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After a partial washout Ulster Grand Prix in 2007 and the total washout of the event in 2008, when Northern Ireland woke up to yet more rain on the day of the 2009 Ulster Grand Prix, many were probably thinking here we go again with another washout.

But the rain eventually cleared and the racing got under way almost two hours later than planned, but once it was go, the racing was some of the best that has been seen round the famous Dundrod circuit for many years.

With a few minor incidents and a power failure early on in the race schedule the Dundrod Club soon pulled themselves back on track and with the rain eventually turning to sunshine in the afternoon the action on the track was also hotting up!! The first race of the day, the Lisburn City Council Superstock, was red flagged after less than half race distance when Killyman’s Ryan Farquhar was in a clear lead.

On the restart of the race, which suffered from a slight delay when there was a power failure and the green lights failed to come on, with the start aborted, the power supply was sorted and at the new start Farquhar was not able to make the same lightening start and it was “Bingley Bullet” Ian Hutchinson who stormed into the lead.

At the end of the three lap dash it was Hutchy on board the Padgett’s Honda who took the win ahead of Farquhar on the Harker Kawasaki, only just though, by 0.3 seconds.

Farquhar soon made amends in the next race up, the DCAL Ulster Grand Prix Supersport, he swooped into an early race lead and despite being embroiled in a titanic battle with no less than eight riders being involved for the scrap for the lead, including Scots man Keith Amor riding for Wilson Craig, New Zealander Bruce Anstey on the TAS Suzuki and McAdoo Racing’s Conor Cummins and Hutchy.

With each lap being struck off, at the end of the seventh lap it was a photo finish between Farquhar and Hutchy, but to the delight of the crowd the local man, Farquhar got the call, with William Dunlop taking the CD Racing bike to third place.

Farquhar added to his victory tally in the Maxwell Transport Supertwins race when he once more dominated this class, and remaining unbeaten on the Roads in 2009 on the Supertwin. In the concurrently run Rea Estates 250cc race William Dunlop opened his winning account ahead of brother Michael in a real battle to the last lap when, Michael was held up with backmarkers, which worked in his older brother’s favour, when he got to the chequered linen ahead of Michael, to maintain the Dunlop family winning ways.

In the first Superbike race backed by Stoneyford Concrete, Manx man Conor “2 metre man” Cummins took his first International Road Race victory, taking the win to add to his victory on Thursday when he won the Dundrod 150 Superbike race, much to the delight of the McAdoo Racing squad.

William Dunlop made it a brace of wins in the second of the two Supersport races, backed by Air Lingus, with a number of riders now missing from the grid including John McGuinness, who was a non finisher in the first Supersport race and also in the Superstock race, along with another non finisher in the opening race Davy Morgan, and the luckless Amor who fell during the closing stages in the first Supersport race, it was a slightly smaller group who was battling for the lead, but at the line it was Dunlop who snatched the spoils from Farquhar and Anstey who finally made it onto the podium.

The final race of the day was held in bright sunshine and was the Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club backed Superbike race which saw Farquhar missing out due to the rule which states a rider can only ride in five races in one day in Ireland. Never the less it was one of the best races of the day with Cummins, Gary Johnston, Hutchy and Guy Martin all vying for the win and at passing of the finishing line it was a different one of the quartet that lead.

At the final chequered flag of the day it was Martin who finally got a victory ahead of Johnston with Cummins just squeezing out Hutchy for third place.

So despite all the numerous problems that have been thrown at the Dundrod and District MCC, including the weather over the last few days and trouble with their internet coverage, it was an excellent race day in 2009 and the club will now be able to look forward to 2010 and hoping for another day of good weather and exciting, safe and close racing.