The Ulster Grand Prix around the 7.5 mile fastest race circuit was next on the calendar and Davy Morgan Racing headed to Dundrod full of apprehension as Davy looked to lay to rest the dissappointments of the previous two years. After Armoy confidence was high and there was hopes of some decent lap times and some finishes. The CSC Branson R6 Yamaha and Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki were ready to go and late decision (for financial reasons) was to be made on whether or not to ride the DM#71RRSC Honda.

Practice
Things started wet on wednesday morning, but fortunately the roads had pretty much dried by practice and Davy was ready to go. First up for Davy was the Dundrod 150 Superbike Session and a lap at over 122mph saw him set the sixteenth fastest time and a fourth row start, which was pretty good showing first time out on the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki. Next up was the UGP 250cc Session and Davy set at lap at 111mph to be fourth fastest and a preliminary front row start. However there was some rain near the end of session to damp parts of the circuit so as he was on slicks he pulled in with still time remaining. Due to the rain which was not enough for wet tyres and as Davy has no front intermediate he decied to sit out the UGP Superbike Qualifying for safety reasons. With the Supersport session cancelled that was it for day one.

Thursday morning and again it was wet in the morning, but cleared as the day went on and despite being cold at least it was dry for practice. First up was the UGP Superbike and Davy needed a time as he had missed the previous session. Things were going well and on his third flying lap Davy set a time of 124.138mph and was confident of going quicker when the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki dropped a valve and that was the end of the session and Davy had to settle for the 22nd quickest time. However the engine was scrap and the spare would have to be installed. This unfortunately meant that he was out of the Dundrod 150 Superbike Race and more importantly loss of more valuable track time.

The Junior 250cc Session was next and on the DM#71RRSC 250cc Honda Davy set the third quickest time at 115.055mph and a pleasing front row start, behind Lougher and W.Dunlop.

Davy's final session was the Supersport Class and on the CSC Branson R6 Yamaha he managed at lap at 121.295mph that was good enough for a fourth row start, but Davy did pull in early on the the session as there were some signs of the problem that was to happen on race day with vibrations through the machine that everyone thought was to do with the tyre so new ones would be fitted for saturday

Race Day
It was a disaster right at the start of the day, when Davy did not even get a lap done in the opening race of the day on the CSC Branson R6 before the crank broke and that was it parked for the day and everyone in the team was keeping their fingers crossed that it was not going to be another 2009 nightmare.

Next up was the Junior 250cc Race and Davy was hoping for a change of luck and a good result from his front row start. It was not to be as Davy did not get off the line well and found himself in seventh and caught up in a battle with three other riders for fourth and by the time he got to the front of the group the first three were gone. He proceeded to have a race long duel with Daley Mathison eventually finishing a disspapointing, but satisfying fifth setting his fastest ever 250cc lap at over 116mph along the way.

Davy then had the two Superbike Races to complete his race programme and all the fingers were crossed that the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki would hold together with the repacement engine. It did and in race one after a slow start Davy worked his way to the front of the B Group and set his fastest ever lap around Dundrod six seconds quicker than his qualifying time at 127.718mph and brought it home a very respectable eleventh.

The second Superbike Race was a little less eventful and Davy did not get any quicker than in race one, but did bring the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki home in a creditable fifteenth place and after the events of thursday was well pleased to get two finishes.

pic : Stephen Wilson

pic : Joe Connolly