Former
Manx Grand Prix winner Tom Weeden will make his KDM Hire Cookstown 100 debut
this weekend, the 24-year-old Kent rider joined forces with the new look John
Burrows race team, re-branded Burrows Engineering/Richardson Kelly Racing.
For
Weeden, this will be a completely new challenge, a challenge that he hopes will
put him back on the pedestal he was on a few years ago. Following his MGP
Success, Weeden admits that success that the he expected hasn’t really
materialised. Having recently tested with his new team, Weeden was full of
praise for the team. “I’ve settled in really well with the boys. Anything I ask
for, they sort for me, really good lads, John is great to work with, he has
been there done it, and knows what a rider needs, I feel like a works rider!”
quipped a smiling Tom after a couple of days testing at Kirkistown.
“Really
looking forward to getting back out to Northern Ireland this weekend. I’m going
to spend Thursday driving round the circuit to familiarise myself and reinforce
the onboard laps I’ve watched. Putting no pressure on myself for results, just
want to enjoy it and make further steps forward with the RK Racing by Burrows
Engineering bikes in prep for the NW200 and TT. The track looks mega and can’t
wait to get the season started onboard the new bikes!!’
For
Burrows, the Dungannon engineer has been instrumental in forging young talent
to the sport, in the past nurturing riders such as Davey Todd, Dan Kneen,
Malachi Mitchell Thomas and Jamie Hamilton. Along with Team returnee Derek
Sheils, both riders will be on board new Suzuki’s in the open races at
Cookstown this weekend.
Joining
Sheils and Weeden on the grid at Cookstown will be McAdoo racings Adam McLean,
who had a convincing double at Bishopscourt on Saturday last. Derek McGee took
in the Easter meetings to get a few miles under his belt as did Paul
Jordan, another rider who has put in some heroic performances in early season
short circuit racing. Michael Sweeney is satisfied with his preseason
tests and lines out on his Superbike, Supersport and Supertwin.
International
flavour comes from Czech riders Michal Dokoupil & Veronika Hankocyova and
from Holland, Nadieh Schoots.
A
new look start-finish area, along with a streamlined race program for Saturday
should make the 2019 KDM Hire Cookstown 100 more appealing to the spectators.
Scrutineering will start at 9.00am Friday Morning
and continues until 12 noon.
The onus is on the competitor to present both
himself (with leathers and helmet(s) and machine at Scrutiny within the timeframe
given.
This is to ensure that all paperwork can be completed
in time before Practice starts.
ALL COMPETITORS MUST ATTEND the Riders Briefing,
which will take place at 11.30am at the New Bridge (Beside the Sign On office).
A roll call of riders will be announced, and ANY competitor
failing to respond to this, will face exclusion from the event!
There
is a Classic Bike run on Thursday evening, starting from the Burn Road car park
at 7.15.
Roads
close for Practice on Friday at 12 noon, with a four-race scheduled for Friday
evening after the 17 practice sessions.
Roads
close on Saturday at 10.00am.
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