Lougher makes it 129 wins at Scarborough

Knox-Armour protected Ian Lougher returned to the race track with some intent as he extended his tally of wins at Oliver's Mount to 129, with three more successes in the 60th Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup meeting at the Scarborough circuit.

The Blackhorse Kawasaki team boss was in superb form throughout the weekend, also recording three second place finishes, a third, a fourth and a seventh, completing every race he started in his first outing since the Ulster Grand Prix in August.

His wins came in both 125cc races for the Stu Reed Trophy and in the second heat of the 600cc David Jefferies Cup.

Saturday dawned with blue skies albeit with a typically autumnal chill in the air. With practice and qualifying over, the first of the day's 11 races got underway at the scheduled time of 1.00pm. Races one and two were the opening heats of the Darran Lindsay Trophy for Superbikes, both over four laps. Ian was in the second heat, opting to use his Superstock Ninja ZX-10R for the 'big bike' classes. And at the conclusion of his first outing of the day he finished fourth behind third placed John McGuinness.

Ian was soon out again for the first leg of the 125cc Stu Reed Trophy race. Fans around the circuit were eagerly awaiting the sight of Ian on the Repli-Cast UK Racing 125GP machine of Nigel Percy. Ian last rode the bike in 2009 with a wildcard entry at Silverstone where his technical input was invaluable to the team at that time. At the end of the first lap it was Ryan Farquhar on a KXF450 by half a second from William Dunlop with Ian coming through from fourth to move into third. Farquhar had increased the lead to three-quarters of a second a lap later, as the positions remained the same, with Chris Palmer fourth. But at the halfway stage Ian, who had only just stepped on to the bike for practice earlier in the day, had now moved ominously into second and had reduced the gap dramatically between himself and Farquhar to 0.343 of a second. Lougher took the lead at Drury’s and now led by 0.361 seconds as they went into the penultimate lap. Ian held on brilliantly to take the win at the flag from Farquhar by 0.25 seconds with William Dunlop third.

Ian was then straight into action on the Ninja ZX-10R in the first leg of the Darran Lindsay Trophy races. At the end of the opening lap of eight it was Ryan Farquhar from Guy Martin, John McGuinness, Michael Pearson, and Ian Hutchinson, with Loughercompleting the top six. Michael Dunlop went out on lap three with machine trouble as positions remained the same. Farquhar still led at the three-quarter race mark with Ian Hutchinson now third ahead of Pearson. At the chequered flag Lougher brought the Ninja ZX-10R home in a safe seventh just behind Derek Shiels.

Ian then had time to catch his breath before coming to the line for the second heat of the David Jefferies 600cc Cup over four laps. In this one he had a trouble free run as he coasted to first place, just over five seconds ahead of Michal Dokoupil.

After the heats of the David Jefferies Cup came the first 8-lap leg, the penultimate race of Saturday's programme. Ian Hutchinson was in pole position and held the hole-shot into Mere Hairpin and up Sheene’s Rise. Two miles later it was still Hutchy in the lead by 1.38 seconds from Guy Martin with Ian third, then Dokoupil and Michael Dunlop with Stephen Oates in sixth. Lap two and the lead was up to 2.42 seconds as Hutchinson broke the lap record at 81.96mph with positions the same.
On to the fifth lap of eight and the lead had extended to 4.56 seconds with Michael Dunlop now fourth, Ian meanwhile was safe in third on the ZX-6R and at the chequered flag he maintained his position to finish a fine third and bring his first day's racing to a satisfactory close.

Unfortunately Sunday's weather wasn't so kind with rain persisting on and off for most of the day. Ian's first event of the second day was the second leg of the Darran Lindsay Trophy. In Saturday's first leg Ian finished seventh behind Farquhar, Martin, Hutchinson, Pearson, McGuinness and Shiels, however this time around he addressed the balance on all but Farquhar who again took the win with Ian a fine second, almost 2.5 seconds ahead of Ian Hutchinson. Guy Martin was a retirement on the third lap.

Next up for Ian was a run on the ZX-6R as he took part in the second leg of the David Jefferies Cup. Winner of the first leg was Ian Hutchinson by some 7.7 seconds from Guy Martin. This time though Hutchy was pushed all the way by Lougher who was just over a second behind at the finish. The two were well clear of third place man Guy Martin who was a further 10 seconds back.

As the riders came to the line for the feature Gold Cup race, the programme was running behind schedule due to the weather conditions. Thus the organisers decided to reduce the race by two laps to eight. As in the David Jefferies Cup race a little earlier, it was again Hutchinson who set the pace with Lougher the only one able to forge a challenge. Despite Ian's best efforts, Hutchinson again took the honours with Ian a brilliant second on the Superstock Ninja ZX-10R, the first Kawasaki rider home and with a fastest lap of the race at 77.01mph to reward his efforts. Third was Ryan Farquhar, another twelve seconds in arrears with Michael Dunlop fourth.

Ian was straight back on track again as he jumped from the big bike on to the smaller Repli-Cast UK Racing 125GP machine for the second leg of the Stu Reed Trophy. Having won the previous day's first leg, could Lougher do it again? The result was never in doubt as Ian took victory by 13.5 seconds from the KXF450 of Ryan Farquhar who in turn was well clear of Chris Palmer in third. Again the fastest lap went to Ian at 69.86mph.

So a successful Gold Cup meeting for Ian Lougher for whom the Oliver's Mount success story continues, can he make it 130 wins next year? It would take a brave person to bet against it!

It's a return to the British Superbike Championship scene next weekend for Blackhorse Kawasaki when Victor Cox and David Pearce will once again be in the team colours for the latest round of the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 and Junior 600 Championships at Silverstone.

Photo: courtesy Simon Charity

www.blackhorsekawasaki.com

Lougher re-writes the Ulster GP history book

Handroid-protected Ian Lougher became the second most successful rider in the history of the Ulster Grand Prix when he romped to victory in the 250cc race in Saturday's event. The win takes the popular Welshman to 15 wins, one more than Philip McCallen with only the great Joey Dunlop having secured more victories. Ian also moves into joint second with 18 wins in the all-time list of most victories round the Dundrod circuit, ahead of such notables as Ray McCullough, Brian Reid and Robert Dunlop, with Joey Dunlop topping the list again.

Ian's win on Norman Rank's, Pirate/Berwick Racing 250 was a brilliant display of speed racing, taking the race by the scruff of the neck from the lights he was simply unstoppable as he extended his lead on virtually every lap. An opening lap of 116.87mph gave him a lead of nearly four seconds and by the second lap the lead was up to around five seconds from William Dunlop. A blistering third lap of 120.12mph, just under Darren Lindsay's 2006 lap record, effectively broke any resistance from Dunlop and gave Ian a lead of almost ten seconds at the halfway stage. Ian was able to ease up for the remainder of the race and crossed the line at the finish just over ten seconds in front of Dunlop with Paul Robinson in third.

The Lisburn City Council Superstock Race was the first race on the programme, and from fifth on the second row of the grid Ian was soon in the mix and at the end of the opening lap he was up to fourth behind Amor, Hutchinson and Farquhar. By lap three Amor and Hutchinson had broken clear, with Farquhar on his own in third, and behind them Gary Johnson was fourth with Ian right behind. On the next lap however Lougher and Johnson were very much on the move and were right on Farquhar's case and as they crossed the line together at the end of the lap Ian was back up to to fourth. On the fifth lap the trio were locked together, however Ian overhauled Ryan Farquhar, moving into 3rd place and having eeked out a comfortable margin on the Ninja ZX-10R, a podium looked secure. But an incident further down the order forced the race to be red flagged, bringing the race to a premature conclusion and with the result being taken from the end of the previous lap, the Blackhorse Kawasaki team boss had to concede his 3rd place finish to finish just off the podium in 4th.

Having decided to give the second Supersport race a miss later in the day, Ian and the team pinned their Supersport hopes on the Strong Construction Supersport Race. However there was to be disappointment as Ian came off the ZX-6R at the Hairpin when Manxman Dan Kneen accidently hit the pit lane speed limiter button on his handlebar causing his bike to virtually stop; with Lougher poised for an over taking manouvre, a collision was unavoidable. Luckily Ian was unscathed and the damage to the machine was minimal.

In the Stoneyford Concrete/The Peoples UGP Superbike Race 1 Ian opted to ride the Ninja ZX-10R Superstock bike and from the off a small group made a break for it. Behind them Ian was leading a seven man express train out of Leathemstown Corner. As they completed the first circuit Ian was eighth just over a second behind Gary Johnson. Cameron Donald dropped back on the next lap as Ian battled on with James McBride, Dan Kneen and Michael Pearson for company. McBride got ahead of Lougher on the third lap with Kneen following suit on the next lap but there was nothing between the three and Ian doggedly fought back to overhaul Kneen once again. The battle between the two had allowed McBride to open up a small cushion and at the chequered flag he was able to secure seventh with Ian fending off the challenge of Kneen to finish a battling eighth.

The final race of the day, the second Superbike race, got off to a hectic start with Ian right in the mix as they arrived at Leathemstown. As with the first superbike race a small group was attempting to go clear whilst right behind them was Guy Martin, Lougher and Bruce Anstey. At the conclusion of the lap Martin and Anstey had opened up a small gap on Ian with Gary Johnson joining them. A lap later and Ian was in a relatively safe eighth place but the next lap saw him come under pressure from a three man group which included William Dunlop, James McBride and Michael Pearson. The next two laps to the finish would see Ian draw upon every ounce of his experience and skill to fend off his rivals and secure another eighth place superbike finish on his Superstock bike.


In conclusion, a satisfying Ulster Grand Prix for Ian Loughe, with a lap of 130.2mph on the Superstock Ninja ZX-10R proving what a great effort was made.

Lougher in the thick of the action at Scarborough

Blackhorse Kawasaki team boss Ian Lougher was in the thick of the action at the annual two-day Cock o' the North Road Races at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough. On the first of his two visits planned for the North Yorkshire venue this season, Ian came away with five third place finishes, a fourth and one fifth.

The first two races were six lap heats for the 175cc-1300cc machines, the first nine in each progressing to the two eight-lap legs. It was a Kawasaki one-two-three in the opening heat with Ryan Farquhar first, Michael Pearson, second and Ian a comfortable third.

Ian's second outing of the day was the first leg ofthe 600cc Supersport over eight laps and again the order was the same with Farquhar first followed by Michael Pearson and Ian on the ZX-6R, just 0.28 seconds behind in third.

Ian was straight back out again for race five, the first leg of the combined 125GP and 400cc race, again over eight laps, which he finished in fifth.

There was no rest for Ian as he brought the Blackhorse Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R to the line for the first leg of the National Superbikes. At the end of the first lap, Pearson had a 0.380 of a second lead over Farquhar with Ian third, 2 seconds down on the leader. Lap two and Farquhar was half-a-second in front with Ian still third, Derek Shiels, Dave Hewson and Ivan Lintin completed the top six. At the chequered flag it was Farquhar from Michael Pearson with Ian bringing his first day's action to a close in third.

Blue skies and bright sunshine once again bathed Oliver’s Mount for the second day’s racing. Ian's first race was the second leg of the Superbikes, over eight laps and there was disappointment when he retired at the end of the second lap. Undeterred he returned for Race 12 for 125’s and 400’s and managed a secure fifth.

The second leg of the 600’s was next up, at half distance it was Farquhar, Pearson and Lougher in the top three positions and it remained this way at the finish with Ian again close to a runner-up spot.

And so to Ian's final event of the meeting, the feature ten-lap Cock o’ the North Race. Michael Pearson, last year’s winner got the hole shot from Ryan Farquhar and was in front up Sheene’s Rise. At the end of the first lap Pearson still led the pack by 0.772 of a second with Farquhar second and Ian up to third from the second row of the grid. Positions remained the same on lap two, but on lap three Farquhar took the lead from Michael Pearson, with Ian still riding strongly in third. On the fourth lap it was still Farquhar but behind him Lougher had closed on Pearson with only half a second between the two, a lap later positions were the same with Pearson slightly increasing his advantage over Ian by 0.1 seconds but Ian pulled this back on the following lap. On lap eight Pearson's advantage over Ian was just 7/10th of a second. At the flag it was Farquhar from Pearson with Ian a battling third, just 0.299 seconds down on Pearson.

Ian Lougher uses Knox-Armour.

Photo courtesy of Chris Machin