Amazing 1-2-3 by KMR Kawasaki at Bishopscourt
Ryan Farquhar´s KMR Kawasaki team put in a dominant display at Bishopscourt on Saturday when they blitzed the opposition in the two Supertwin races at the annual Sunflower Trophy meeting. With Jeremy McWilliams and Jamie Hamilton joining Ryan on the ER-6f based 650cc machines, the trio were never headed and completed a stunning 1-2-3 in both races as Hamilton and McWilliams took the race wins.
With mixed weather conditions at the 2.136-mile International circuit, McWilliams was having his first ever outing on the bike and having missed practice on Friday, 5 laps in morning warm-up enabled him to start the first 9-lap race from the back of the grid although he soon tore his way through the field. However, whilst he climbed his way up to third, it was Hamilton who set the pace at the head of the field and it was he who took the chequered flag by 4.4s from team owner Farquhar who once again proved he´s not just a road racer and put in an accomplished short circuit performance.
The second 9-lap race later in the day saw the three riders run in flying team formation in the leading three positions with former GP winner McWilliams, getting more and more used to the bike with each and every lap, and Hamilton exchanging the lead on numerous occasions. Farquhar sat behind in third, just a couple of seconds adrift, as the leading duo broke and re-broke the lap record and it was McWilliams who ultimately got the verdict, taking the win over Hamilton by just 0.7s third. Farquhar took a comfortable third as McWilliams had the honour of setting a new lap record at 1m30.138s.
Hamilton also rode the team´s Ninja ZX-10R Superstock bike to 4th in the opening Superbike race and 8th in the feature Sunflower Trophy event.
Speaking afterwards, a delighted Farquhar said: “It´s been a superb day for the team and to take a 1-2-3 in each of the Supertwins races was simply superb and a terrific way for us to end the season. It´s a huge achievement to get all 3 bikes in the top 3, not once but twice so it really couldn´t have gone any better. I´d spoken to Jeremy back in January when we were riding in the Classic Festival in Australia and he said he´d like to have a go on one of the Supertwins so when the opportunity arose to ride at the Sunflower he took it. He had to miss the practice on Friday due to other commitments but the 5 laps in the morning meant he could start the races and he showed his class with two great rides, including the win and the lap record. He can still ride a bike that´s for sure and there´s a good possibility that he´ll be out on the bike again sometime in the future.”
“Jamie again showed how good he is and I´m really looking forward to working with him on a more regular basis in 2012. The Supertwin bike really suits him but he impressed on the big bike too. It was his first time on the bike and we were testing a few bits and pieces but he showed what he can do with a good 4th in the first race and 8th in the Sunflower was no mean feat given he´d started from the back row of the grid. Overall, I´m simply delighted with how the day went and I´d just like to thank everyone in the team for making it all happen and also Jeremy and Jamie for being a pleasure to work with.”