Ulster Grand Prix
After rain plagued the opening days of the 2011 Ulster Grand Prix, the six races on Saturday were completed as scheduled with a mix of dry and damp conditions on the 7.4 Dundrod Circuit just west of Belfast in Northern Ireland.
In the Superbike Races, Honda’s Bruce Anstey and Relentless Suzuki’s Guy Martin both shared a victory.
In the first Superbike race at the 2011 Ulster Grand Prix, Martin took the checkered flag after battling with Honda TT Legend Keith Amor and Honda’s Gary Johnson. But the victory was later awarded to Bruce Anstey, “the Kiwi taking advantage of an archaic ‘corrected time’ ruling from the second group on the road,” Relentess Suzuki says.
This would give Martin second, followed by Amor.
In the second Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race, Martin lead all six laps. He was followed Amor once again, with Honda’s William Dunlop rounding out the podium.
Guy Martin (Relentless Suzuki GSX-R1000) says: “I’m a ‘Happy Camper’ now I’ve got that win. After the first Superbike race, where I was just concentrating on trying to win on the road, I knew what I had to do in the last race and watch my board. It’s not ideal to take the chequered flag and lose; by ‘eck it’s bizarre if I’m honest, but those are the rules.
“I just couldn’t shake Keith off in the first race and it let Bruce gain time as he had clear track from the front of the second group. The other races were good enough… we weren’t far off in the Superstock race either. No one remembers a loser but everyone remembers the last winner of the year at the Internationals, so a good job all round from the team. Proper order… I’m well happy!”
Keith Amor (Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR) says: “Race one was great. I led on and off on the road but I knew that if Bruce got a clear run he’d be hard to beat because he was starting from the second wave with nobody in front of him to mess it up. It was always going to be tough but it was really enjoyable.
“Guy and I were swapping paint and places pretty much every lap. The team did a great job changing the set up for the second race and it was shame that the conditions were iffy. I didn’t have the best tyre on for the job but I hung in there. I was in a battle with William and Cameron, which was enjoyable but Guy got away. It was just one of those days. Big thanks to Honda and Dunlop.
As for 17-time Ilse of Man TT winner John McGuinness, the Honda TT Legends rider had a less fortunate day after a hole in his bike’s radiator forced him to retire from Superbike race one. Despite the team’s best efforts, the issue could not be repaired in time for the start of race two, but McGuinness still headed out from the pit lane at the back of the field and placed 17th.
John McGuinness (Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR) says: “I was really enjoying the first race – it was ace. I was hanging in there and I was going as fast as the leaders but with a lap or two to go I had to stop. We later found out that it was a hole in the radiator.
“The team did a mega job repairing it but we were just a few minutes too late to get on the grid. I spoke to the organiser and said shall I just go out at the back of the pack and show the fans that we didn’t come here not to do our job. I actually enjoyed it a bizarre way, just riding round with no pressure – I revved up the crowd a bit and it was good. It’s been a tough week though.”
2011 Ulster Grand Prix Results:
Ulster GP Superbike 1 [5 laps – Dry]: 1 Bruce Anstey [Honda] 16:57.110; 2 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +4.824; 3 Keith Amor [Honda] +4.998; 4 Gary Johnson [Honda] +5.251; 5 William Dunlop [Honda] +5.607; 6 Cameron Donald [Honda] +6.868.
Ulster GP Superbike 2 [6 laps – Damp]: 1 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] 20:43.793; 2 Keith Amor [Honda] +2.956; 3 William Dunlop [Honda] +3.073; 4 Cameron Donald [Honda] +3.357; 5 Bruce Anstey [Honda] +4.103; 6 Gary Johnson [Honda] +21.896.
Ulster GP Superstock [6 laps – Damp]: 1 Michael Dunlop [Kawasaki] 21:15.901; 2 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +1.770sec; 3 Gary Johnson [Honda] +11.611; 4 Ian Lougher [Kawasaki] +11.701; 5 Keith Amor [Honda] +18.901; 6 Conor Cummins [Kawasaki] +23.888.
Ulster GP Supersport 1 [5 laps – Dry]: 1 Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] 17.37.949; 2 William Dunlop [Honda] +0.340; 3 Bruce Anstey [Honda] +0.797; 4 Cameron Donald [Honda] +2.360; 5 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +4.027; 6 – John McGuinness [Honda] +19.455.
Ulster GP Supersport 2 [6 laps – Dry]: 1 Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] 20:58.980; 2 William Dunlop [Honda] +0.825; 3 Cameron Donald [Honda] +1.359; 4 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +8.048; 5 Gary Johnson [Honda] +21.444; 6 Keith Amor [Honda] +23.151.
