From a press release issued by Mondello Masters and Cartersport Motorsport Media: A three race Mondello Masters championship is set to boost the Irish domestic motorcycle racing scene with a £25,000 ($48,495) prize fund and a strong promotional package. The series, which will run in conjunction with the Kidare circuit’s three Irish Superbike events, aims to attract the top Irish racers who currently race abroad back to Mondello along with some of their fellow UK competitors. Mondello Park has for many years contributed to the prize fund for the Birrane Cup, run for national riders at clubman events, but for 2008 this competition will be dropped and the prize money absorbed into the much larger fund available for the Mondello Masters. All three events on the schedule have been arranged so as not to clash with British Superbike Championship races and thereby facilitate the growing number of Irish riders competing in that series and its support races. The opening event takes place on April 12th & 13th with a top prize of £3,000 on offer to the winner, £1,250 to the runner-up and £750 to the final podium place. The second event runs on May 10th & 11th, one week before the North West 200, and it is hoped that this along with a doubling of the prize fund to £6,000, £2,500 and £1,500 for the event, will entice some UK competitors to stop off on their way North. The final event on October 4th and 5th reverts to the £5,000 prize fund, but with the addition of a further £5,000 on offer to anyone who can win all three rounds of the series or £2,000 for taking two wins. These prize funds are in addition to those available for the Irish Superbike Championship races, from which the winner could also pocket up to £1,000 per event. The Mondello Masters will only be open to Superbike and Supersport competitors, with the top twenty four riders on each day being invited to compete. The schedule for all three events will be organised so that the master?s race is the final race of the day for these riders, making it easier for them to fit it in with their ISB championship commitments. Mondello Park Managing Director John Morris was delighted to be able to announce the new series saying; “The ISB Championship has certainly struggled in recent years with many Irish competitors going straight to the UK or choosing to race on the roads. This triangular championship offers these competitors a real opportunity to pocket serious prize money from only three visits to Mondello. A quality entry should provide a great show and hopefully this will return significant spectator numbers at these events.” This new initiative has come about due to the co-operation of the MCUI Short Circuit committee and the organising clubs who will run the events. The three race meetings will be promoted by Mondello and if the inaugural series is a success the levels of investment and promotion may be expanded in future years. For more information please contact Fergus Brennan at Mondello Park Circuit on P +353-45-878120 – M +353-87-2931596 – E [email protected] mailto:[email protected].