Pearson Pleased With Season Opener

Ballygowans Michael Pearson left the Cookstown 100 Road Racing circuit on Saturday evening with a broad smile on his face after the Carryduff Forklifts/Morrell Racing Kawasaki rider scored his best ever Superbike Result at the meeting, with a personal best lap time thrown in for good measure, as Pearson took a brace of top seven results in the Superbike Class's, followed up with a fifth place finish in the Supersport 600 race.

Still pleased with his results, Pearson did however feel that he could have pushed for a podium finish, only for the dreaded arm pump to return during Saturdays races.

photo by Alan Armstrong

Michael Pearson:  "I am well pleased with todays results, but I still feel that I could have got onto the podium in at least one of the two Superbike races.   In the first Superbike Race, I took arm pump on the fifth lap out of ten and at one point I felt as if I was going to have to pull out of the race.   I was holding onto second place in front of Camern Donald when it struck, and after that I lost place after place, lap after lap, eventually finishing up in seventh place behind William Dunlop.    It was as you where in the Supersport 600 race, with arm pump again playing its part as I held on for third place.  I felt comfortable enough to take third place but on the excit on McAdoo's Corner on lap seven, I hit a sand bag at the side of the road with my knee, and I very nearly lost the front end.  Cameron Donald was behind me and he managed to get past so I had to settle for fifth at the flag.    It was all down to the final race of the day for the Cookstown 100 when I had a great scrap for third place with Michael Dunlop, who just managed to get the better of me as my Morrell Kawasaki kept jumping out of gear as I had a small problem with the quick shifter.  I had no problem with that result as I felt I rode really well to stay in front of Adrian Archibald and Derek Sheils.   Next up for me is the Kirkistown meeting next weekend for a round of the ISB, so I hope to be able to pick up a few points there".

Willis Marshall:  (Team Manager)  "Those where solid hard rides by Michael today.  Sometimes I feel that he is to hard on himself, but he is still learning the place, as this was only his second visit to Cookstown.  What he did show today was that he can run with the front runners in both the Superbike and Supersport class's, so all in all, it has been very positive".

Cookstown 100 Race Results:

Hayes Fuels Supersport 600 Race A

1 = Ryan Farquhar    (KMR Kawasaki)

2 = Michael Dunlop   (Street Sweep Yamaha)

3 = William Dunlop    (CD Racing Yamaha)

4 = Cameron Donald  (Relentless Suzuki)

5 = Michael Pearson  (Carryduff Forklifts Kawasaki)

6 = John Walsh   (Yamaha)

Fastest Lap:  Ryan Farquhar  88.450mph

Cookstown Council Open Race A

1 = Ryan Farquhar   (KMR Kawasaki)

2 = Cameron Donald  (Relentless Suzuki)

3 = Michael Dunlop   (Robinson Concrete Honda)

4 = Adrian Archibald  (AMA Suzuki)

5 = Derek Sheils  (Amigos Honda)

6 = William Dunlop  (CD Racing Suzuki)

7 = Michael Pearson  (Morrell Kawasaki)

Fastest Lap:  Ryan Farquhar  89.800mph

Cookstown 100 Championship Race

1 = Ryan Farquhar  (KMR Kawasaki)

2 = Cameron Donald  (Relentless Suzuki)

3 = Michael Dunlop  (Robinson Concrete Honda)

4 = Michael Pearson  (Morrell Racing Kawasaki)

5 = Adrian Archibald  (AMA Suzuki)

6 = Derek Sheils   (Amigos Honda)

Fastest Lap:  Ryan Farquhar  1m23.25s   *NEW LAP RECORD*