Jamie Hamilton continued KMR Kawasaki's run of success at the Ulster Grand Prix on Saturday when he took a superb, and hard fought, second place in the Lightweight race, only missing out on victory by 0.048s. The 22-year old was also in excellent form in the Superbike class ending the day with a brilliant fifth place in the second Superbike race of the day, recording a personal best lap of the famous Dundrod course at 130.596mph.
Race day for the Ulster GP races dawned damp but the weather got better as the day wore on whilst the racing throughout was simply superb with the Lightweight race being, arguably, the race of the day. However, it seemed that Jamie's hopes were over when he slid off at Leathemstown on the opening lap but when the race was stopped on the third lap, a complete re-run took place and he was back on the grid albeit on a spare bike he'd never ridden before.
Cut to three laps, the race saw a stunning four-way battle take place between Jamie, Ivan Lintin, Derek McGee and Lee Johnston with places changing all the time as the quartet circulated never more than a couple of inches apart - and, more often than not, closer than that! On the final lap, Jamie was lying in second place on the 650cc ER6 Kawasaki but when he took the lead at Tournagrough, a debut victory was on the cards. However, he ran wide at the following hairpin and try as he might, he was unable to find a way past Lintin and had to settle for second place as they flashed across the finish line, barely a wheel's lenghth behind.
The two Superbike races also saw Jamie riding superbly and after taking a good ninth - only two seconds off sixth - in the feature race, he enjoyed an excellent four way dice with Dean Harrison, Cameron Donald and Lee Johnston in the second race later in the day. Again places changed hands with frequent regularity and although Johnston was able to edge away in the closing stages to take fourth, Jamie got the better of the other two to take fifth with his penultimate lap of 130.596mph seeing him join the select band of riders who have lapped the famous Dundrod course at more than 130mph.
The only disappointment on the day came in the two Supersport races where mechanical problems saw Jamie forced to retire on both occasions.
Speaking later, the Ballyclare rider said; "After the problems with the 600 and then sliding off in the Lightweight race, I was beginning to think it wasn't my day but someone was on my side today and I'm delighted with the podium on the 650 and my performances on the Superbike. The spare 650 was hastily prepared for the re-run Lightweight race and I'd never even sat on it before so to get second was unreal. I thought I may even be able to sneak the win when I grabbed the lead but a wee mistake at the hairpin cost me although I tried all the way until the line. It was so close the whole way through and a brilliant race to be part of."
"I couldn't get the 600 right all week but I was over the moon with my results on the Superbike. To finish fifth and lap at over 130mph is something special and I think I'm proving now I'm not just a Supertwin rider. My recent results at the Irish Nationals on the 600 and now here on the Superbike show that I'm improving all the time and edging ever close to the leading International riders. in all of the classes. The ZX-10R was flying and we got the results we wanted so a big thanks to everyone at KMR Kawasaki for believing in me and continuing to give me such fantastic support."
Jamie now heads to the Isle of Man where he'll contest the inaugural Classic TT whilst KMR Kawasaki will be represented in the Manx Grand Prix races by James Cowton, Connor Behan, Joe Faragher, RJ Woolsey and Ross Richards.
Picture by Stephen Davison - Pacemaker Press International.
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