HAT TRICK HERO LAVERTY REFLECTS ON SUNFLOWER SUCCESS
21 October 2005 - Stobart Honda

Stobart Honda rider Michael Laverty jetted off for a well deserved holiday in the Mediterranean at the weekend safe in the knowledge that he’d just created history by winning the Sunflower International Trophy for a fourth successive time.

The 24 year old from Toomebridge followed up his success aboard the Paul Bird team’s MonsterMob Ducati last year with another win around the County Down circuit near Downpatrick on Saturday aboard the VK, Vent Axia and The Mob backed Fireblade to add to his previous victories on both the TAS Suzuki and the Miller Honda in recent years.

In front of a 15,000 crowd, Laverty racked up another two race wins in addition to the feature race meaning he became the most successful rider in history at Bishopscourt, beating his legendary fellow countryman Joey Dunlop’s record in the process, and needless to say, he was delighted:

“Everything went to plan and apart from being pipped for pole position, it was a good day. It was what I needed to boost my confidence following my recent run of results after injury and this is how I had hoped to end the season. I had a good battle with Tom Sykes and my team mate Gary Mason but I managed to make it stick and to come away with another hat-trick is great. Now I can enjoy my holiday!” said the young Ulsterman.

Mason, making his debut at the Northern Irish track, backed up his team mate with a second place in one of the outings to add to a pair of third places earlier in the day and he too was happy with his performance:

“That’s my best results on a Superbike and I’m really happy seeing as though Michael and Tom (Sykes) know their way round here. The bike worked well and it’s nice to end the season on such a positive note” said the 26 year old from Lichfield.

Team boss Paul Bird was naturally happy that his riders had come out on top in Ulster’s showpiece short circuit meeting:

“That’s what we all needed and congratulations to Michael on yet another hat trick of wins around here. People underestimated how badly beaten up he was after his Silverstone crash and it has taken time to get his fitness and his confidence back. This is a good step forward for us as we move into our winter development programme and it proves that we have a good package which will only get better now. I’m over the moon and we plan to build on this” said the Penrith businessman who jets off to Macau next month with his team hoping to add to his success at the Guia track in the Far East.

www.honda-racing.co.uk

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