Road Racing

He finished runner-up to Dungannon ace Ryan Farquhar in both Superbike races at the opening road race of the Irish season at Cookstown, where he was also third in the Supersport 600 race, behind Farquhar and New Zealander Bruce Anstey.

Richard turned on the style to score a tremendous treble at the Tandragee 100 in May, winning both Superbike races, together with the Supersport 600 class, on DMRR Hondas – a year after he set a new outright lap record of 104.706mph for the technical Tandragee course.

Then he went on to score two podium finishes, amongst four top four finishes, at the International North West 200.
He was runner-up to Bruce Anstey’s TAS Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the premier race of the day, the North West 200 Superbike, astride the DMRR Honda Racing Fireblade CBR1000RR, and finished second to Ryan Farquhar, aboard the DMRR Honda CBR600RR in the second Supersport 600 race.
Additionally, he placed fourth behind Michael Rutter’s factory HM Plane Honda Fireblade, Steve Plater’s Honda Racing UK Fireblade, and Adrian Archibald’s TAS Suzuki GB GSX-R1000R in the first Superbike race, and fourth behind Donegal man Ray Porter and Scotsman Callum Ramsay in the first Supersport 600 race.

The Isle of Man TT failed to reward Richard for his tremendous efforts.
Astride the DMRR Honda FireBlade, he ran second to John McGuinness, on the AIM Yamaha R1, in the Duke Superbike race, for two laps, before he was overtaken by Archibald on lap three and then Richard retired on the fourth lap of the six.

He earned some consolation by finishing fifth in the blue riband Senior TT, but was a good second to McGuinness until the chain jumped off the sprocket as he exited the pits at the completion of his fourth lap refuelling stop and Richard frustratingly slipped to fifth in the six laps race.

Richard was ill fated in his other TT races. He Placed eighth in the Superstock race, but retired with clutch problems while third on the penultimate lap of four in the first Supersport 600 race, and again dropped out of third place in the second Supersport race, this time at half distance.

As the Southern Irish road race season kicked off, post-TT, Richard notched second, third and fourth places at Skerries; second, third and eighth places at Kells; and third fourth and fifth places at Faugheen.

The at the Mid Antrim 150, he racked up an amazing five third places: third in both Superbike races, third in both 250cc races and third in the Supersport 600 race.

Richard’s decision to ride a Yamaha in southern Irish road races, marked his split with DMRR Honda, and he signed for Scotsman Robbie Burns’ Vitrans Honda team, prior to the Ulster Grand Prix.

In the first Superbike race at Dundrod, he took the Vitrans Honda to fourth behind Ian Lougher, Bruce Anstey and Ryan Farquhar, while in the second Superbike race Lougher and rising Lincolnshire star Guy Martin beat him into third.
Richard also posted fifth and ninth in the Supersport 600 races, and seventh in the Superstock race.

A winner to the end, Richard was runner-up to Martin Finnegan in the Grand Final at Killalane road races at Skerries, only seven days before his untimely death, where he won the Supersport 600 race, ahead of his brother-in-law, Barry Maguire, who was also due to compete at Ballybunnion, last weekend.

Richard was one of the great road racers of his time. He had tremendous enthusiasm, profound talent, an exhilarating style, and was always amongst the most cheerful and approachable riders in the paddocks. He was a special rider, and a special man.

Throughout his career, Richard was spurred on by his parents, his wife Maria, and in more recent years by his five-year-old son Loris, named after Loris Capirossi. What a cruel irony, that on the day of Richard’s death, that in faraway Japan, Capirossi should win his first grand prix for two years.

Richard Britton: 1970 – 2005. Gone, but never to be forgotten.

Bruce to stay at TAS Suzuki

London based New Zealander Bruce Anstey has at last signed to ride for TAS Suzuki at next year’s TT Races. He will also contest to International North West ‘200’ and Ulster Grand Prix events.

After some uncertainty, the unassuming Kiwi will join forces with new TAS signing Ryan Farquhar, making the 2006 TAS Suzuki set-up a real force to be reckoned with.

Team Boss Hector Neill, is delighted now his 2006 team is complete and is sending out a warning to other teams at next year’s TT, saying we’re not going to the Island for second places!

Ian Lougher takes Duke Road Race Rankings Title

Northern Ireland based road racer Ian Lougher has won the 2005 Duke Road Race Rankings Championship after a season long duel with 2003 and 2004 title holder Ryan Farquhar.

The Rankings series scheduled over twenty-three road races in Northern and Southern Ireland, Wales, England and the Isle of Man came down to twenty-one after serious incidents at Jurby South in the Isle of Man and Ballybunnion in Eire.

Ian scored his first points at the Spring National meeting at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, claiming second spot in the rankings, slipping to third after the North West ‘200’.


Ian after winning the Supersport Junior TT ‘A’

His TT results placed him in pole position, which he held after the Steam Packet event at Billown.
Dropping to second after Athea and Skerries, the Welshman regained the number one spot at the Cock o’the North meeting and was almost unbeatable at the 50th anniversary Southern ‘100’, he stayed on top until Faugheen, when his Ulster rival Ryan Farquhar took over as leader until the Ulster Grand Prix, where the veteran rider once again showed his mastery and re-took top place in the rankings, a position he retained and finally secured at the International Gold Cup Road Races at Scarborough in mid September.

This is the second time that Ian has secured the prestigious Duke Road Race Rankings Championship, having taken the inaugural title in 2002.

Ian will receive the unique Geoff Duke Trophy at the forthcoming MCN Awards Night at the International Motorcycle Show at the N.E.C. in Birmingham.


The final top thirty positions of the 2005 Duke Road Race Rankings are:
Pos.  Rider  Previous Pos  Moves  Points
1st  Ian Lougher  2  Up 1  2699
2nd  Ryan Farquhar  1  Down 1  2229
3rd  Guy Martin  3  No Change  1798
4th  Richard Britton  4  No Change  1400
5th  Chris Palmer  6  Up 1  1183
6th  Martin Finnegan  5  Down 1  973
7th  Adrian Archibald  7  No Change  873
8th  John McGuinness  10  Up 2  782
9th  Jason Griffiths  9  No Change  739
10th  Bruce Anstey  8  Down 2  728
11th  Darran Lindsay  11  No Change  616
12th  Yarno Holland  12  No Change  604
13th  Davy Morgan  13  No Change   546
14th  William Dunlop  14  No Change  506
15th  Andrew Courtney  15  No Change  505
16th  Barry Maguire  16  No Change  429
17th  Ian Hutchinson  - -  Re Entry  420
18th  Mark Curtin  17  Down 1  417
19th  John Burrows  18  Down 1  397
20th  Mick Goodings  - -  Re Entry  383
21th  Nigel Beattie  - -   - -   365
22th  Darren Burns  - -   - -   350
23th  Barry Davidson  - -   - -   344
24th  Victor Gilmore  - -   - -   307
25th  Peter Wakefield  - -   - -   294
26th  Raymond Porter  - -   - -   285
27th  Cameron Donald  - -   - -   265
28th  Nigel Moore  - -  - -   255
29th  Nigel John  - -   - -   251
30th  John Ella  - -   - -   215

Team DMRR Honda Racing secure Davy Morgan

Team DMRR Honda Racing secure the services of Saintfield rider Davy Morgan for their 2006 campaign

In 2006 Team DMRR Honda Racing will campaign at the three International Road Races, North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Ulster GP and the hugely competitive national championship. They will be aiming to repeat their success of last year – which saw them take a total of nine race wins including a win at all three international events.


Des Moore and Davy Morgan

Davy Morgan will be riding top specification Ten Kate tuned Honda bikes in Superbike, Superstock and Supersport classes. This will be a step up for Davy who has previously battled with lesser machinery. Despite this he has proven himself a winner with many successes to date including the 2004 Senior Manx GP, the 250cc race at the 2005 Northwest 200 and the 2005 250cc Championship.


Davy tries the DMRR Honda for size

Team DMRR Honda Racing are delighted to welcome new sponsors Annandale Design and CarNET car sales alongside continued support from Nice Bike Paintshop, Stapleton Engineering/Truckfit and Gas Fireplaces.

Team Boss Des Moore: “We foresee an exciting year ahead for the team, by giving Davy the support his talent and commitment merits; we look forward to putting him at the top of the podium.
We welcome Davy onboard and wish him success for the 2006 season, astride the fastest and best-prepared bikes in the paddock.”

Davy Morgan “ I’m really looking forward to the start of the new season. I intend to make my presence felt at the front of the races I’m competing in. I would like to thank Team DMRR for this opportunity”