Relentless Suzuki’s Ian Lowry thrilled 4000 fans at Bishopscourt in County Down yesterday, winning his first-ever Sunflower Trophy Superbike race — on a day when Moneymore based TAS Racing secured no less than five racing victories.

Lowry had qualified his big Suzuki on pole position for the event, but he still had to deal with team-mates, Michael Laverty and Alastair Seeley, with Portadown’s Marshall Neill spoiling the all Suzuki front row on his Wilson Craig Honda.

One of the pre-event favourites for honours, Buildbase Kawasaki’s John Laverty, made a premature exit from the event during Saturday’s qualifying; a local competitor exiting the pit lane, recklessly moved into Laverty’s racing line, resulting in a nasty high-speed crash. Laverty was lucky to escape with a broken collarbone, but his weekend was instantly over.

After a spell of late summer sun on Saturday during qualifying, competitors were greeted with damp and dreary autumnal conditions on race day Sunday. Unperturbed, 23-year-old Lowry nailed his colours to the mast, with a lights to flag victory in the opening Superbike race, putting aside any rumours that he couldn’t master wet conditions.

Five-time winner of the Sunflower Trophy, Michael Laverty, binned his Relentless Suzuki at half distance leaving the third Relentless Suzuki of Alastair Seeley to cruise home in second place. Seeley used the race to secure the 2009 Irish Superbike title and with it a trip to Australia later this month.

Marshall Neill took his first podium of the day in third, ahead of Dublin’s Jack Kennedy, Englishman Adam Jenkinson and Manxman Conor Cummins who was making a one-off appearance with Mar-Train Racing.

The main event, the Sunflower Trophy kicked off in near perfect conditions later in the day, but while Marshall Neill opted for a dry set-up, the Suzuki boys gambled with intermediate front tyres.

Neill was first into turn one, proceeding to lead the opening lap across the stripe, but once Lowry took command on the second circuit he was never headed, opening up a healthy three-second lead in the process.

After 12 laps around Bishopscourt, the Moira man was not only crowned Sunflower champion 2009, but also confirmed himself as Ireland’s number one Superbike rider.

An emotional Lowry said: “We have had a great year and I’m just glad everything worked well today for me.

“I got a good start, led from the front and watched my boards. There were no major mishaps and we just kept it smooth. I’ve been waiting on this for three years.”

This time it was Seeley’s turn to crash out, with that man Neill again on the podium in second with Jack Kennedy impressive in third. Michael Laverty, unhappy with his tyre choice, cruised home in fourth.

The final Superbike race offered the most action packed nine laps of the day. Michael Laverty led Lowry early on before the newly-crowned Sunflower champ retired after a coming together with Neill on the second lap.

Laverty looked every bit the winner, but he didn’t count on Seeley posting fastest lap after fastest lap to head him across the line for a confidence inspiring victory.

Laverty obviously didn’t see it that way, complaining afterwards to the stewards that his team-mate has passed under a yellow flag on lap seven of nine.

After much deliberation, the protest was rejected.

Seeley took the win from an unhappy Laverty with Neill again on the podium in third.