Jason ​Meara ends podium wait across Scotland challenge

The Moto-Cycle GasGas rider was fourth fastest despite only managing one decent qualifying lap.

“I had never raced there before so with only 15 minutes to learn the place it was tricky,” he said. “In the first race I spun up off the start and was dead last. When I was coming through I fell off and had to fight back to fifth place by the flag.”

Race two saw Meara nearly snatching second on the line. In his final race he was lying fourth on the opening lap and went to make the pass for third, before his third tumble of the meeting and eventually third overall.

Meara then returned home for round two of the MRA Ulster Championship as he extended his lead in the series with three wins across the Expert MX1 class at Seaforde.

In Scotland, Northern Ireland’s John Meara, Richard McKeown and Jordan McCaw closed out the podium in the two-stroke open. Riders from Northern Ireland – Jamie Mottram, Charlie McCann and Rory Cultra - completed the rostrum in adult ‘C’.

Glenoe’s Glen McCormick went 4-2-3 on the Chambers KTM for third overall in the MX2 class while Ballyclare’s Charley Irwin finished second overall in the ‘rookies’ on the first day then claimed another second next in ‘B’ class behind Londonderry’s Joshua McCorkell.

Cole McCullough was on EMX 125 duty in Agueda, for the Portuguese round of the championship.

Quickest in free practice and third in timed qualifying, the Castlederg teenager came from 20th in race one into seventh before a heavy fall on his left shoulder meant a trip to the medical centre.

Declared fit for race two and he was up to second before a crash dropped him to ninth. He fought back to fifth but another crash in tricky track conditions saw him finish ninth.

At Tinkerhill, Moira’s Ross Dillon made his own piece of history by claiming his first Premier Quad victory.

“I made a good start but Mark (McLernon) got out in the lead at the start...I stayed behind him and tried to keep a gap,” said the teenager who went on to finish joint first overall with McLernon, who won the final two races. “When Mark’s chain snapped I was leading and just tried to manage the lead, then at the last corner my bike ran out of fuel. I just pulled in the clutch and cruised to the flag.”

McLernon was unstoppable in two and three – through from fourth to lead over Sean Goss and finish clear of Banbridge’s David Cowan then complete a tussle with the latter home by 14 seconds.

“A good run-out,” said the Hillsborough rider. “When the chain broke in race one it did some damage to the gearbox, I couldn’t select first in race two and was left on the line in neutral.”

In the opening round in Portugal, McLernon was eighth and sixth.

Matthew Gilchrist won the Semi-Expert quad class while Thomas McNulty claimed the Clubman overall.

Jenson Gilchrist, John Joe Malone and Mathew Wilson were the winners of Y1, Y2 and Y3.

Gary Moulds and Paul Horton won all three Sidecar races.