Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Jay McCrum stretched his lead in the Ulster MX1 Premier Motocross Championships after some close racing at round four of the series promoted by the North Armagh Club at the fast Tandragee MX Park.

The Jordanstown rider was in fine form on Saturday, claiming three hole-shots, two wins and a second place to open a 21-point gap over his nearest rival and GoMX 365 Yamaha team-mate Nathan Green.

Lisburn’s Richard Bird won the first race. After passing McCrum early in the race he was never headed as he powered his Yamaha to the chequered flag, with McCrum second and Green third.

McCrum made no mistakes in races two and three, leading from gate to flag from Bird and Green.

“I knew I needed to get in some good results today to extend my lead in the championship as I know the next round is at Seaforde and that’s a track where Nathan is very good,” McCrum said.

"I was fastest in qualifying and made the start in race one, however Richard Bird dived up the inside at turn one and I just couldn’t re-pass him.

“I knew I needed to get the start in race two and stay there as it was horrible behind anyone getting pelted by dust and stones. I led every lap to the flag which gave me confidence going into the last race.

"Again I made the start and held the lead to the finish, with Richard on my rear tyre for the whole 20 minutes. It was good fun and I have extended my lead in the championship.”

Donaghcloney’s Niall Creggan was unbeaten on his way to the Experts MX2 overall while Ben McCambley and Nathan Donnelly shared the semi expert MX1 and MX2 honours respectively.

Nicolas Camilo was a convincing Clubman MX1 winner with Steven McMaster claiming the MX2.

Round three of the Dirt Store MXGB was abandoned after the first block of racing at Blaxhall when three of the four on-site ambulances had to rush to hospital with two injured riders and a spectator.

Ballyclare’s Martin Barr finished fifth in the red-flagged MX1 race.

Barr said: “It was my first outing on the new Apico Honda. It was a long journey for 13 minutes of racing but at least we moved up to third in the championship.”

Jason Meara qualified sixth, however a terrible start in the race saw the local rider nearly last into turn one. He charged through the field up to seventh before the red flag. The result was taken from the previous lap leaving him eighth.

“It was disappointing,” Meara said. “I was riding hard enough to make it into the top five but sometimes and you just have to take what you get.”

In the Youth 250 class Loughbrickland teenager Jack Meara qualified fourth on the Moto-Cycle GasGas and finished third in his race.

“I was only half a second off third in qualifying so I was happy with that and on a rough sand track in 25 degrees heat, it wasn’t easy,” he said.

In the 125 Youth, Omagh’s Lewis Spratt fought his way through to fourth with a pass on Kayden Smith at the final corner on the Todds Leap/McCullagh’s Centra KTM and moves up to fifth in the series.

Jay McCrum extends lead in Ulster MX1 Premier Motocross Championships