NW200 Superbikes: Dunlop controls race to hold off BSB stars

Michael Dunlop had ended the day at the 2014 Vauxhall North West 200 with a controlling win in the final superbike race of the day, wrestling the lead from BSB stars Josh Brookes and Alastair Seeley to seal the double.

Brookes was able to lead on the Milwaukee Yamaha off the line, and cleared off at the front, but a series of ultra fast laps, culminating in two successive lap records, allowed Dunlop to negate the half second gap and muscle through.

A mistake from Brookes, running across the grass at Mathers Chicane on lap four, helped Dunlop further, but the Australian was able to recover well enough to hold back Seeley for second.

Early leader Michael Rutter was fourth, while Guy Martin had his best result of the day in fifth ahead of Honda Racing rider Conor Cummins.

Dunlop said afterwards: “Full credit to the boys at BMW – they arrived here on Tueaday never having built a bike for the North west before, and it was perfect all week. The fans were incredible as well – I could actually hear them shouting to me on the last lap!”