The roads of Fermanagh will echo to the sound of racing bikes for the first time in 66 years when the Fermanagh 100 Road Races return to the county in June.
The Enniskillen and District Motorcycle Club is set to host two days of racing on Friday 29th June and Saturday, June 30 on a three mile circuit based in the shadow of Cuilcagh Mountain. 
Organisers have promised that the course will feature a ‘little bit of everything’ ranging from wide fast straights with sweeping corners to blind jumps along narrow tree lined routes, only a few miles from the now famous stairway to heaven walk over Marble Arch Geopark and Lough Erne and local marinas.
The race schedule will see a full day of practices on the Friday with roads closing from midday until 9pm. On Saturday there will be an eleven race program with the Richard Britton Memorial Race to be the showcase of the day. Riders from all over Ireland north and south will compete at the event alongside competitors from as far afield as Germany and England.
After three years preparing for the event, the official launch was held this week with competitors speaking fondly of the course that awaits them. 
Top Fermanagh road racer Lee Johnston was one rider who was supportive of the move to bring road racing back to the county.
“It would be amazing,” said the Maguiresbridge rider. 
“When I was growing up there was only one person in Fermanagh that rode road bikes and that was Richard (Britton). Apart from that there was no-one else to look up to or nowhere to go to. 
“We always had to travel to see any racing, so I really hope it goes well, and if I can do anything to help out then I will try because when people make the effort to do these things they need to be supported or else they won’t be there for long. 
“It needs interest to keep it going and it needs people to go and put their hand in their pocket and support it, even if it is just by buying a programme.”
Lee is currently focussed on the first major road race of the year, the North West 200, which starts next week. After several seasons plagued by injury Lee feels in good physical condition as he prepares to tackle the North Coast circuit. 
“I’ve never felt better,” he revealed. “I feel absolutely mega for the first time in about two years. I don’t even have a little niggle.”
Lee has sent the summer months testing his new bikes, and he is hopeful that hard work will translate in success on the North coast. 
“All the testing is done and it has gone OK,” he said. 
“I wouldn’t say it has gone really good or really bad. It has just gone OK. We could have done with a little bit more maybe but I think that every year. When the racing starts its different anyway so we will just have to make the best of what we have and crack on. 
“Both the Padgett’s 600 that I’m on and the Hondas have won a lot of races in the past and if that is anything to go by then it bodes well. 
“As long as I can get the feeling I want at the time I should be there or thereabouts.”
Lee has tasted success at the North West before, but he has targeted the feature Superbike race as the one he really wants to win this time around. 
“Everybody wants to win the superbike race because it is the showpiece. 
“I’ve won 600 races and Superstock races and Supertwin races and I was second in the Superbike last year so I would like to go one better and win it.”