HEAVY and persistent rain wiped out any chance of racing in yesterday's Topaz Dundrod 150 road races, which are being run in conjunction with this year's Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix.
Race organisers were left with no option but to abandon any plans to stage racing, as standing water and rivers of water engulfed the seven-mile Dundrod circuit in the late afternoon.
Earlier in the day, however, practice sessions did get under way, but not before they also had to be scrubbed because of the heavy rain.
In the practice sessions which did take place, Ballymoney rider Michael Dunlop - on his TT Legends Honda Fireblade - set the fastest lap of the year with a 130.634mph lap in the Superbike practice.
He was followed by Kirmington rider Guy Martin on the Tyco Suzuki by Tas Racing in second place at 129.635mph, and Milwaukee Yamaha rider William Dunlop third fastest at 128.450mph.
William Dunlop's team-mate, Manxman Conor Cummins on the second Milwaukee Yamaha, was fourth fastest at 128.232mph, with Lincolnshire's Gary Johnson (Kawasaki) fifth fastest at 127.298mph.
In the Supertwins 650cc session, Ivan Lintin on the McKinstry Racing Kawasaki set pole position for tomorrows race with a fastest lap of 113.243mph. Second quickest was Maguiresbridge rider Lee Johnson at 111.737mph, with Ballyclare's Jamie Hamilton on the KMR Kawasaki third fastest at 111.591mph.
With rain forecast again for tomorrow morning, the organisers are hoping that racing can indeed take place, and that a repeat of this year's North West 200 is prevented.
Situations such as yesterday will again lead to calls for more flexibility regarding the possibility of organisers postponing racing until the following day.
With fair weather expected over most of the north today, such a change to the current rules would have allowed racing to take place, thereby satisfying everyone - organisers, riders and sponsors.