Today’s feature Dundrod 150 Superbike race was cancelled late on Thursday evening with rapidly fading light giving Clerk of the Course Noel Johnston little option other than bringing the day's racing to an end at 8.15pm.
In what proved to be a long day for all concerned, morning mist had delayed proceedings by over three hours and it wasn't until 8pm when the Superbike race finally got underway with some riders, including Peter Hickman, opting to sit the race out completely.
The action was red hot though when the race started and it was Conor Cummins grabbed the early lead as they headed towards Leathemstown on the opening lap, the Manxman holding onto the number one spot all the way round the lap. It was close though and as they flashed across the line for the first time, he was just 0.5s ahead of Ian Hutchinson with Michael Dunlop, Bruce Anstey and Dean Harrison in hot pursuit, just 1.8s covering the top five.
Dunlop was on the move though and second time around he lapped at 131.881mph to hit the front, his lead over Anstey just 0.6s. Cummins and Hutchinson were now in third and fourth, with still only a second covering the quartet, whilst Harrison and Kneen remained in fifth and sixth, the duo also lapping at more than 130mph. Derek Sheils, Steve Mercer, Jamie Coward and Dominic Herbertson completed the top ten but as the leaders started their third lap, the red flag came out due to an incident involving Stephen McKnight and although he was uninjured, debris on the circuit meant the race had to be stopped.
The riders were brought back to the pits with the aim of re-starting the race over three laps but with dark descending over the Dundrod circuit, it was clear it wasn't safe for the race to go ahead and the announcement came at 8.15pm that racing was over for the day.
As well as the Superbike race, the following Supertwins race was also cancelled but the weather forecast for Saturday is a lot more favourable with seven races on the schedule so everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed for a lot smoother day.
