Michael Dunlop wins Dundrod 150 Superbike race

Michael Dunlop chalked up his first-ever win on the famed 7.4mile Dundrod road course near Belfast when he dominated yesterday afternoon’s Dundrod 150 superbike race.

Dunlop ignored the effects of two slipped discs in his back that made walking agony but seemed to have little effect on him aboard the Hunts Motorcyles/McAdoo Honda.

He had built a 3.37s lead by the fourth lap when the race was brought to a premature halt due to a crash at Rock Bends involving Lee Vernon who was taken to hospital with suspected head injuries.

The race result was declared at three laps, when Dunlop set the fastest race lap of 133.379mph – tantalisingly close to Bruce Anstey’s outright lap record of 133.977mh set in the second Ulster GP Superbike race of 2010.

Dunlop’s official winning margin was 2.39s from Tyco Suzuki’s Guy Martin, with his teammate Conor Cummins another 4.4s adrift.

Gary Johnson was fourth from Padgetts Honda teammate Bruce Anstey, while local star Stephen Thompson completed the top six with his Taylor Lindsay BMW superstocker.

Dundrod rookie Lee Johnston celebrated a double victory, opening his account with the five-lap National Challenge race win (for up to 750cc machines) on a Team Millsport Honda 600. Newcomers Dean Harrison and Russ Mountford finished second and third.

Johnston’s second win came riding the Millsport Ducati Panigale in the National Challenge for 1000cc machines after a close scrap with BMW-mounted Rob Barber, the final winning margin just 2.003s.

Ryan Farquhar predictably won the Supertwins race, by a huge 11.504s from KMR Kawasaki teammate Jamie Hamilton. Adrian Archibald finished third. 

Run concurrently with the Twins, was a Moto3 race for GP125 two-strokes and the sole 250cc four-stroke Moto3 Honda, owned by Bob Wylie and ridden by Maria Costello.

William Dunlop won the race after an early scrap with the highly-promising 19-year-old Sam Wilson. Olie Linsdell was third. Costello finished eighth.