- Duke Road Racing Rankings
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With road circuits such as the Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix being dropped from the FIM Moto GP calendar, and with the FIM Formula 1 being dropped in 1988. Geoff Duke and his son Peter (Duke Video and DVD publishers) thought that the road racing scene, at least in the UK and Ireland should be rewarded with a championship.
The Duke Road Race Rankings is rapidly approaching its 10th anniversary, and as last year’s competition demonstrated, the series is going from strength to strength. Dungannon’s Ryan Farquhar enjoyed a stunning season to win the 2009 standings, heading Michael and William Dunlop and fourth place Ian Lougher. It was the fourth time Farquhar had taken the title, making him the most successful rider in Duke Road Race Rankings’ history.
Established in 2002, the Duke Road Race Rankings is the only series which recognises the season-long performances on the roads. It was the idea of Peter Duke, boss of the Isle of Man-based Duke Video and son of World Champion Geoff Duke. He worked with road racing journalist Leslie Moore, author Mac McDiarmid and archivist Phil Edge to develop a scoring system which would recognise the significance of the event as well as the individual performance and, for the first time, allow a year-long assessment of road racing, letting the most consistent racer claim the ‘championship’ title. Since that first year in 2002, won by Ian Lougher, all the big names of road racing have figured, with the likes of Adrian Archibald, Richard Britton, Jason Griffiths, Darran Lindsay and, more recently, Manxman Conor Cummins, battling for honours.
The purpose of the Duke Road Race Rankings is to recognise achievements across the year, to give those riders who commit themselves not just to the ‘major’ meetings, but also to the smaller road races to have their dedication and hard work celebrated. Star names determined to claim the impressive Geoff Duke Trophy will attend lower profile events to earn points, helping to ensure strong grids for meetings which would otherwise be in the shadow of the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. Figuring on the Duke Road Race Rankings’ calendar alongside the International events also gives these events increased prestige. A look through the records reveals that, despite some fascinating battles, the spoils have been split between Ryan Farqhuar and Ian Lougher, apart from 2007. In that amazing year Conor Cummins, from the Isle of Man, took on and beat the best in only his second full season on the roads.
The Duke Road Race Rankings series features around two dozen meetings every year, including many of the long-established Irish and Isle of Man road races, and has remained largely unaltered since 2002 – apart from cancellations and the addition of new meetings, such as the Armoy Road Races last year. The standing of the series continues to grow, with extensive coverage in leading specialist publications, such as Motor Cycle News, Road Racing Ireland and Irish Racer, and the annual presentation being made at star-studded, black tie events. Ryan Farquhar received the trophy for his 2009 victory at the Adelaide Racer Awards in Belfast in January, in front of racing greats including Loris Capirossi, Jonathan Rea, Cal Crutchlow, Eugene Laverty and more.
Contents
2011 season
The Duke Road Race Rankings celebrates its 10th year in 2011 and has gone from strength to strength over the decade. This year’s provisional calendar, which is due to begin with the Ian Watson Spring Cup at Scarborough on April 17, boasts 26 meetings, including the TT, and is planned to run until November 9 and the season-closing Macau Grand Prix, which joined the schedule in 2010 for the first time.
2011 Results after Round 10
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 1406 2 Michael Dunlop 855 3 William Dunlop 782 4 John McGuinness 440 5 Davy Morgan 416 6 John Burrows 402 7 Guy Martin 385 8 Ronan Pentony 343 9 Adrian Archibald 340 10 Cameron Donald 334 2011 Circuits
1 Ian Watson Spring National Road Races - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
2 Cookstown ‘100’ Road Races -
3 Tandragee '100' Road Race -
4 North West ‘200’ Road Races -
5 Pre-TT Classic Road Races - Billown -
6 Isle of Man TT Races -
7 Post TT Races - Billown -
8 Bush Road Races -
9 Skerries '100' Road Races -
10 Barry Sheene Classic Road Races -
11 Walderstown Road Races -
12 Aderdare Park Road Races -
13 Southern ‘100’ Road Races -
14 Kells Road Races -
15 Faugheen '50' Road Races -
16 Cock o'the North - Oliver’s Mount -
17 Armoy Road Races -
18 Mid Antrim ‘150’ Road Races -
19 Dundrod ‘150’ Road Races -
20 Ulster Grand Prix -
21 Manx Grand Prix -
22 Munster '100' Road Races -
23 Athea Road Races -
24 Killalane Road Races -
25 Gold Cup International - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
26 Macau Grand Prix -
2010 season
2010 Results
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 4444 2 William Dunlop 2169 3 Michael Dunlop 1857 4 Ian Hutchinson 1570 5 Keith Amor 1090 6 Ian Lougher 1039 7 Chris Palmer 1017 8 John Burrows 934 9 Guy Martin 703 10 Michael Pearson 677 2010 Circuits
1 Spring National - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
2 Cookstown ‘100’ Road Races -
3 North West ‘200’ Road Races -
4 Pre-TT Classic Road Races - Billown -
5 Isle of Man TT Races -
6 Post TT Races - Billown -
7 Bush Road Races -
8Athea Road Races- CANCELLED !!
9 Skerries Road Races -
10 Barry Sheene Classic Road Races -
11 Cock o'the North - Oliver’s Mount -
12 Walderstown Road Races -
12a Southern ‘100’ Road Races -
14 Jurby ‘South’ Road Races -
15Kells Road Races- CANCELLED due to Weather
16 Faugheen Road Races -
17 Mid Antrim ‘150’ Road Races -
18 Armoy Road Races -
19 Dundrod ‘150’ Road Races -
20 Ulster Grand Prix -
21 Munster 100 Road Races -
22 Manx Grand Prix -
23 Killalane Road Races -
24 Gold Cup International - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
25 Boyne ‘100’ Road Races -
26 Macau Grand Prix -2009 season
2009 Results
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 4860 2 Michael Dunlop 2506 3 William Dunlop 2429 4 Ian Lougher 2109 5 John Burrows 1350 6 Guy Martin 1251 7 Ian Hutchinson 1028 8 Keith Amor 991 9 Michael Pearson 924 10 Conor Cummins 900 2009 Circuits
1 Spring National - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
2 Cookstown ‘100’ Road Races -
3 Tandragee '100' Road Race -
4 North West ‘200’ Road Races -
5 Barry Sheene Classic Road Races - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
6 Pre-TT Classic Road Races - Billown -
7 Isle of Man TT Races -
8 Billtown TT Races -
9 Bush Road Races -
10 Athea Road Races -
11 Skerries Road Races -
12 Cock o'the North - Oliver’s Mount -
12a Walderstown Road Races -
14 Southern ‘100’ Road Races -
15 Jurby ‘South’ Road Races -
16 Kells Road Races -
17 Faugheen Road Races -
18 Mid Antrim ‘150’ Road Races -
19 Armoy Road Races -
20 Dundrod ‘150’ Road Races -
21 Ulster Grand Prix -
22 Manx Grand Prix -
23 Killalane Road Races -
24 Gold Cup International - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
25 Boyne ‘100’ Road Races -2008 season
2008 Results
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 2306 2 Ian Lougher 2058 3 Michael Dunlop 1632 4 William Dunlop 1379 5 Chris Palmer 1037 6 Keith Amor 1034 7 Guy Martin 709 8 John McGuinness 662 9 Damien Howard 563 10 Mick Goodings 547 2008 Circuits
1 Spring National - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
2 Cookstown ‘100’ Road Races -
3 Tandragee ‘100’ Road Races -
4 North West ‘200’ Road Races -
5 Isle of Man TT Races -
6 Steam Packet Races - Billown -
7 Bush Road Races -
8 Athea Road Races(1) -
9 Skerries Road Races -
10 Southern ‘100’ Road Races -
11 Cock o'the North - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
12 Jurby ‘South’ Road Races -
13 Walderstown Road Races -
14 Kells Road Races -
15 Faugheen Road Races -
16 Dundalk Road Races -
17 Dundrod ‘150’ Road Races -
18 Ulster Grand Prix -
19 Manx Grand Prix -
20 Killalane Road Races -
21 Boyne ‘100’ Road Races -
22 Gold Cup International - Oliver’s Mount - Scarborough -
23 Athea Road Races(2) -Previous winners
2007
Pos Name Total 1 Conor Cummins 1936 2 Guy Martin 1798 3 William Dunlop 1517 4 Ian Lougher 1380 5 Chris Palmer 1131 6 John McGuinness 1042 7 Cameron Donald 961 8 Ryan Farquhar 908 9 Darren Burns 852 10 Ivan Lintin 825 2006
Ian Lougher receives his 2006 award
The twenty-five round series, held at all national and international road races in the north and south of Ireland, the Isle of Man and England, was the closest fought to date.
At the conclusion of the series a mere 147 points separated the champion and second place man, Martin Finnegan, who in turn was just nine points ahead of the late Darran Lindsay. Guy Martin joined the fray in 15th position after the North West 200 and only competed in a handful of road races in 2006, but still managed to finish in an impressive fourth place, with Raymond Porter and Cameron Donald, completing the top six.
The famous Dunlop family filled three of the top ten places, Michael in seventh, William in ninth and Robert in tenth position.Pos Name Total 1 Ian Lougher 1719 2 Martin Finnegan 1572 3 Darran Lindsay 1563 4 Guy Martin 1382 5 Raymond Porter 1245 6 Cameron Donald 1090 7 Michael Dunlop 1049 8 John Burrows 956 9 William Dunlop 852 10 Robert Dunlop 830 2005
Pos Name Total 1 Ian Lougher 2699 2 Ryan Farquhar 2229 3 Guy Martin 1798 4 Richard Britton 1400 5 Chris Palmer 1183 6 Martin Finnegan 973 7 Adrian Archibald 873 8 John McGuinness 782 9 Jason Griffiths 739 10 Bruce Anstey 728 2004
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 2031 2 Darran Lindsay 1647 3 Ian Lougher 1597 4 John McGuinness 1051 5 Guy Martin 1016 6 Martin Finnegan 952 7 Bruce Anstey 930 8 Chris Palmer 898 9 Richard Britton 816 10 Adrian Archibald 606 2003
Pos Name Total 1 Ryan Farquhar 1981 2 Ian Lougher 1539 3 Adrian Archibald 807 4 Chris Palmer 791 5 Richard Britton 708 6 Jason Griffiths 669 7 Bruce Anstey 448 8 Martin Finnegan 379 9 John McGuinness 368 10 Robert Dunlop 330 2002
Pos Name Total 1 Ian Lougher 2652 2 Ryan Farquhar 1464 3 Darran Lindsay 1267 4 Richard Britton 1097 5 Adrian Archibald 938 6 Jason Griffiths 893 7 Chris Palmer 892 8 Gary Jess 760 9 David Jefferies 650 10 Robert Dunlop 460 External links
- [1] official website
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