Michael Dunlop arrived at Tandragee on Friday afternoon and promptly set the fastest time in the Superbike class after making a late decision to compete at the event.

The 24-year-old told the News Letter during the week that he had planned to skip the Co Armagh meeting.

However, Dunlop made a last-minute U-turn and will compete in the Superbike class at the national roads meeting, where he holds the outright lap record.


“I’d been testing all week on the Honda Legends Fireblade at Castle Combe and we got an earlier boat back home than we expected, so I decided late on Friday that I’d go,” he told the News Letter on Friday night.

“I only got there about 4pm after the roads had closed and pushed the bike up the road. Somebody said I was like ‘Darth Vader’ - I just appeared out of nowhere.

“I went out and did a few laps on the Superbike but I won’t be riding the 600.”

Dunlop – a double winner at the Cookstown 100 in the premier class – took pole position on his MD Racing Fireblade with an average speed of 103.485mph from Dublin’s Derek Sheils on the CD Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R (102.139mph) and Lisburn man Michael Pearson in third (101.967mph).

William Dunlop was 11th fastest overall for the Open race on his 250cc Honda at 96.676mph.

Only the Superbike and Junior Support practice sessions were timed, with the remaining classes completing their mandatory practice laps in controlled conditions due to wet weather and high winds.

Roads close on Saturday at 10am for an eight-race programme.



Kyle White

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