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Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Paul Jordan eager to join list of NI winners at Armoy's ‘Race of Legends'
Since the Irish national road race was first run in 2009, only Ryan Farquhar, Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd can lay claim to having won the blue riband race. Held each year in memory of the legendary Armoy Armada road racing quartet of Joey Dunlop, Frank Kennedy, Mervyn Robinson and Jim Dunlop — who competed together at Irish road races from the mid to late 1970s — the race has been dominated by Michael Dunlop, whose victory in 2023 was his 10th Legends success. The Isle of Man TT record-breaker is absent this year, as is English rival Todd, who was a winner of the big race in 2022 and 2024. A new name will be added to the trophy today, with Magherafelt racer Paul Jordan putting down a marker yesterday after he claimed pole position in qualifying on the Jackson Racing by Prosper2 Honda. Jordan lapped at 106.324mph, but Republic of Ireland rider Mike Browne was only a few tenths of a second slower on his Honda at 106.087mph. Manxman Conor Cummins is another chief contender on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW along with fourth-fastest Michael Sweeney (MJR BMW) and Yorkshire's Jamie Coward on the KTS Racing BMW, who made his return from injury at the Southern 100 this month following a crash at the North West 200 in May. Phil Crowe, the runner-up last year behind Todd, also can't be ruled out on his BMW. Jordan, though, will be fired up to emulate fellow Ulster winners Dunlop and Farquhar by winning the Superbike showdown. The 34-year-old is having a fine season, winning his first race at the North West 200 in the Supertwin category and securing another rostrum at the TT, again in the Supertwin class. Jordan, who also finished fourth in the second Supersport race at the TT in June, set a new lap record as he won the Supertwin race at Armoy yesterday and finished a close third in the Supersport race. However, he has been eager to prove himself on the 1000cc machines and a win today would be a feather in his cap. 'I was able to do the lap times (in Superbike qualifying) on my own, so that will only help me,' Jordan said. 'It's been good, a win and a third, so it's good for the team and good for me. 'A backmarker just played a bit of a part on the last lap there (in the Supersport race), which sort of ended it (challenge for second place), but I'm happy. We'll get another go at it tomorrow.' Browne will be aiming to double up in the Supersport class on the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha after his win last night, while Jordan will fancy his chances of a repeat in today's Supertwin race. Dan Sayle sealed pole in the Moto3/125GP class with Ballymena's Barry Davidson quickest in qualifying for the Lightweight Supersport/GP250 race on the Bry Joinery 250 Honda. Former MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams is competing on a 400 Kawasaki in the Lightweight race and was third fastest in qualifying on his return to the event after a long absence. Andy Farrell starts from pole in the Classic Superbike race with Sam West also on the front row in second place.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Mike Browne proud to claim Supersport victory at Armoy Road Races, while Paul Jordan savours Supertwin success
The Cork man claimed pole on Alistair Russell's R6 and Browne made a winning start to the weekend, leading every lap and pulling away from the chasing pack to win by over six seconds. He set the fastest lap of the race at 104.074mph to secure the win comfortably after seven laps of the three-mile course in County Antrim by 6.39 secs from Michael Sweeney (EM Building Yamaha), who had to work hard to fend off Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan on the Jackson Racing Honda by Prosper2 Honda for the runner-up spot. Sweeney and Jordan were locked in battle throughout the seven-lap race, but Jordan was unable to make a decisive pass as the experienced Skerries man defended his lines. They were clear of Manx racer Conor Cummins, who finished fourth on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Ducati Panigale V2. Browne, who was a Supersport winner at the Southern 100 at the Billown course a few weeks previously, said: 'I wouldn't say I dominated from the start. 'There was a few spits of rain there and we took our time for two laps, and there was a bit of a wet patch down into Church, so I had a look at that. 'I looked back and was surprised I had a little bit of a gap, so I tried to keep that and I wanted to try and keep a bit of room in case we came across some backmarkers towards the end of the race. 'I had a good, clear run, so I'm happy. It's good for the team to get a win.' Sweeney said he expected Jordan to be a threat in the race based on his lap times in qualifying. 'I could hear him at every turn and my board was saying +0, so I knew I wouldn't get away and I knew from the qualifying times that he had the pace,' he said. 'I was a little bit off it this morning, but I ran a couple of laps with Mike (Browne) at the front and then he just pulled the pin and got away. 'Then I had to defend against Paul (Jordan) at every turn and I knew he would try and get the drive on me up to the line.' Jamie Coward (KTS Macadam Racing Triumph) and eye-catching newcomer Franco Bourne (Cowton Racing Kawasaki) were the top six. Jordan won the earlier Supertwin race and established a new lap record for the class at 100.694mph. The Magherafelt man had to fight his way through from fourth after a sluggish start, but once he overhauled Sweeney (MSR Aprilia), he was able to make a break for it. Jordan won by 5.58 secs on the Jackson Racing by Prosper2 Aprilia from Sweeney, with the Isle of Man's Joe Yeardsley in third on the Scott Racing Aprilia. 'It was just the usual Paul Jordan start and that was it,' Jordan said. 'To be fair, after the practice we had this morning, I knew I had a bit of pace and I knew not to panic. 'So, I just bided my time and, once I got to the front, I just kept on banging out the laps, and I felt I was going a lot slower than I was this morning. 'The bike is probably the best bike I've rode.' Coward retired on the KTS Racing Kawasaki, with Barry Furber (DC Autos Yamaha) taking fourth. Joey Thompson (TH Racing Aprilia) and Marcus Simpson (LMR Kawasaki) completed the top half-dozen. Roads close on Saturday for practice from 9.00am, with 12 races scheduled. The prestigious Race of Legends is the headline event and a new winner will be crowned in the absence of Michael Dunlop and Davey Todd.
