Irish Motocross Championship visits Desertmartin for last Northern Ireland race this yearw

Leading the Premier MX1 Class is popular Dubliner Stuart Edmonds on his CCR Racing Suzuki 30 points clear of Lisburn Five5 Motorsport Watt KTM rider Richard Bird, with 150 points on offer from the last two rounds.

All is not over for Bird, but he will need wins.

Only 16 points adrift of Bird is Portavogies Robert Hamilton on the Risk Racing M&T Yamaha, who is almost certain to be joined in the top four by his team mate Michael Mahon.

The Dubliner will vault the injured Wayne Garrett for fourth, with Ryan Adair from Dromara and a resurgent John Meara newly KTM mounted also aiming for top five positions.

In the MX2 Class, only five points separate perennial rivals Glenoes Glenn McCormick on his Agnew Recovery Watt KTM from Loughbrickland’s Jason Meara on the Motul Oils Watt Kawasaki, this will be the duel of the day, although Dubliner Jordan Keogh has been impressive this year and holds a secure third place only 14 points behind Meara.

Luke Smith from Millisle, Dylan Coffey and Jake Sheridan both from Dublin round out the top six, three from the MRA & three from MCI bodes well for the future of the sport on the island.

Semi Expert MX1 class has produced some superb racing this year with Dromara man, Samuel Donnelly on his Yamaha holds a slender 8 point lead over Bangor’s Craig Darley on his Honda.

Doagh man Paul Atkinson is a distant third on the Ulster Shredders KTM, with Larne’s Chris Lynd on his KTM, Jordan Blakely also KTM mounted from Magheralin and Stephen Mulcahey rounding out the top six.

The Semi Expert MX2 class is led by Crossgar man Mark Patterson on the DP Contracts KTM, the ever smiling Patterson has had some titanic battles this year with teenager James Mackrel on the little Fluid Supplies 125cc KTM, and holds a 33 point lead after Mackrel crashed out at Tinker Hill during the last round.

However, its not over yet with plenty of points still available.

Third is Lurgans Mark Dynes on the TW Dynes Honda, with Newtownabbey’s Darren Grills in hot pursuit on the Husqvarna, followed by Dublin Schoolboy David Galvin on his KTM and Dean Sheridan sixth.

Clubman MX1 has also produced some excellent racing, but the rider showing most consistency and lead in he Championship by a comfortable margin is Bob Smyth from Kircubbin on his Kawasaki.

He is 64 points ahead of Saintfield rider Andrew McKibben on his KTM, chased by Aaron Jordan on his Honda, Stephen Poots on the Suzuki and Conor McCoy on his Yamaha, with Smyth being seen as a hard pack specialist, the sand of Desertmartin may give the others an opportunity to claw back some points.

Clubman MX2 is led by Richard Fanning by 28 points from his MRA rival Moneyreaghs Ryan Calvert on the Calvert Security Products Kawasaki, these two are well clear of third place man Francis Fanning, with young Ross Adair from Dromara and Stephen White from Waringstown in hot pursuit looking for a podium finish.

Racing begins at 11.00am on Saturday, August 2, at the Grand Prix track on the main Draperstown to Desertmartin Road.