Portadown rider Wayne Hamilton dies at Manx Grand Prix
Last updated on .From the section Motorsport
A Northern Ireland motorcyclist has been killed in an accident at the Manx Grand Prix festival on the Isle of Man.
Wayne Hamilton, 20, from Portadown, died after a crash in the Junior Manx Grand Prix race on Monday.
Hamilton was involved in an incident at the 13th milestone section of the course on the approach to Kirk Michael.
His death follows that of County Tyrone motorcyclist, Adrian McFarland, who was killed in a crash in the Czech Republic on Saturday.
Mr McFarland, 41, from Plumbridge near Omagh, died after he crashed during a race near the town of Hradec Kralove.
Mr Hamilton, who won the Newcomers A Race at the Manx Grand Prix on Saturday, made his road racing debut at the Bush Road Races in 2009, where he won the Junior Support race, setting a lap record.
He also won at Mid-Antrim, Armoy and Skerries in his debut season and finished first in the Dundrod 150 Supertwin event earlier this month, beating establsihed rider Ryan Farquhar in a race which was red-flagged.
Bill Bennett, Chairman of the Manx Motor Cycle Club, paid tribute to Mr Hamilton.
"Wayne was a very promising competitor who had already achieved notable success in his road racing career," he said.
"He had already set the meeting alight with his excellent performance in Saturday's Newcomers Race and I have no doubt that he would have won many races on the Isle of Man.
"He is a great loss to the sport and I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his friends and family."
Mr Hamilton was single and his next of kin have been informed.
Farquhar won the 350cc Classic race at the Manx Grand Prix on Monday morning while Roslea rider Andrew Brady made it a Northern Ireland double by winning the Junior Manx Grand Prix in the afternoon, with Dromore's Stephen McKnight third.
