Motorbikes

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Northern Ireland heroes and motorsport icons were some of those to pay tribute to six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea, who announced he will retire at the end of the season.

Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez: "Congrats LEGEND. Amazing career, true inspiration".

Two-time World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu: "I will never forget the days we spent at the WSBK paddock and the times you helped me. It was a pleasure to compete and battle with you. Legend. Thanks for everything."

Former Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis: "Congratulations on an incredible career."

Ducati's two-time MotoGP champion Pecco Bagnaia: "Sad day, but you're a true inspiration for all the riders around the world. Thank you and congrats for your amazing career."

Four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty: "Congrats on an amazing career."

Former Northern Ireland and Leeds United player Stuart Dallas: "A career so many can only dream of. Congratulations JR and best wishes for retirement."

Olympic pommel horse champion Rhys McClenaghan: "Thank you for the inspiration. Forever a legend."

Alex Lowes, Rea's former Kawasaki team-mate: "Quite simply the best of my era. Proud to have shared the garage with you mate. The benchmark of WSBK. Above all tat a top bloke and Dad. Nothing more to say, thank you JR."

Northern Ireland rider and former racer Michael Laverty: "What an incredible career. A legacy that will take some beating. The World SBK G.O.A.T - enjoy your retirement."

Former Ireland and Ulster rugby player Tommy Bowe: "Congratulations mate! What an innings! Best of luck with the next chapter."

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Andrew Irwin finished second in the final British Superbike race to complete a podium treble at Cadwell Park.

The Honda rider had secured his first podium of the season in Sunday's opening race.

Northern Ireland rider Irwin then finished third in the first race on Monday, and recorded his best finish of the season when he came home in second.

Honda's Tommy Bridewell and Yamaha rider Kyle Ryde won Monday's two races.

Bridewell won his first race of the season as he capitalised on championship contender Bradley Ray crashing out of the lead.

Ryde passed Irwin at the hairpin on the final lap to steal second place.

In the final race of the day, reigning champion Ryde took the championship lead off Ray by winning ahead of Irwin and Bridewell.

Glenn Irwin, Andrew's older brother, was 13th in both races as he continued his recovery from a pelvic injury sustained in June.

Scott Swann was 17th and 15th in the two races.

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Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea's retirement statement in full:

"I've been thinking about this day for a long time and finally, I've decided to step away from full-time racing and retire.

"This sport has been everything to me. From growing up as a child in Northern Ireland, dreaming of racing bikes, to standing on the top step of the WorldSBK Championship, winning races and Championships.

"Throughout my career, I've only ever had one goal: to win. That mentality defined who I was. I never raced to make up the numbers. I raced to be the best. The time has come to listen to my body, my mind and, most importantly, my instinct.

"If I can't race to win, then it's time to step away. I have the same love for the sport I had on day one right now in this present day. I'm incredibly proud of what I've achieved during my lengthy career.

"Six World Championships, more than 100 race wins, and so many other accolades along the way. These are some records that I never imaged could be possible.

"It's not the records, the trophies or the race wins. It's the people and the memories I take with me forever. I've had the honour of working with some incredible teams, sponsors and engineers during my career.

"You've all been part of this journey and I'm incredibly grateful that you let me live my dream. To my family, mum and dad, brother and sisters, thank you so much for all your sacrifice during the early days of my career.

"To my wife, Tarsh, and our kids, Jake and Tyler, thank you so much for being my anchor and my rock during all the good and tougher times.

"To all my rivals and competitors during my career, thanks for making my dig deep. I was such a better rider because of you guys.

"To all my fans, thank you for all your incredible support and loyalty; all the support during good times and bad times have really helped me through and given me the career I've dreamed of.

"Whilst I'm stepping away from full-time racing, this isn't goodbye. I'll always be part of this sport, just in a different way. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. It's been one hell of a ride. I'll see you in the paddock."

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Andrew Irwin secured his first podium finish of the season in the British Superbike Championship opener at Cadwell Park.

Honda rider Irwin was third as championship leader Bradley Ray won by 0.087 seconds ahead of reigning champion Kyle Ryde.

Northern Ireland's Irwin came out on top of a podium battle with Christian Iddon and Charlie Nesbitt to take his best finish of the year.

Irwin's brother, Glenn, finished in 10th position to secure his best finish since recovering from a pelvic injury sustained in June, and his first top-10 since switching Ducati machinery for Yamaha.

Scott Swann was 15th in the Cadwell Park opener while Richard Kerr crossed the line in 17th place.

There are two more British Superbike races at Cadwell Park on Monday.

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Glenn Irwin finished 15th and 17th in two races with his new team OMG Racing Yamaha at Thruxton in the British Superbike Championship on Sunday.

Irwin registered a 16th-place finish on Saturday in his first race back from injury and with his new team after leaving PBM Ducati.

The 35-year-old then claimed 15th in the sprint race and 17th in the final race of the weekend at the Hampshire circuit.

Yamaha's Danny Kent topped the podium after victories in race two and three of the weekend.

Those results resulted in Northern Ireland rider Irwin dropping three places to 14th in the BSB standings, 16 points off joint leaders Bradley Ray and Irwin's new team-mate Kyle Ryde.

He will next be in action at Cadwell Park on 23-25 August.

Image source, Pacemaker

Glenn Irwin completed his first race back from injury with new team OMG Racing Yamaha at Thruxton in the British Superbike Championship on Saturday.

The Northern Ireland rider made a shock exit from PBM Ducati on Thursday "as a result of a point of conflict" when declared fit to race this weekend, having initially targeted a return at Cadwell Park at the end of August.

Irwin suffered injuries following a crash during practice at Snetterton in June, leaving him with fractures to his hip socket and pelvis which required surgery on his sacrum (pelvic region).

The 35-year-old was cleared to race following practice on Friday and in Saturday's Race One, finished 16th on his new bike with new team-mate Kyle Ryde securing victory.

Ryde's victory saw him narrow the gap on BSB leader Bradley Ray who finished eighth to just 24 points.

The Englishman made his move on Max Cook in the final few laps having saved his tyres, which allowed him to cross the line with plenty to spare. Ray was unable to recover from a slow start in which he dropped back in the opening laps.

Sunday's races at Thruxton are due to take place at 13:15 and 16:15.

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Jonathan Rea crashed twice in Saturday's opening World Superbike race of the weekend in Hungary as Toprak Razgatlioglu won to increase his advantage at the top of the championship standings.

It was a seventh straight race win for the Turkish rider, who had taken his BMW to successive hat-tricks at the and Misano and Donington rounds to assume the series lead.

The first attempt to run Saturday's race was halted after a crash involving seven riders at the opening chicane, but when the restart got under way it was Razgatlioglu who took control at the head of the field and extended his cushion over the chasing pack.

Andrea Locatelli, Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista were all in the mix for the podium positions behind the two-time champion.

Further down the order, Rea crashed his Pata Yamaha at turn one with six laps of the 20 remaining while sitting in eighth place but re-mounted, falling back into 18th spot.

The six-time champion from Northern Ireland crashed again one lap later however and this time was unable to rejoin the field because of damage to his bike.

Ultimately, Razgatlioglu prevailed by 3.7 seconds to win, with Bulega second, his Duacti team-mate Bautista third, then Locatelli, Danilo Petrucci and Alex Lowes making up the top six.

Razgatlioglu now leads Bulega by nine points at the top of the championship standings, with the Superpole and Race Two still to come at the Balaton Park circuit on Sunday.

While a number of riders involved in the crash in the initial running took part in the restarted race, Honda rider Iker Lecuona and Yamaha-mounted Remy Gardner both received treatment in the medical centre.

Lecuona was later diagnosed with a left wrist fracture while Gardner was transported to hospital with a back contusion and suspected concussion.

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The Armoy road races will be taken "to another level" by coverage on BBC Sport NI, says organising committee member Bill Kennedy.

The races will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and worldwide on the BBC Sport website.

"We are very excited about this. This is a step up for Armoy," said Kennedy, who is also one of the directors of the Armoy Road Racing club.

"People who are not able to attend the race but are interested in it will now be able to tune into BBC Sport NI and watch it live as it happens and feel part of it.

"It's such an opportunity for the club. For the event to be livestreamed, something of that magnitude is something that we never thought would happen when we started the road race in 2009."

Kennedy's late brother Frank was one of the original 'Armoy Armada' who made the area famous with their racing pedigree back in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The meeting has thrived since its introduction to the road racing calendar 16 years ago and Kennedy says this new initiative comes as a major boost.

"It's great for the club, for the riders, for our sponsors, terrific for the event itself. Hopefully it will attract even more international stars to come to Armoy in the future.

"One of the things that livestreaming worldwide does is that people will look not just at the racing, but they'll have heard all the stories about the scenery in this part of the country too and think 'we might go there and make it our holiday and take in the Armoy road racing'."

The former clerk of the course at the County Antrim meeting is happy with the line-up which will take to the grid this year.

"We have a super entry, with Mike Browne and Jamie Coward, Michael Sweeney, Phil Crowe and Sam West and Brian McCormack, Erno Kostamo from Finland, our own Paul Jordan.

"The list goes on, some terrific riders, past winners and newcomers. I think we are in for some great racing in Armoy this weekend."

Image source, BBC Sport

Joey Dunlop's son Gary said his father had an "inner drive" to succeed in whatever he did as he paid tribute to him 25 years on from his father's death.

The "King of the Mountain", died on 2 July 2000 aged 48 while competing in Estonia.

Dunlop was widely considered to be one of the greatest riders in the sport's history. His long list of honours included 26 Isle of Man TT wins, five Formula One World Championships, 24 Ulster Grands Prix victories and 13 North West 200 successes.

He was also honoured with an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 1996 for his humanitarian work with children in Eastern Europe.

"There are times when it feels like it was six weeks ago and others where it feels like a full lifetime ago," Gary told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"He was very odd, I don't mean it in a bad way, he was different to anyone I ever met. He had his own way of doing things and everything was calculated with deep thought.

"He was hard to get to know, most of his rivals probably thought he didn't like them, but that wasn't the case, that was how he went about his life, he did it quietly and thoughtfully."

Whilst Gary said the last 25 years have been "so tough" for him and his family, he takes comfort for the regard in which is father is still held.

"I was only 17 when he passed away, but in a cocky way we thought that wouldn't happen, if you didn't think that wouldn't happen you wouldn't want anyone doing it," he added.

"I think it's the same for the riders, if they thought this was going to happen, they wouldn't jump on a bike.

"I find it astonishing now that people who weren't even born when he was riding are knocking about with his shirts on and they're pretty fanatical. We find it really comforting that he is still regarded in a high way."