MOTORSPORT: Local rider on the verge of glory in debut superbike season
Local rider Eunan McGlinchey is on the verge of glory in his debut season in the British Superbike Championships.
The 23-year-old Aghadowey rider leads the Junior Supersport Championship by 43 points ahead of Brian Hart in second place.
The final round will take place over the weekend of October 12-14 at the legendary Brands Hatch circuit.
McGlinchey races for Team #109 and along with team mate Kevin Keyes was on the podium last weekend at Oulton Park.
He topped Friday’s free practice session by over two seconds in the damp conditions, finishing ahead of his title challenger Brian Hart but found qualification tough.
McGlinchey finished in seventh place, putting him in the third row of the grid for the opening race of the weekend.
With a gap of almost four seconds to Hart in the lead, victory was looking like a task too far for the series leader. But as the laps ticked by McGlinchey was eating into the lead before making his move on the penultimate lap and taking the lead.
Holding off Hart’s attempts on the final lap, McGlinchey crossed the line to take an incredible victory and extend his lead in the series by another five points. As a result of taking the win, it gave McGlinchey the opportunity to wrap up the championship in Sundays second race, with another victory proving enough to wrap it up.
Starting from pole position, a three way breakaway group at the front, consisting of McGlinchey, Hart and Elliot Pinson battled it out for the victory throughout.
As they began the last lap of the race it was all still to play for, and as they three entered the final corner McGlinchey went for the lead, and what would have been the title, but a slight mistake exiting the corner saw him slip back to third behind Hart and eventual winner Pinson.
Despite not claiming the championship title on the day, the Aghadowey rider enters the final round of the year at Brands Hatch in pole position to take the crown.
“Coming away it was a good weekend, free practice started off brilliantly, finishing the session at top of the standings,” McGlinchey commented.
“Into qualifying it was a patchy track in terms of the conditions, so I didn’t push too hard knowing I could get off the line and make up the positions.
“In the opening race I had to claw back over three seconds of a gap to be able to challenge for the win, but the bike worked perfect in the tough conditions and I was able to take the win.
“Race two was a tight one between myself, Hart and Pinson, and as it has done many times before it all came down to the last corner on the last lap. I made a mistake coming out and ended up having to take third, but coming away with two podiums I am happy and looking forward to Brands Hatch, I know what I have to do and I am ready to go.”
Pic: James McCann