pic : Hammy McClements

The Race of Legends at Armoy was next on the calendar and the team headed north hoping for a dry weekend after the mud and rain at Mid Antrim. At least the organisers had arranged hard standing for us so at least there would be no gutters and cling film.

Practice
Turned out to be a washout for the second weekend running with heavy showers leaving the orgnisers no option other than to declare controlled practice as parts of the circuit were treacherous, with little or no grip. Davy along with Farquhar, Archibald, Burrows and Davidson got three laps before practice started to assess the circuit including the new chicane and all were in agreement that it was too dangerous in the wet and so the correct decision was taken.

It did not stop the drama for the team as the CSC Branson R6 Yamaha radiator started leaking as Davy went down to do the three lap assessment, so there was a quick run up to get the Davy Morgna #71 Road Racing Supporters Club Honda. He also completed his compulsory five laps practice on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki, before the rain got heavier bringing all practice to a complete halt and eight sessions to run on saturday.

Race Day
It looked a bit dodgy overhead on Saturday morning with plenty of cloud, but thankfully the rain never came, the roads dried and Davy put in another excellent performance. With all the practice to run first all the races were cut by two laps. Davy had uneventful practice on the 250cc Honda and 1000cc Suzuki, however there was drama as he went to go out on the 600cc Yamaha as the radiator leaked again and so it was another strip down and repair.

The Supersport Race was first up and we nearly didn't make the start on the CSC Branson R6 Yamaha as the radiator was repaired and everyone had there fingers crossed that it was repaired, thankfully it was and Davy took his place on the grid. At the end of the opening lap he was ninth and a lap later he was eighth and in the wheel tracks of Burrows and Archibald. These three had a great battle for a couple of laps until Davy and Archibald broke clear and battled it out for sixth for the remaining laps with Davy just getting the verdict at the flag and had the race run its full distance it would probably been fifth as they had closed right up on the rider in front.

It was the Open Championship Race next for Davy and his first chance to get a good dry run on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki since the new engine and gearbox had been fitted. The clutch felt different and he struggled to get it off the line and found himself well back on the opening lap. He quickly established himself in a safe seventh and closed rapidly on Perason in sixth. On the penultimate lap Davy was in to sixth at the chicance, but Pearson was back in front at the village, but Davy was not to be denied and drove the GSXR1000 hard up the main road on the final lap to move past again and claim sixth place at the flag.

Davy was next out on the DM#71RRSC 250cc Honda in the Junior Race and it was to be a terrific race for the spectators as Davidson, Davy, W.Dunlop and Burns battled it out over the six laps. It was anyones race right to the flag with the in-form Dunlop eventually taking the win ahead of Burns and Davy who claimed third and the final step of the podium. As a bit of a bonus Davy also set the fastes lap of the race and the Lap Record for a 250cc Machine around the 3 mile circuit.

The final race of the day was the "Race of Legends" Grand Final and this time Davy got away a little bit better on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki and was in fifth place at the end of the opening lap.

pic : Stephen Wilson

pic : Stephen Wilson

Next time around he was back to sixth and had a steady ride to finish sixth for the third time behind Farquhar, Amor, M.Dunlop, Archibald and W.Dunlop. So ending another good day for the Saintfield Lorry Driver with a third, three sixths and a lap record.

Speaking later Davy commented, "It was not a good start to the weekend with rain on friday and the problems with the 600, but it all came good on saturday. I was so pleased to get a finish and good result on the CSC Branson R6 for Steve (Caffyn) more than anything as we have had so much bad luck with it all season. The 250 was a brilliant race to be in and to claim another podium and get the lap record after the seizure last week at Mid-Antrim was a result. I would have liked to be further up on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki, but it feels different off the line and the guys in front of me were riding really hard. I suppose four starts, four finishes all in the top six against a top quality entry has to be good."

"All attention now moves to the Ulster Grand Prix and hopefully things will go well and we will get some good results and lap times after last years disaster. I will definitely be riding the CSC Branson Supersport and Strangford Holiday Park Superbike machine's, the only doubt now is whether we have the finance's to run the 250cc Honda as i would prefer to ride it ahead of Superstock. We will decide wednesday."