Sport

Magnificent seven for Peter Hickman at Ulster Motorcycling Grand Prix

Peter Hickman (Smith's Racing BMW) took victory in the final Superbike race and his seventh at the Around a Pound Superbike Race at the 2019 Fona Cab Ulster Grand Prix in Dundrod, Co Antrim. Picture by Rod Neill
Peter Hickman (Smith's Racing BMW) took victory in the final Superbike race and his seventh at the Around a Pound Superbike Race at the 2019 Fona Cab Ulster Grand Prix in Dundrod, Co Antrim. Picture by Rod Neill Peter Hickman (Smith's Racing BMW) took victory in the final Superbike race and his seventh at the Around a Pound Superbike Race at the 2019 Fona Cab Ulster Grand Prix in Dundrod, Co Antrim. Picture by Rod Neill

Burton-upon-Trent rider Peter Hickman rewrote the record books at the fonaCAB Ulster Grand Prix, which can only be described as being the most remarkable road racing event ever witnessed.

Hickman, not only set a new absolute track lap record in Thursday's races where he was a double winner, but also equalled the record number of race wins on Saturday when he took five race wins from five starts, giving the Smiths/Trooper rider a record seven race wins in total.

In an unbelievable display of sheer skill and class, Hickman simply was too hot to handle on a day that at one stage looked like the weather was going to throw a spanner into the works.

Clerk of the course Noel Johnston and his team of volunteer in the Dundrod Club were equally as successful as Hickman by sticking to their guns in putting on the finest road race in the world.

A three-hour delay to racing on Saturday when low laying mist and heavy rain couldn't spoil the party.

Hickman. on his Smith's Racing BMW, kicked off Saturday's five-timer in the opening Superstock race, where he took a 24-second winning margin over Davey Todd and Conor Cummins.

Hickman then set about his record-breaking day by taking wins in both the Supersport 600 races, where Fermanagh's Lee Johnson was twice runner-up as Hickman raced his Trooper Triumph to victory in a display of sheer class.

In the two Superbike races it was Manxman Conor Cummins and Bradford's Dean Harrison who had the task of trying to peg back Hickman.

But neither rider had the match to the Smith's racing BMW man as he took both Superbike wins at ease.

Speaking about his weekend's racing, Hickman was full of praise for Noel Johnson and his team.

"I could never have dreamt about a day like this. Its going to take a bit of time for it to sink in,'' he said.

"This morning when I saw the rain and the mist around the circuit I genuinely thought, we would not be able to get any racing in.

"The organisers did a fantastic job in getting a full race programme over with in what where at times very trying conditions.

"To get the Ulster Grand Prix back to being the fastest road race in the World is mega, and to equal Phillip McCallen's record of five race wins in one day just capped a perfect weekend off for myself and the Team."

In the Lightweight race, Ballymena's Neil Kernohan repeated his race win on Thursday with another victory when he fended off Shaun Anderson and Kris Williams for the number one spot on the podium.

Czech Republic rider Michal Dokoupil was again the winner of the Ultra Lightweight race where Christian Elkin was runner-up for a second time with young Enniskillen lady Melissa Kennedy taking her second Ulster Grand Prix podium of the week in third place.

This year's fonaCAB Ulster Grand Prix will go down in the history books and is right up there with the billing of the greatest UGP of all time.

2019 fonaCAB Ulster Grand Prix

DALY'S HYUNDAI SUPERSTOCK RACE:

1 = Peter Hickman Smiths BMW

2 = Davey Todd Penz13.com bmw

3 = Conor Cummins Milenco Honda by Padgetts

4 = Lee Johnson Ashcourt BMW

5 = Derek Sheils RK/Burrows Suzuki

6 = David Johnston Honda Racing

CENTRA WHITEMOUNTAIN SUPERSPORT 600 RACE:

1 = Peter Hickman Trooper Triumph

2 = Lee Johnson Ashcourt Yamaha

3 = Davey Todd Milenco Honda by Padgetts

4 = Conor Cummins Milenco Honda by Padgetts

5 = Jamie Coward Yamaha

6 = Derek Sheils Yamaha

CHIMNEY CORNER HOTEL LIGHTWEIGHT RACE:

1 = Neil Kernohan Honda

2 = Shaun Anderson Honda

3 = Kris Duncan Honda

4 = Paul Williams Kawasaki

5 = Davy Morgan Honda

6 = Bryn Harding Honda

PLANT LUBRICATION ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT RACE:

1 = Michal Dokoupil Araine

2 = Christian Elkin Honda

3 = Melissa Kennedy Honda

4 = Gary Dunlop Honda

5 = Nigel Moore Honda

6 = Wayne Kennedy Honda

MMB SURFACING UGP SUPERBIKE RACE:

1 = Peter Hickman Smiths BMW

2 = Conor Cummins Milenco Honda by Padgetts

3 = Dean Harrison Silicone Kawasaki

4 = Lee Johnson Ashcourt BMW

5 = Davey Todd Milenco Honda by Padgetts

6 = Derek Sheils RK/ Burrows Suzuki

SKEGNESS RACEVIEW SUPERSPORT 600 RACE:

1 = Peter Hickman Trooper Triumph

2 = Lee Johnson Ashcourt Yamaha

3 = Dean Harrison Silicone Kawasaki

4 = Davey Todd Milenco Honda by Padgetts

5 = Conor Cummins Milenco Honda by Padgetts

6 = Jamie Coward Yamaha

AROUND A POUND SUPERBIKE RACE:

1 = Peter Hickman Smiths BMW

2 = Dean Harrison Silicone Kawasaki

3 = Conor Cummins Milenco Honda by Padgetts

4 = Davey Todd Milenco Honda by Padgetts

5 = Jamie Coward BMW

6 = Derek Sheils RK/Burrows Suzuki