Walsh overcomes gearbox trouble at Cadwell Park as Kerry riders impress at Mondello

Ardfert road racer Stephen Walsh was back in action in the UK over the weekend, contesting rounds three and four of the British Historic Championship at Cadwell Park.

Walsh secured his first ever front-row start for race one, though technical issues soon hampered his progress. Gearbox problems left him without second gear for both of Saturday’s races, making the tight, technical sections of the Lincolnshire circuit exceptionally challenging.

To compensate for Sunday’s outings, Walsh altered the bike’s setup by fitting his shortest available gearing to run the machine effectively as a three-speed. The tactical change worked, allowing him to break the two-minute barrier with a personal lap time goal of 1:58. He concluded the weekend with a strong fourth-place finish in the 500cc category during the final race.

Walsh plans to strip the engine before the next British championship round at Darley Moor, but his immediate focus turns to preparing his 350cc machine for the upcoming Irish road racing calendar at Kells, Tandragee, and Skerries.

---

Mixed fortunes for Kerry contingent at Mondello Park

Closer to home, several local riders competed in rounds three and four of the Masters Superbike Championship at Mondello Park.

In the Production Twin class, Mike Sheeran and Davy Broderick were among the local entries aboard Suzuki SV650 machinery. Sheeran enjoyed a competitive weekend, fighting his way to a fourth-place finish in his opening encounter before backing it up with a sixth-place finish in his second race. Broderick experienced mixed fortunes on the Kildare track, securing an eighth and a tenth-place finish, alongside one non-start.

In the Supersport 600cc class, Alex O’Grady had a busy weekend aboard his Honda CBR600RR. O’Grady claimed an excellent fourth place overall in one of his outings, paired with a 12th-place finish, but also recorded a non-finish across the weekend’s encounters.

---

---