
24:14And Franco Bourne runs out the top six.
24:16That is Barry Furber, Kevin Keyes, Joey Thompson, and Erno Costomo your top ten.
24:20Yeah, look, it's nice.
24:22A bit sketchy there at the start.
24:24There's a few drops of rain.
24:25We weren't sure what it was going to do.
24:26But everyone seemed to keep going.
24:28So it was good.
24:29I'm not pretty straight forward.
24:30I saw Cummins on my right-hand side.
24:31Just coming into the first again there.
24:33I thought it might have been a bit close.
24:34But I looked back once or twice and I knew I pulled away.
24:36So I was happy, you know.
24:37The grids are very tight here at the weekend.
24:39So it's good to see real proper racing.
24:41Yeah, it was a good race.
24:42I kind of sat with Mike for two laps.
24:45I thought I could run with him.
24:48And then on the third lap, I was just talking to him there.
24:50He said he was just sizing up the conditions.
24:52So yeah, he just pulled a pin on the third lap and just couldn't go with him.
24:55So I had a whole race on the whole lap of Paul Jordan.
24:57Which I managed to do.
24:58So I'm quite happy with that.
25:00Yeah, it was nice to get the podium again.
25:02So it's kind of an issue to be a step up.
25:04But it is what it is.
25:06A bit of back markers played a bit of part in that.
25:08So at least tomorrow I'll get away with Mike and try and let Mike drag me away from the whole carry-on behind.
25:14So yeah.
25:16Congratulations Mike Brown on a terrific Supersport race win.
25:20After the break, a bit of nostalgia with the classic Superbikes.
25:24So far here at Armoy, Paul Jordan and Mike Brown have exchanged blows on Super Twins and Supersports.
25:42But now it's time for some classic Superbike action with the likes of Sam West and Andy Farrell.
25:47Farrell will be showing us what they are made of.
25:50Time for one of my favourite classes of the weekend.
25:53The ABO Energy Classic Superbikes and Andy Farrell, or Farrell, whatever you want to call it.
25:57He's on pole position.
25:58Former Manx Grand Prix winner and two-time winner around here in the past.
26:01Good to see him back at the Armoy races.
26:03Brilliant Paul, the scariest man.
26:04He's on pole from Sam West and Philip Crowe, Paul Marley and Andy Hornby formed Road 2.
26:09Yeah, Andy Hornby with three wins around here as well.
26:11Good to see Sam, as you quite rightly say.
26:13Matt Stevenson, the old stage of Paul Cranston.
26:15Christian Didler and, of course, Dennis Boo.
26:17They had some great battles at the Sun 100, didn't they?
26:19But here we go.
26:20All important to start here with these classic Superbikes.
26:22Not a good start for Sam West in the middle, but I think a good start by number 42 Andy Hornby.
26:27But he's got...
26:28No, I tell you what.
26:29I think Sam West has got a good start.
26:31Sam West has dropped the second.
26:32Andy Farrell in third.
26:33Paul Marley at 1.75.
26:34Then it's 1.64 in there.
26:36Matt Stevenson on his GSXR 750.
26:39I love classic Superbikes.
26:40Here we go.
26:41Second phase of the start here.
26:43Watch that yellow bike.
26:44Paul Cranston, the 66-year-old, just getting a little bit left behind off the start.
26:48But West really made the second phase of that start work.
26:51He's right behind Hornby now as Marley makes a move on Farrell.
26:55Paul Marley from Scarborough, of course.
26:56And here comes Paul Cranston showing his experience on these Irish roads.
27:00I mean, you like to think back how many laps he's done around this.
27:03And remember, Irish road race champion in 1982.
27:06I was just at high school.
27:07And a winner at the recent 700 meeting after all these years.
27:11How fantastic was that to see.
27:12But Andy Farrell, he's not giving up here now.
27:14He knows the roads.
27:15He's had a few big offs last couple of years as Andy.
27:18But yeah, he rode well at the pre-TT on that big Ducati as well.
27:21And good to see him back on the roads.
27:22But look, I think that's a slick tyre that Matt Stevenson at 164 and the GSXR 750 has gone on.
27:28But Paul Cranston, just in behind him.
27:30He's on the Kawasaki ZXR 750.
27:33Sea conditions are far from perfect here.
27:35There's damp patches pretty much everywhere.
27:37Over the jumps they go.
27:38Sam West, then Andy Farrell, then Paul Marley.
27:41I think just in behind them.
27:43Looked like Christian Didelot, I think, on the number 146 machine.
27:46Or Didelot, to give it the correct pronunciation.
27:49Didelot going well, then, as they come down into Bullenny Cross for the first time.
27:54Hornby and West together at the front.
27:56Just gingerly through in the conditions.
27:58Oh, West running a little bit wide there.
28:00How iconic is that shape of the 916 or the 996 Ducati?
28:04But interesting to see in yellow, they're normally in red, aren't they?
28:07They are, as we see with Farrell.
28:09And it does look resplendent, that Farrell machine, doesn't it?
28:12But it's Hornby out front on the Kawasaki.
28:14Yeah, when you see that number seven machine,
28:16just reminds you of Carl Fogarty when he was riding his machine.
28:18Michael, Michael Rutter rode a yellow Ducati for the McCulloch team
28:22and the TT many, many moons ago.
28:24But it's a Kawasaki up front at the moment.
28:26The Project's Kawasaki, the Express racing machine.
28:29It is, of course, Andy Hornby, who knows how to win races round.
28:32He's won three already.
28:33That looked like Sam West just having a little look at the inside.
28:35Showing a wheel, that's for sure.
28:37Is he going to make a stick? No, he doesn't make a stick.
28:39And West runs on.
28:41Oh, well, he made it a bid for the lead there,
28:43and it's all gone a bit wrong for him.
28:45I think that's going to have to be an 85 million point turn in the bottom there.
28:48He won't pass his driving test on that one.
28:50We just watch him there, squeeze the front brake.
28:52Oh, he knew it was going.
28:53That's the worst feeling in the world, Christian.
28:55You pull your front brake on, whether you're racing or on the road,
28:57that's the worst feeling ever.
28:58You can feel it going, and you're hoping,
29:00as you let it off, it grips again.
29:01And it did.
29:02Cranston then with Matt Stevenson alongside him for company.
29:06Oh, West trying to make his way back through.
29:09Oh, goodness me.
29:10Oh, he had to go down the box there as well,
29:12just to drive, just to get the drive again.
29:14So the ZXR Kawasaki on board of Cranston.
29:16Wow.
29:17But there goes Sam West.
29:18Wow.
29:19That's night and day, isn't it?
29:20Goodness me.
29:21Oh, and Matt Stevenson goes so assaulted.
29:22Paul Missick here or something.
29:23Anyway, back at the front, Andy Hornby leads.
29:25Not for long, though.
29:26Not for long, though.
29:27Not for long, though.
29:28Not for long, though.
29:29Not for long at all.
29:30Scary's man right out wide through Kennedy's.
29:31It's the 888 Jakati, the CK racing machine of Andy Farrell.
29:34Farrell absolutely blew past there on the run up through Kennedy's
29:38and into the chicane just after the start finish.
29:40He's going really nice.
29:41He's still got to be ginger through the chicane.
29:43Stay off the kerbs.
29:44It's still too wet to be trying to run over those kerbs.
29:47Farrell then and Hornby together at the front.
29:49Just behind him is 175.
29:51Paul Molly, like all classic racing,
29:53you've got to be gentle with these things.
29:54You can ring them a bit, but you've got to be really, really careful with it
29:58because the mechanic can go wrong at any moment now.
30:00But here comes Andy Hornby on the brakes into the village on lap number 3.
30:0388 Farrell leads, 42 Hornby, then it's 175 in there.
30:07In there, Paul Marley.
30:09Roddy Taylor going well on the number 2 bike as well.
30:11And Christian Diddle, as we mentioned, and Matt Stevenson,
30:13Keith Pringle, Paul Cranston, Neil Rutledge, Corrin Smith,
30:16Darren Duncan and James Rothery all going well.
30:18So much experience at the front of the field in these conditions as well.
30:2248-year-old Sam Andy Farrell and 53-year-old Andy Hornby.
30:27No shortage of classic racing experiences.
30:29We're back on board with the man with the most experience of all,
30:31and that's Paul Cranston.
30:33Absolutely. Dennis Boo's not far behind him as well.
30:351.51 is the classic superbike lap record.
30:37They're doing about 1.57, 1.58, 1.59 today.
30:41Oh, who's that going through the middle?
30:42That's Christian Diddle, that is.
30:44It looked like to me.
30:45Anyway, that's a great, great move if he's made that stick.
30:47We'll get that confirmed in a minute with a long shot,
30:49but goodness me, where did he come from?
30:51Couple of laps to go, lapping a bit now it is.
30:53Into the village, two and a half seconds for Alves Leeders.
30:56That's huge, isn't it?
30:57From Hornby, then it's Marty Weston-Taylor.
30:59Sam Weston's on a charge.
31:00So Dubbaker, he went straight on out that corner three or four laps ago.
31:03Yeah, Weston's just done the fastest lap of the race,
31:061.58.2 on that fifth lap.
31:08So Weston's coming back at these guys,
31:10but he dropped an awful lot of time with that overshoot.
31:13He'll be really, really mad with himself.
31:15Let's see what he can do then.
31:16He's got about another four or five seconds to catch up on these guys,
31:19but tell you what, that was two and a half seconds.
31:21That's not two and a half seconds.
31:22That's probably about a second and a half now
31:24as they go out onto the laggy dams and the jumps for the final 12.
31:28No, a lap to go, a lap and a bit to go.
31:30About a lap and a half to go is here now.
31:32Lots of them setting up these classic super bikes
31:34ready for the classic TT that's upcoming,
31:36but at the moment it's...
31:37Oh, there's Paul Motley.
31:38Oh, that's a disaster for the Scarborough man
31:40running so, so well on the 1.75,
31:42but unfortunately he is out for him.
31:44Real disappointment.
31:45So Farrell is out front from Roddy Taylor
31:48and Matt Stephen.
31:49Hang on, Hang on, Hang on.
31:50Andy Farrell.
31:51Mistake, either mistake or can't get gears or something,
31:53going out to Bellini Cross.
31:55So I'm sorry to jump over there, Chris,
31:56but Farrell is now back to second.
31:58Hornby back front.
31:59Hornby now the race leader.
32:00It's changing all the time, Hornby,
32:02but here comes Farrell on the run in towards the chicane.
32:04It's quick, isn't it?
32:05That is quick, that Ducati.
32:07Andy had to really pile the coals on there.
32:09Here we go then.
32:10Oh, I think Andy's got a...
32:12His foot's out.
32:13He has a look over the shoulder.
32:14Andy had to drop back a bit.
32:16Andy Hornby, that is.
32:17Not Andy Farrell.
32:18They're on the last lap.
32:19They're going round there.
32:20Dean's Rise now,
32:21dropping down into the village.
32:22Goodness me.
32:23Two and a half seconds the lead was at the end of the last lap.
32:26Here comes Hornby then,
32:27on the run into the village.
32:29Oh!
32:30Where's he going, Andy Hornby?
32:31Oh, straight on.
32:32Oh, goodness me.
32:33Oh, I think the rider is okay.
32:35But Andy Hornby, unfortunately,
32:37off into the village there,
32:38just seemed to lose the front.
32:39Andy Farrell, I think,
32:40heard him skidding alongside him.
32:42And the rider, thankfully, is okay.
32:44That is the good news.
32:45And there he is.
32:46You can see him taking his gloves off.
32:47That's a relief.
32:48Goodness, goodness me.
32:49But back at the front of the race.
32:50Well, the CK Racing version of Andy Farrell
32:52was so lucky not to be taken out in that near shunt.
32:55And, well, he avoids it.
32:57He takes the chequered flag.
32:58It's victory for Andy Farrell.
33:00A dramatic, classic superbike race.
33:02Sam West in second.
33:03Roddy Taylor in third.
33:04Kristen Diddleo.
33:05Matt Stevenson.
33:06Keith Pringle.
33:07Paul Cranston.
33:08Neil Rutledge.
33:09And Darren Duncan rounding out an exciting
33:11classic superbike top ten.
33:13Yeah, I'm delighted to be here.
33:14It's great to get a win around Armoy.
33:15And a massive thanks to Chris Kaye
33:17and all the boys here that are with me.
33:20And I enjoyed it.
33:22I like this bike.
33:23It's not too bad.
33:26After the break,
33:27we swap classic machines for the cutting edge
33:29in the open race as riders prepare for the big one.
33:32Welcome back.
33:45Up next is the open race.
33:47The perfect opportunity for riders to show their form before the grand finale.
33:51The race of legends.
33:53Paul Jordan with his quickest ever lap around Armoy.
33:57Who's in qualifying at 141.9.
33:59You can just see a few damp bits on the road there.
34:01He's on pole for the 600.
34:02Big names to the four.
34:03Mike Brown and Connor Cummins joined Jordan on the front row.
34:06Then Michael Sweeney and Jamie Coward.
34:08Row number three, we've got Philip Crowe.
34:09Good to see Phil back on the Irish roads.
34:11Marcus Simpson and Vanco Vaughan.
34:13And Uno Costomo, the finished rider on row number four.
34:16Here we go.
34:17Now we said that Paul Jordan has switched to the 600
34:19in these slightly iffy conditions.
34:21We're going to see as we go around the track,
34:23but it rained a little bit.
34:24But at the front, I think we...
34:25Look how wet it is there.
34:27Into the chicane or somebody going right up on the curb
34:29and somebody dropping way, way back.
34:31But I think it's Michael Sweeney who's got the lead from Connor Cummins.
34:35Mike Brown, we are behind Cummins at the moment
34:37as we make the drop down into the village for the first time.
34:40Get the braking right in these conditions
34:42where there's been showers coming through
34:44and the road does look...
34:46Oh, a bit dryish.
34:47Oh, Connor Cummins going straight on there.
34:48I think Connor kind of maybe got a little bit banjaxed by Mike Brown.
34:53I think possibly that ran him straight on
34:55because he was really, really close to him.
34:56So Connor's going to have to sit there now and just wait.
34:58Hopefully we'll get a replay of that.
35:01So I think we might get a replay of this.
35:03We're on board with Connor there now.
35:04And here comes Mike Brown.
35:05Oh, I tell you what, they were close, weren't they?
35:07Goodness me, that was Mike Brown on Connor Cummins.
35:09Oh, Erno Costamo.
35:10Paul Jordan, Jamie Coward also there as well.
35:12Jamie's shown well once more.
35:13Yep, back on the big bikes as well.
35:14You can see how damp it is here on this shot in particular
35:16as Sweeney, the race leader, heads down with Mike Brown going down after him as well.
35:19Oh, look at the braking so, so...
35:20It was this northern part of the course where the rain showers really did hit.
35:22So this is where it's at its wettest and you can see them spinning up.
35:37Wow.
35:38Open fourth, fifth and sixth gears.
35:39That's not much fun on a 220, 240 brake horsepower.
35:43Superbop.
35:44And Mike Brown got that rear wheel moving around.
35:45And he was having a little move as he'd look across towards the start line.
35:48But look at that finish rider, Costamo.
35:50He's running really well in third place.
35:52He loves the wet though, Costamo, doesn't he?
35:54We've seen that before when there's been wet races.
35:56That in Marta in particular, as you say, he is the rain master out there in Finland.
36:00And look how pacey he's looking.
36:01He certainly is.
36:02He's looking at Mike Brown.
36:03There's a go across the top of Dean's Rise and dropping down into the village.
36:07And could we see a finish rider get to the front?
36:09Maybe.
36:10Oh, he's gone up to second anyway.
36:12So it's Ireland, Southern, Finland and Ireland, Southern again.
36:15One, two, three.
36:16Costamo on the RBS Motorsport BMW.
36:19Oh, Brown doesn't want to let that last long.
36:23Brown blasts back past him up to second place.
36:26And of course, Mike only getting that machine the week before the Southern 100 a couple of weeks ago.
36:30So that's Paul Cassidy's former machine that he's on there.
36:33Then, of course, the Honda Fireblade.
36:35It is on board now with Paul Jordan on the 600cc machine.
36:39That is, of course, the Jackson Racing Bike.
36:41He opted to swap from that from the big bike.
36:43And that is a disadvantage, you would think.
36:44Maybe not at the moment, but certainly as we get later into the race,
36:47if conditions start to dry out a little bit, only being on the Supersport
36:50against the full Superbike and Superstock machines will give him a little bit of a disadvantage in horsepower terms.
36:56Oh, Michael Sweeney absolutely aerated it.
36:59He drifted towards the right-hand part of the track.
37:01And this is the dampest part of the track.
37:03Jumping down towards the Dunlop leaps, keeping the bike nice and steady.
37:06Oh, the rear wheel of Michael Sweeney kicked to the right.
37:09But his fellow countrymen up the inside, Mike Brown gets to the front.
37:12Going to come out from behind a chair, yeah?
37:14Over the jumps in these conditions.
37:16Good grief.
37:17Amazing skill from these riders.
37:19Team Mike there, sitting up, getting the bike on the fat part of the tyre,
37:22just to get as much traction as you can.
37:23And look how wet it is, you can see there.
37:25But here comes Costamo again on that mission.
37:27Oh, I tell you what, that's a move in the harvest.
37:29Oh, foot off the peg there slightly.
37:30Whoa.
37:31Steady on, old chap.
37:32Steady on.
37:33Costamo on the BMW, though.
37:35So it's a Honda from a BMW, from a Honda from a BMW, a top four.
37:39Round about fifth at the moment, we've got Jamie Coward in there.
37:42Neil Kernahan showing well.
37:44And Conor Cummins battling back from that run on at the Armoy Village on lap one.
37:48Jordan looking like he's possibly feeling in his own mind
37:51he's made the right decision here to take the Supersport machine.
37:54Just assessed conditions.
37:55The big race is still to come.
37:56Costamo right down the inside into the village.
37:59Look how dry it is into there compared to two miles up the road.
38:02How wet it is.
38:03Unbelievable, isn't it?
38:05That is literally where the showers came through.
38:07They hit parts of the course and not other parts.
38:09And parts of the course just dry out really, really quickly.
38:11Yeah, it's big tarmac.
38:12It is big tarmac with big stones in it.
38:14So Brown leads Sweeney, leads Jordan in your top three.
38:17And we've got Costamo in there.
38:19That was across the line.
38:20But Costamo has got himself back up into that third position.
38:23The finish rider, of course, had a pretty good Southern Andre.
38:25Oh, he's got a wide.
38:26Oh, that's it.
38:27Oh, he's down.
38:28Oh, he's down into church.
38:29But he's all right.
38:30Costamo is all right.
38:31I did think he ran a bit deep just under that tree there now.
38:33But the finish rider is thankfully fine.
38:35Oh, he shot that slightly.
38:36So it is Sweeney and Brown up front.
38:39And then Paul Jordan in behind in the podium terms.
38:42And then this is the battle behind that.
38:44That's Neil Kernahan, I can see.
38:45And there's Kevin Keyes.
38:46I think somebody just overtaken.
38:47And possibly Sam West.
38:48I think we're on board with Sam Schoenwell.
38:50Good to see Sam Bone showing a little bit of form as well.
38:53Condition is not perfect for these big superbikes, is it?
38:55But a big, big crowd, Chris Boyd.
38:57I mean, your first time watching this place.
38:59Incredible, isn't it?
39:00The crowd is amazing.
39:02Absolutely.
39:03But it's the heartland of road racing in Northern Ireland, isn't it?
39:05Armoyd.
39:06This is where it's all about.
39:07That's Kernahan coming down the outside.
39:09Another big man on the charge as well.
39:11Just behind Neil Kernahan.
39:12They're very similar in height and stature is 11.
39:14Connor Cummins from that run on at the village in the first lap there.
39:18So Connor Cummins cuts the BMW up the inside.
39:20It's Kevin Keyes.
39:21He's going to go for next.
39:22Connor up to round about fourth or fifth place at the moment.
39:26These three are having a right good scrap, aren't they?
39:28Up at the front.
39:29Brown.
39:30Sweden and Brown are out front at the moment.
39:32Excellent.
39:33Just over the jumps there now as he dropped down towards Turner Robert
39:37and into Church Bend.
39:38You've got to be so careful and you've got to get your line right
39:41because under the trees there are the damp bits.
39:43But here he goes, Connor Cummins.
39:44That will be, that will be, yeah, Neil Kernahan.
39:46Neil Kernahan from just down the road in Balamone.
39:48He's just got past him there now.
39:50So Connor, this is where he ran straight on, but again,
39:52just seems to be struggling to stop it.
39:54He stopped it well there, didn't he?
39:55So the BMW gets ahead of Kernahan's Yamaha.
39:58Oh, cut that back and didn't give Kernahan any chance to come back
40:01as they went up through the cuttings.
40:03So that will be the battle for fifth place,
40:05still ranging between those three as we head out onto another lap
40:08of this incredible Armoy circuit.
40:10Yeah, McCookins corner, he's just gone round there
40:12and this part of the circuit here now,
40:14he's dropping down towards Dean Drys over the top of the hill.
40:17The front wheel will go light, there it goes.
40:18And you've got to watch there now, you've got to 30 part an hour zone.
40:21They're not doing 30, then they'll cut the bike to the right-hand side,
40:24get a wide sweep through the corner as it kind of just cuts back on you a little bit
40:27and the MJR BMW and Michael Sweeney with a pretty steady second at the moment.
40:32Behind Mike Brown, of course, who's right out front,
40:34Brown from Sweeney, from Paul Jordan,
40:36and then in behind that we've got Jamie Coward
40:38and then we've got the battle between Kernahan and Cummins.
40:41That's a great battle for Neil, well done for Neil,
40:43local man who knows the circuit well.
40:45He's won round here I think about three times before,
40:47so Neil certainly knows his stuff.
40:49In fact, Neil's a big guy, he won round here on a 250.
40:51Wow, impressive stuff.
40:54Impressive stuff as well by race leader Mike Brown and Sweeney that we see there in second.
40:58Brown, of course, on this Russell Racing Honda
41:01that they are literally just developing now from new almost, aren't they?
41:04Yeah, they got off Paul Casting, like I said, just before the Southern 100,
41:07so it is a pretty good bike.
41:08It's an ex-Dean Harrison machine, so he knows.
41:10But look, you can just start to see it kind of drying out a bit into Blaney Cross.
41:14Definitely not dry enough for Slicks yet,
41:15but Paul Jordan definitely made the right choice for the 600 Jackson machine, didn't he?
41:19He's looking very, very composed on that bike.
41:22These big bikes are still spinning up, as you'll see here.
41:25Oh, look at that!
41:26Whoa!
41:27But Jordan will have less power to be trying to deliver.
41:30He'll be able to deliver it more smoothly,
41:32and that is helping him keep that third place at the moment,
41:35as Brown does come up through the start finish onto the last lap.
41:38He has set the fastest lap of the race at 147.2 on lap five.
41:43Yeah, 101 just about for Mike Brown.
41:45Watch it now, Michael Sweeney come out of Blaney Cross
41:47and kind of counter-steering the bike as the rear wheel was trying to spin away,
41:51just counter-steering the bike, using his body weight just to settle the bike down.
41:55Other riders going well.
41:56Michael Garns around about 10th at the moment.
41:58James Chalk, good to see Chalky number 10, he's around about 8th place as well.
42:01But Mike Brown into the village final time, looks in control of this one, doesn't he?
42:05Sam West as well, the Englishman having a good run just outside of the top six at the moment.
42:10As you say, Brown is up front.
42:12Behind him, Sweeney, who's somebody who suddenly we are now seeing in contention
42:16in every race he lines up in, aren't we?
42:18He's made a real breakthrough this year.
42:19He has, absolutely.
42:20And all those injuries and stuff that he had from, obviously,
42:23the North West 200 crash and getting himself fit and well again.
42:26And the confidence is back again for the man.
42:28Whenever you go into his awning and have a quick chat with him,
42:30as you watch Mike Brown go through church bends,
42:32onto the laggy dams and the jumps for the final time,
42:34and you go in there, the crack is mighty, as they say, in his awning.
42:37Now he's got this big bike, he'd be wishing the season was just starting
42:40with all the big races still to come, wouldn't he?
42:42Absolutely, yeah.
42:43Oh, that's so, so, that's so, so planted that Honda.
42:46It really, really is.
42:47Over Dunlop's sleep, there he goes.
42:49The rear wheel just trying to aerate.
42:51The front wheel's still shaking a little bit
42:53and I'm pretty sure he will have a board to tell him.
42:55He's got around about four or five, six second lead at the moment,
42:58but he's looked pretty good when he gets to the front.
43:00But that little move on Connor Cummins at the start,
43:02that was tight, wasn't it?
43:03Look at this.
43:04Watch the way he's counter steering.
43:05See what he's doing there now?
43:06Just getting a real look at him.
43:08Oh, shaking all the way up the hill on the acceleration
43:12and then up through Kennedy's and over the start-finish line,
43:15he will come.
43:16Yeah, across the line he will come to take another win
43:18around the Armoy circuit.
43:19For that man there, it's number 16 Mike Brown on the Honda
43:22from Michael Sweeney, then it's Paul Jordan,
43:24Jamie Coward and Neil Kernaghan.
43:26Connor Cummins takes sick from Sam West.
43:28James Chalk, Kevin Keyes are rounding out the top ten.
43:30Michael gone.
43:31It was dry like 80% of it and then bone wet for 20%,
43:36so I was kind of trying to manage the tyre and the dry
43:39and I'd say it got too hot, it wasn't even working in the wet,
43:42to be honest, so it was just a mess.
43:43But no, it was good to get the race done and well done to the organisers
43:46because it's very tricky with the weather.
43:49Mike Brown yet again shows his form around the Armoy Road Race course
43:53and provides an insight into the race of legends.
43:57Sadly though, that's all the racing action we have time for,
44:00but do join us next time for highlights of that and more.
44:13I'll be out.
44:14Let's go.
44:16Let's go.
44:18I'm ready, I'm ready to go
44:22I'm ready, I'm ready to go
44:28I'm ready, I'm ready to go
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