The Mid Antrim did not take place in 2014 and 2105 because of financial reasons but returned in 2016 with an early April date.
The meeting was dogged by inclement weather however, leading to a poor attendance at the event, and a further monetary shortfall as a result.
Despite this, the meeting was memorable for a hat-trick of wins for 20-year-old Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, an achievement made more poignant in retrospect by the fact that the Bolton rider was killed in an incident at the North West 200 the following month.
Financial losses forced a decision not to run the race in 2017, and with the race not being scheduled to take place in 2018, 2019 and 2020 either amid ever growing costs, followed by the further difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it looked like the event may have run its course.
However, persistence on the part of the club and the success of their short circuit events, including the Neil and Donny Robinson Memorial meeting, has resulted in the race being resurrected for 2022.
Organisers have signalled that the support of additional sponsors and the continued backing of others has helped put the meeting on a more solid financial footing.
Improvements have been made to the road surface around the track, changes made to the course, a new start-finish area has been introduced and the entry for the 2022 event includes top Republic of Ireland riders Derek Sheils, Michael Sweeney and Mike Browne, plus Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed.
The meeting on 9 and 10 September is set to be the final round of the Ulster and Irish road race championships and a nine-race programme offers a prize fund of almost £14,000.
