The Isle of Man 37.73 miles Mountain circuit is a cruel mistress as the Cookstown Burrows Engineering Racing team found out over the last fortnight. Despite lengthy and ultra professional preparations, the gremlins conspired against John Burrows' team and unfortunately they failed to register a finish from four TT race starts. However, the team will be able to learn from the somewhat painful experience and can take many positives away from the event. Of course, the highlight of race week for the team was Derek Sheils' personal best lap of 128.78 mph in the Senior race which made him the fastest ever TT rider from the Republic of Ireland, knocking the late Alan Bonner of that particular perch.

The first race for the Cookstown Burrows Engineering team was the six lap Superbike race and after being sixteenth at the end of lap one, Sheils and the GSXR 1000 Suzuki were sidelined on lap two by a failed quick-shifter which kept cutting the ignition out. Three days later and the bad luck continued when a fuel pump failure on the new GSXR 1000 Suzuki knocked Sheils out of a top twenty position in the Superstock race. Later the same day, Shiels was lying a fine ninth and chasing hard after Josh Brookes in the Supertwins race when the Cookstown Burrows Engineering Racing Kawasaki began to encounter intermittent brake fade and with the front brake lever occasionally coming right back to the handlebar, Sheils felt it was unsafe to continue and sensibly retired on lap three of four.

Senior day came around and everyone connected with Cookstown Burrows Engineering Racing had high hopes that the blue ribbon event would bring them a finish that all their hard work merited. Sheils made a great start and the Dubliner and his Suzuki Superbike ended the first of six laps in thirteenth place after a recording a speed of 127.79 mph from a standing start. By the end of lap two Sheils was up to twelfth and despite slowing to enter the pits for refuelling, his lap speed was a personal best of 128.78 mph, the fastest ever recorded by a rider from the Republic of Ireland. However, that was as good as it got. On lap three Sheils was out of the race after being black flagged when a marshal spotted that his rear brake caliper holding bracket had broken.

Team owner John Burrows was a frustrated man as he took the boat back home, saying: "I feel devastated for Derek and for all the team as after massive preparation efforts we didn't get one finish. It really is hard to believe that, because in previous TT campaigns with Derek, Jamie Hamilton and Dan Kneen our finishing record was almost perfect. I felt our machine preparation this year was as good as it could have been but sometimes mechanical problems arise that you just can't legislate for and that was the case in all four races. "Lack of practice didn't help us either, Derek didn't get to complete one flying lap on any of the bikes throughout practice and qualifying week due to various red and yellow flag situations, but I don't want to use that as an excuse as everyone was in the same boat.
"The Senior race was particularly disappointing as I felt Derek was going to join the 130 mph club and take a top ten finish but it was not to be although at least he was able to make a little bit of history by becoming the fastest Republic of Ireland man around the famous Mountain circuit. We will rest now and then regroup for Skerries where I hope we can get back to winning ways and extend our lead in the Irish Superbike points table. "Of course, our bad luck pales into insignificance when you think of the deaths of three riders. Alan Bonner's death hit the Irish contingent particularly hard and our thoughts are with his family, friends and team. Alan was genuinely held in great esteem by everyone who knew him and he's a big loss to local racing."

Race report and images courtesy of Burrows engineering.