TT winner Farquhar clinches third Duke title
Monday 29 September 2008
TT
TT winner Ryan Farquhar has clinched the Duke Road Race Rankings for the third time.
He wrapped up a brilliant 2008 season by clinching the rankings title at the final meeting of the year, the Gold Cup races at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough
The Dungannon ace put in a series of high-class performances and a quartet of podium finishes to complete an excellent year.
Farquhar said:
‘It’s been a really good weekend and it’s great to end the year with more success and my third Duke Championship.’
‘I’m well pleased with a brace of runner-up spots and even more so with my best ever lap around this circuit. “The 600cc races were extremely competitive, but we changed the mapping for Sunday’s race and I’d say the bike was the best it’s been all year.’
‘Dunlop also gave me a new tyre and that also helped to make the bike faster than ever. It’s been a brilliant year and I’d like to thank everyone that has supported me this year, especially my sponsors – both trade and personal – as they’ve played a huge part in all the success.’
‘I’m looking forward to a break now before we start planning for 2009 when we’ll be doing it all over again!’
Farquhar took second in the opening Superbike race, once more riding his trusty Harker Racing Superstock-spec Kawasaki. The 600cc race later in the afternoon would prove to be one of the best of the weekend with five of the sport’s leading road racers going head-to-head around the tricky, woodland avenue and Farquhar was able to take a close fourth place.
Sunday’s results were better still and the second Superbike race of the weekend saw Farquhar not only lead the race, but also set his best ever lap around the Oliver’s Mount course.
Although he had to give way to Guy Martin on the third lap, he comfortably held on for second place, and his time of 1m 45.952s, made him the second fastest rider ever in Scarborough’s illustrious racing history.
The second 600cc race was also superb, and Farquhar held second throughout until an audacious overtaking manoeuvre for the lead on the final lap saw him drift wide at Mountside Hairpin. As he ran wide he was relegated to third, although he was still only 0.376s adrift of the race win!
Another second in the feature Steve Henshaw Gold Cup race followed, and with five top-four finishes from five starts Farquhar secured the Duke Road Race Rankings, won in 2007 by Manxman Conor Cummins.
TT regular Guy Martin pulled himself into the top 10 of the Duke Road Race Rankings with his performance at Scarborough, moving up 12 places from 19th to seventh.
He created history when he won the International Steve Henshaw Gold Cup for a record-breaking sixth time, becoming the first rider ever to achieve such a feat.
Riding the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda, Martin dominated proceedings to win by more than 13 seconds, claiming the outright lap record along the way. He also won both Superbike races to crown a highly successful weekend.
Martin said:
‘I always enjoy racing at Scarborough and this weekend has been no exception. It was where I made my first ever road race appearance in 2002 so it’s always been special and to win six Gold Cups in a row is brilliant and a real honour.’
‘When you look at all the names on there, it makes me realise what an achievement it is so I’m chuffed to bits, but if someone had said that to me all those years ago that I’d win six, I would have told them to wash their mouth out!’
Duke Road Race Rankings’ winner Farquhar held off challenges from second-placed Ian Lougher and Michael Dunlop. The trio had held the top three spots since round 14, Kells, in July.
William Dunlop moved up one place to fourth, and Chris Palmer moved into fifth, demoting Keith Amor to sixth.
TT outright lap record holder and 14-time winner John McGuinness climbed five places to finish the season in eighth, right behind Martin.
The 2008 Duke Road Race Rankings had been scheduled to be held over 23 rounds, but that number was cut to 19 due to four race meetings being hit by bad weather and other factors.
All being well the Duke Road Race Rankings 2009 will have the full 24 rounds, commencing with the opening road race of the year, the Ian Watson Spring Cup Road Races at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough on April 19th.