Dunlop makes it five wins at Southern 100

Michael Dunlop added two more wins yesterday to make it a five-win unbeaten streak at this year’s Southern 100.

Dunlop was in blistering form all week and kicked off Thursday’s day of racing with a S&S Motors-backed 600 victory in what, for four laps, was a thrilling battle.

Conor Cummins initially led the five-rider scrap but then Jamie Coward took a turn up front with Dunlop, Ian Lougher and Ivan Lintin all in contention.

Cummins fought back, but by the fourth lap, Dunlop – riding his Yamaha R6 – took charge and eked out a gap of 1.2s on lap five, 2.4s on lap six, 2.9 on lap seven and settled to a 1.8s winning margin at the flag.

Dunlop said: “My bike had no speed but I made up the ground in the turns. I was trying hard but I think the motor was starting to seize on the final lap because shoe wouldn’t pull sixth.”

Cummins took second from Coward but an exciting aspect of the race was Dean Harrison’s persistent charge to bridge the gap to the leading group. He came from eighth to sneak fourth from Lougher and Lintin on he final lap.

Dunlop got his fifth and final win of the week with a brilliant ride on the MD Racing/Hunts Honda in the nine-lap Manx Gas Solo Championship race.

Ryan Farquhar got the holeshot but Guy Martin quickly assumed the lead. Dunlop, though, was having none of it and took the lead on the fourth lap and gradually motored clear again from the Tyco TAS Suzuki rider.

Dunlop smashed the outright lap and race records and said: “ That’ll do! I’ve entered five. Won five. I really wanted that one. I won it last year and wanted to retain the title.”

Jamie Hamilton took his first-ever roads win when he controlled the second 650 race on his KMR Kawasaki. Hamilton had to play second fiddle to team owner and mentor Ryan Farquhar in Wednesday’s first Twins race. But this afternoon, Farquhar could only finish third behind Chris Palmer in the Harlequin Oil Tanks 250/650 race.