Michael Pearson UGP Report

Pearson Up and Down at Dundrod.
by Willis Marshall
 
Lisburn rider Michael Pearson had a bumpy McKinstry Skip Hire Ulster Grand Prix on Saturday, with the former Irish Superbike Champion slipping off during the Aer Lingus Supersport 600 race, luckily with only minor injuries, but bounced back later in the day with a superb 6th place finish in the Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club Superbike Race.
Pearson was also unable to take part in Saturdays Superstock race after he encountered a minor oil leak during Thursday practice.
In the Aer Lingus Supersport 600 race, Pearson was holding onto 9th place on lap three and was in close battle with Daniel Cooper and Dean Harrison when his D&GW/Carryduff Forklifts Yamaha let go at Tornagrough, resulting in Pearson being high sided of his machine, luckily without major injury.   His machine was to badly damaged to compete in Race Two.
Battered and bruised, Pearson competed in the McKinstry Skip Hire Superbike Race later in the day on his Superstock Honda, and at the end of lap one was in 14th place.   On lap two, Pearson set his best lap of the race at 129.165mph, and gradually moved up the leader board to finish in a hard fought 8th place in front of Dean Harrison and Rob Barber, with Pearson's Stock Honda clocked at 189mph through the speed trap.
Pearson then showed his true grit in the UGP Supporters Club/Peoples Superbike Race when he was locked in a titanic battle for 6th place with Dean Harrision, Dan Kneen, Ian Lougher, Adrian Archibald and Bruce Anstey.   Again, it was lap two that Pearson set his fastest lap of the race with a lap speed of 128.980mph, as he fended off a strong challenge from Kneen on the Mark Blooms Suzuki Superbike.   At the line, Pearson grabbed 6th place with just 1/100's of a second over Kneen, Harrision and Lougher.
 
 
Michael Pearson:  "I am in quite a bit of discomfort after that.  In the Supersport 600 race, the back end of the Yamaha let go and that was it.  I was thrown up and over the bike and landed in a grass ditch.  I have bruised myself in a few places and hurt my toes on my left foot, but there was never any doubt of me not competing in the remainder of the races.  In the first Superbike race, I was locked in a good battle with Dean Harrison and Rob Barber and I was determined to stay in front of them and I gave it my all.  The Honda is working really well after we sorted out a small oil leak on her that developed on Thursday, and rather than risk anything we decided to fix it in time for Saturdays races, which meant we where unable to take part in the Superstock qualifying.   The second Superbike race was one of the hardest that I have ever rode around Dundrod in.   The rest of the guys where really on the pipe and I was not for letting sixth place go to anyone else.    I had a real hard battle with Dan Kneen in that race, and we where close on a couple of occasions, especially through the Windmill section of the circuit where I was quicker than him.   I nearly ran into the back of Dan with two laps to go and my foot came of the pegs and got stuck between my rear wheel and swinging arm, but somehow I held on and it came away again, but that was a bit closer than I would ever like to get to.    It was great to take that sixth place finish especially as I was the first Superstock machine home.  The team where really please with that race, and it all pays off when you get a result like that for them.   Its Killalane next for us, and we will shortly be making a statement regarding our plans for 2013.  On a more sombre note, could I on behalf of all the team at Michael Pearson Racing extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of Lee Vernon.  I had raced against Lee a few times especially at Scarborough and it is difficult to find word that suit at a time like this".
 
McKinstry Skip Hire Ulster Grand Prix Superbike Race:
1st - Guy Martin (Tyco Suzuki)  2nd - Gary Johnson (Padgetts Honda)  3rd - Conor Cummins (Tyco Suzuki)  4th - Bruce Anstey (Padgetts Honda) 5th - Adrian Archibald (AMA Kawasaki)  6th - Ryan Farquhar (KMR Kawasaki)  7th - Ian Lougher (ILR Kawasaki)  8th - Michael Pearson (GFR Honda)  9th - Dean Harrision (RC Express Kawasaki)  10th - Rob Barber ( BMW)
 
UGP Supporters Club/Peoples Superbike Race:
1st - Michael Dunlop (Hunts/McAdoo Honda)  2nd - Guy Martin (Tyco Suzuki)  3rd - Conor Cummins (Tyco Suzuki)  4th - Gary Johnson (Padgetts Honda)  5th - Ryan Farquhar (KMR Kawasaki)  6th - Michael Pearson (GFR Honda)  7th - Dan Kneen (Mark Blooms Suzuki)  8th - Dean Harrision (RC Express Kawasaki)  9th - Ian Lougher (ILR Kawasaki)  10th - Adrian Archibald (AMA Kawasaki)
 

Picture by Alan Armstrong:
Pearson leads Dan Kneen at over 170mph through Budore in the second Superbike race at Dundrod on Saturday.