Dundrod winners Dean Harrison and Paul Jordan dismayed by Ulster Grand Prix setback

The historic event was set to take place from August 16-20 after failing to run in 2020 and 2021 due to a combination of financial problems and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, hopes were high that the dark clouds hanging over the Dundrod meeting would dissipate after the event was taken over by the Revival Motorcycle Club, which was led by directors Mervyn Whyte – the ex-NW200 Event Director – and former road racing star Phillip McCallen.

A funding package of £800,000 was sought to resurrect the Ulster GP and help safeguard the future of the North West 200.

However, after tireless efforts and countless hours of work behind the scenes, the funding – which was signed off by the Department of Finance and Department for the Economy – was not approved by Tourism NI.

In a statement issued to the News Letter on Sunday night, the public body said it could not support the level of funding – the biggest investment ever in Irish motorcycling – on ‘financial and legal grounds’. Tourism NI also stated that the amount requested was more than six times greater than the funding provided to the NW200 and Ulster GP in 2019.

It was claimed that the body had instead offered to provide £150,000 towards the running of the two biggest motorcycle road races in Northern Ireland.

As a result of the setback, the Ulster GP has now been cancelled for a third consecutive year, and the very existence of this legendary race meeting – a former round of the Grand Prix World Championship – now hangs in the balance.

Proclaimed by many of the sport’s top names as their favourite race meeting outside of the Isle of Man TT, news of the cancellation on Monday left riders and fans alike bitterly disappointed.

Yorkshireman Dean Harrison, a