Easter Weekend

Sam's first season on the Carryduff Forklift R6 got underway strongly at Bishopscourt and Kirkistown. 

We left Bishopscourt and Kirkistown having done the quickest laps we have ever done around them and having had some of the closest racing that Sam has ever had, however, Sam is needing to brush up on his starts in order to make the race easier for himself.

Great to see so many people coming over and complimenting Sam's riding, especially to Michael and Joan Williamson who have been a great support to us.

Thanks also to Beller, Brian, Robbie and Jason for helping out throughout the weekend, it is very much appreciated.

SPONSERS:

Carryduff Forklift, D&M Developments Ltd, Ma and Da Scotland, Easystart Batteries and ADE Autoparts

Credit to G.T. Motorsports Photography

All set for the Easter weekend!

After testing in Spain, a race in Anglesey and a track day on Wednesday at Kirkistown; Sam is feeling ready for the new season.

He will be out on Easter Saturday at Bishopscourt and Easter Monday at Kirkistown, racing the Carryduff Forklift R6.

Thanks to Carryduff Forklift, Scottish Ma and Da and Michael Williamson and everyone else for their support.

It would be great to see some of you there!! Happy Easter!

Credit to G.T. Motorsports Photography

Update on Cartagena

Day two of Cartagena is over!

The weather is lovely and Sam is loving being back on the bike. He is loving learning the new  track and is improving with every session!

Roll on the final sessions tomorrow!

Cartagena testing

The season is nearly underway!

The Carryduff Forklift R6 is on it's way to Spain, Sam and his dad will be joining the bike on Sunday for three days testing.  Sam is so excited to get back on the bike and learn this new exciting track!

A big thanks to Paul and Salette for this opportunity and to all our other sponsors and supporters for making this dream trip come true!

We will try to keep you all updated throughout the week.

Sunflower Trophy Races 2016!

Well, it has been a very exciting few weeks for Sam...

Firstly, Sam was selected for the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council coca-cola bursary scheme a and was awarded a sum of money to help fund his 2017 season. He is very grateful for their support.

Sam found out a few weeks ago that Carryduff Forklift are very kindly sponsering Sam with a 600 for the 2017 season.  Sam was very excited to get out on the 600 for his first test day at Kirkistown. After only a few laps on the bike he immediatley gelled with it and each session, his times were getting quicker and quicker!  A few weeks later Sam was then out on another test day at Kirkstown and he was again getting to grips with a bike that feels completely different, practicing his starts and improving his times.

After being granted permission to ride in his first 600 race by the MCUI before he turned 16,  Sam  headed to the Sunflower after only two test days on the 600 for his first race. In the first Supersport B race on the Friday evening Sam came 4th and set the second fastest time of the race. On the Saturday morning in very bad conditions, Sam came 3rd in the supersport B race setting the fastest lap time.

Thanks very much to Brain Ewing, Michael Williamson of D&M Developments LTD, Stevie Gowan and Carryduff Forkflift.

Credit to G.T. Motorsports Photography

A special thanks also to everyone who supported Sam throughout the whole season; Diane and Michael Pearson, Mum and Dad, Beller, Brian Ewing, Bernard Smyth, Scottish Ma and Da, Donkey Patton of DP Polishing, Aaron and Liz, Paul and Salette, Granny and Granda Lyons, Scott Miller, Martin Lennon of ML Designs, Michael Williamson of D&M Developments LTD, Billy Mckinstry, Ian Mcclenaghan and especially Carryduff Forklift. 

Davy Wood Memorial Trophy Races 17/09/2016

Sam had a great weekend at Bishopscourt! 

On Saturday morning, Sam qualified 3rd on the grid for 400 Supersport race.

Sam got a great start in race one, getting the holeshot and maintaining the lead throughout. Sam also put in the fastest lap of his race.

In race two, Sam again lead throughout finishing just under 9 seconds in front of second place. Sam again got the fastest lap of his race, beating his personal best of Bishopscourt by 2.2 seconds.

After such a successful weekend, Sam is looking forward to getting out again across the water in a few weeks. Thanks goes to Bernard, Brian Ewing, Stevie Gowan, Mum and Dad, Carryduff Forklift and everyone else for their support.

East Fortune 20th/21st August 2016

Sam had a good weekend in East Fortune.

Sam qualified 11th overall in the lightweights (650 supertwins/stocktwins/400s) and was the 2nd 400. The weather was very poor on Saturday, with the very wet track beginning to dry and therefore Sam pulled in during the first race whilst he was the 3rd 400 as he was not enjoying it. 

He had a much better day on Sunday, getting quicker everytime he went out. He was 9th in the second race and the 2nd 400. In race three he was 8th overall and the 1st 400. In the final race of the day he got his best time of the weekend of 106.843 and finished 6th overall and the 1st 400.

Thanks Gordon Clark Snr and  Gordon Clark Jnr for their hospitality all weekend. 

Finally we all wish Paul Maguire a very speedy recovery!

Anglesey 30th/31st August 2016

Sam really enjoyed his weekend at Anglesey and thoroughly enjoyed learning another new circuit.

Sam competed in four races, getting results of 8th, 7th, 6th and 4th making improvements everytime he went out. Sam is looking forward to getting back out in Wales to hopefully achieve a podium position.

His next round is in East Fortune on the 20th/21st of August 2016.

East Fortune 9th/10th July 2016

Had a good trip to Scotland at the weekend. After four good races, Sam ended up the quickest 400 but just couldn't catch Stuart Hamilton. Sam is looking forward to hopefully getting back out at the next Scottish round!

Big thanks to a new sponser of ours D&M Developments LTD who helped us out this weekend, Carryduff Forklifts, Stevie Gowan for driving us and everyone else who helped us get there. Ps. a big thanks to Gordan Clarke Senior and Junior for there hospitality all weekend!

Bishopscourt 11/06/2016

Great weekend at Bishopscourt!

After the complications with disqualification during Kirkstown last weekend, Sam came back unphased. He qualified 4th for the 400 race.

In race one Sam was 3rd. In race two he had a great battle with Eoin Collins, leading most of the race but ended up in 2nd after being overtaken at the last chicane. 

These great results at Bishopscourt are a great confidence boost for Sam ahead of  his next outing at East Fortune in July.

Credit to G.T. Motorsports Photography

East Fortune

Sam was in East Fortune on Saturday and Sunday. He unfortunately straight into qualifying as there was no morning practice, he qualified 21st for the race with four combined classes. 

In the first race on Saturday, Sam came 4th in the 400s and then 3rd in the 400s. On Sunday Sam was 2nd in the first race and unfortunately the bike broke down in the last race. Sam struggled all weekend with gearing as we didn't have the right gearing with us, however Sam still managed to keep improving his lap times every time he went out.

Thanks to Carryduff Forklifts, Stevie Gowan, David Guiney (BP Foods), Mum and Dad and everyone else who supported me. 

Easter Weekend

Sam had a great Easter Weekend on the new bike. He qualified 9th at Bishopscourt. Unfortunatey he didn't get a race on Friday due to his dad's crash and then the race meeting being cancelled on Saturday due to the weather conditions.

On Easter Monday Sam rode well all day, going from 7th in qualifying to 4th in both races, getting quicker each session. Sam has got a real feel for the bike and is looking forward to what the rest of the year will bring.

After the first race we were called into the dyno and told we would have to be striped and measured, we were happy to do this. However, after the second race Sam was told he was being disqualfied from the meeting due to an illegal chassis. This was disappointing for Sam as it was not making a difference to the performance of his bike and was the same year as the rest of the parts on the bike (25 years old.) Despite that Sam was very pleased with his performance all weekend as he continues to get quicker and quicker.

Thanks to everyone who helped Sam all weekend.

Credit to Graham Thompson Photography

Thruxton

Sam had a really enjoyable weekend at Thruxton. He got to grips with the fast circuit quickly from the outset. 

Sam unfortunately crashed on the first lap of qualifying so was unable to get a lap time and had to start from the back of the grid. Despite that Sam managed to get into 4th before making a mistake at the chicane and finishing in 7th. Sam was tenth in the second race. However he made up for a poor second race by getting a 5th place in the third race. Sam also got a 1,32.834, which was fourth quickest and just a fraction of a second of the lap record. 

Thruxton has built up Sam's confidence and he is now looking forward to Cadwell in a few weeks time.  

Thanks to Beller for his help all weekend, Sebden Steel, Billy Mckinstry, Aaron and Liz, Paul Lyons, Glenn Irwin and mum and dad. 

Snetterton and Knockhill

Sam was at Snetterton on 19/20/21 June and had a successful weekend. Sam found the track difficult to learn as it was a very long. He had two races and finished 9th and 12th  and his times were continuously going down throughout the weekend. Sam enjoyed some close racing all weekend.

Sam was at Knockhill this weekend and found the track really enjoyable. He had four races and finished 13th, 11th, 9th and 12th. His times continued to improve, getting down to two seconds of the lap record. 

Thanks to Beller and Yvonne for all their help.

Sam is feeling more comfortable on the bike now and is looking to Thruxton in three weeks. 

We would also like to take time to mention the sad loss of Doctor John Hinds, who will be greatly missed for his amazing lifesaving work. 

Silverstone - Kawasaki Junior Cup

Sam give his Kawasaki a blast this weekend at Silverstone.

He had an excellent weekend from the outset.

Sam qualified 6th in the Juniors on saturday. In race one on Saturday Sam finished 10th out of 22 and 5th in the juniors. In race two he got a better start and finished 6th overall and 5th in his class, getting faster laps times each lap. 

On Sunday, in race three Sam got a great start of the line and was able to run with the front group. He finished 5th overall and 4th in his class, taking three seconds of his time from saturdays races. Unfortunatly just as Sam was on the pace, race four was cancelled due to an oil spill. 

Thanks to Beller for the help all weekend, MPH Motorsport Management, Scotts of Hillsborough and everyone else who has supported us!!

Brands Hatch

Sam had a good weekend at Brands Hatch!

Sam finished all three races solidly, reducing his lap time each race. Sam is enjoying the new circuits and is feeling more confident every time he goes out! Roll on the next race!

Thanks to Beller for his help all weekend, Scotts of Hillsborough and Chris downs of MPH Motorsport Management!

Brands Hatch, day one!

Sam has completed his day of practicing and really enjoyed today! He is 13th on the grid, getting under the minute during his qualifying session. 

Thanks to Beller for the help this weekend, Scotts of Hillsborough and of course Chris Downs of MPH Motorsport for making it happen!

Also thanks to Scotts Leathers for his cool new leathers seen below!

ALL SET UP!

All set up for racing at Donington Park! 

The next few days will be an exiting learning curve for Sam and he is throughly looking forward to some competitive racing.

Thanks to Davy Craig for his help this weekend and Chris Downs of MPH Motorsport for this opportunity. 

Here's to a Happy Easter!

Successful test day!

Sam had a very enjoyable first day at Donington. He was recording great times for his first time round the circuit and is very happy after today!

Sam is now looking forward to his first race next weekend.

Thanks to Chris Downs of MPH motorsport and Paul Gartland for all the help!

Donington test day

Sam is currently heading over to Donington Park for a test day tomorrow. Sam will be testing a KTM for MPH motorsport and is thoroughly looking forward to the experience!

Thanks to Paul Gartland for coming over to help Sam tomorrow and Chris Downs of MPH Motorsport for this opportunity.