Latest news with #Dunlop
Belfast Telegraph
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael Dunlop lays down gauntlet by smashing qualifying record on return to Tandragee 100
The Isle of Man TT star is competing at the Co Armagh meeting at the invitation of personal sponsor Gerry Rice of Around A Pound – the title backers of the national road race. Dunlop smashed the qualifying record to put his MD Racing BMW on pole for Saturday's Open Superbike races. He also finished on the podium in third position in the non-championship Supersport race, despite starting from 17th position on the grid after running into a problem with his Ducati in qualifying. On his last appearance at Tandragee in 2013, Dunlop won both Superbike races by 26 seconds on the McAdoo/Hunts Honda Fireblade. Mike Browne from Cork won the four-lap Supersport race by half-a-second from Skerries man Michael Sweeney, with Dunlop 2.7s back in third on corrected time and clear of Conor Cummins (Burrows/RK Racing Ducati) in fourth. The Ballymoney ace set the fastest lap of the race on the Milwaukee Ducati at 107.445mph and will be fired up to reach the top step in today's Supersport encounter. Dunlop is on a high after winning four more races at the Isle of Man TT to extend his record to 33 victories. He broke his uncle Joey's famous 24-year-old record of 26 wins in 2024. Earlier this month it was announced that Dunlop would be made an MBE in recognition of his motorcycling success, following in the footsteps of Joey, who received an MBE in 1986 and an OBE 10 years later. Last year the 36-year-old stated that Irish national road racing 'was finished', but Dunlop said he was happy to lend his support to the Tandragee organisers. 'The TT will thrive regardless, the North West will thrive regardless (of whether national road racing continues) – that might be controversial,' Dunlop said. 'National road racing used to be the platform to go international road racing. 'Realistically, who is now winning international road races who is a national road racer? We're racing against BSB people now. 'That's who is at the front of the North West now, that's who wants to be riding at the front of the TT.' Dunlop, who started the road racing season with a double at the Cookstown 100 in April, said it was 'nice' to add his name to the Tandragee entry list. 'It's harder for the smaller races,' he said. 'But it's hard to say the people aren't supporting (road racing) any more when you see the amount of people at the North West and TT.' The popular road race, organised by the North Armagh Club, is taking place for the first time since 2022. Earlier, Dunlop recorded a new qualifying lap record on his 1000cc BMW Superstock machine with a speed of 107.97mph. His time of 2:58.174 was around 1.3 seconds quicker than Derek Sheils' record from 2018 (107.212mph). Dunlop secured pole for Saturday's Open and Tandragee 100 races by 2.8s from Sweeney (106.308mph) on the Martin Jones Racing BMW. Browne will line up in third on his 600cc Yamaha. The Irish rider was just under half-a-second down on Sweeney, lapping at 105.866mph. Ramsey rider Cummins was fourth quickest on the Burrows/RK Racing BMW (105.035mph). The top six was completed by Shaun Anderson on the Team Classic Suzuki and Manxman Marcus Simpson (WH Racing powered by Dynobike Honda). Fellow Isle of Man rider Joe Yeardsley was next riding an Aprilia for Trevor Scott, with the top eight rounded out by Ulsterman Neil Kernohan on his Kernohan Racing Yamaha R1. Browne topped the Supersport times at 106.148mph from Sweeney (104.516mph) and Darryl Tweed (104.246mph). Anderson was fourth fastest on his Suzuki ahead of Cummins. Sweeney claimed pole in the Supertwin class on his MSR Aprilia with a speed of 102.344mph, almost four seconds clear of Tweed (Novo Gen by FAO Racing Aprilia). Sweeney will be looking for more success in Saturday's Supertwin race after earning his maiden podium in the class at the North West 200 in May, when he finished as the runner-up in the second race behind Paul Jordan. Kernohan had a strong run on his Aprilia to qualify fourth behind Barry Furber on the DC Autos Yamaha. The Supertwin session was restarted following a red flag stoppage, which resulted in a delay to the evening schedule. Ten races are due to be held on Saturday, with roads closed this morning from 9:30am and reopening by 7pm. The first race for Supertwin/Supermono riders is scheduled to commence at 10am.
BBC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dunlop 'as competitive as ever' after successful year
Michael Dunlop says he is as "competitive as ever" after a successful year at the Isle of Man TT and North West ended his eight-year victory drought at the North West 200 when he won the opening Supersport race He then added to that by winning in the Superstock and Superbike classes at the Northern Ireland road race. The 36-year-old then won four races at the Isle of Man TT to extend his own winning record at the event to 33 victories."For the first time in a while I was really competitive at the North West, which was good," Dunlop told BBC Sport NI. "To do a triple there and go to the TT and win another four it's been a great year."The main job for me is the North West and TT, and I think we've done a successful job there and proven we're still one of the top men."Dunlop is racing at the Tandragee 100 national road race in county Armagh this weekend and heads to the national race in confident mood."When you are leaving those events [NW200 and TT] with most wins, I'm into the 30s now with the TT, it's good. "To go into the 30s where nobody is is nice. I would like to keep pushing at it, I feel like I'm as competitive as ever. "You just don't know with this game. At the end of the day, to get where I'm at is pretty cool and if I can add to it, I will. "We had a really good year and I'm faster than I ever was, so there's no reason we can't go back and win more TTs and more North Wests." Last year, Dunlop said national road racing was "finished" and the larger North West 200 and Isle of Man TT events would "thrive regardless". Ahead of his appearance at the Trandragee 100, which came through an invitation from one of his sponsors, Dunlop added that national road racing in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland "are in a bad place" and said it was "nice" to help the race organisers out with his appearance. The top road racers dovetail their Isle of Man and North West 200 commitments by participating in the British Superbike Championship, and do not usually ride at national road races."The North West 200 has thrived this year, the TT has thrived. The events that are doing things right are thriving. "Yes, it's harder for these smaller events. I know why some of them are doing some stuff wrong, but it's hard to say it's fallen when you go to the North West this year."The amount of people was mental. It's the exact same with the TT."It's hard to say people aren't supporting it when you see the likes of those events and they are absolutely booming." Dunlop says he will race at the Southern 100, Classic TT and look at racing at a round or two of the British Superbike asked if he would even race in British Superbikes full-time, he said he would like to but feels he's "too long in the tooth now".It's hard. Did we miss that boat? Without a doubt. But did I ever go looking for it? Probably not, and I probably would have liked to have had a bit of a shot at it. "With time I could fall into it, there's no reason that if we spent a bit of time doing BSB I could put in a half decent charge at it."
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Making Tandragee 100 return after long hiatus brings me back to my roots: Conor Cummins
Dunlop hasn't raced at Tandragee since 2013 when he was a runaway winner in both Superbike races. However, the 33-time TT winner is going back to his Irish road racing roots once more only weeks after making more history on the Isle of Man where he won four more races to underpin his status as the most successful competitor ever around the notorious Mountain Course. It has been a whirlwind June for the Ballymoney man, who was made an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours, following in the footsteps of his uncle Joey who was honoured with an MBE in 1986 before receiving an OBE 10 years later. Dunlop began the road racing season with a double at the Cookstown 100 in Co Tyrone in April where he won the Supersport and Superbike races and set a new absolute lap record around the 2.1-mile Orritor course. He continued in the same vein at the North West 200 in May, clinching a hat-trick with wins in the Superbike, Supersport and Superstock classes for his first victories on the north coast in eight years. It was the ideal preparation for the TT where Dunlop increased his record from 29 wins to 33 after another four-timer. He will be gunning for more success at Tandragee before returning to the Isle of Man in a few weeks to compete at the Southern 100. Dunlop is a heavy favourite at Tandragee in the Supersport and Open races. However, Ramsey man Cummins will be eager to put on a show for Ulster team Burrows Engineering/RK Racing. Cummins will ride a BMW M1000RR and a Ducati Panigale V2 Supersport machine. The 39-year-old has only raced at the event once before when he made his debut back in 2007. After parting company from the Padgetts Honda team in 2024, Cummins took the chance to race at Armoy on an FHO BMW. It was his first time at the Co Antrim race since 2013, but he enjoyed being back on the Irish roads and is now looking forward to another between-the-hedges fix at Tandragee. 'Whenever I did Armoy last year, I hadn't been to a national road race in donkeys, so whenever my circumstances changed, I said, 'Right, I need to go racing',' said Cummins. 'Thankfully, Bill (Kennedy) and all the club were fantastic to me, so I went and did it and I thought, 'I quite fancy doing more of this'. 'Over the winter, you get to hear of Tandragee and these other races being on, so it's back to the roots. 'It's nice from a sentimental angle to see Irish road races coming back and I've only been to Tandragee once before. 'Going back is quite a cool thing, and since there's been a total shift in my circumstances, I'm really thinking differently about other races and they're on my radar again after the TT.' Cummins' best result at the TT in June was fifth in the second Superstock race, with his 131.5mph lap the fastest ever by a rider for John Burrows' team. While Dunlop and Cummins are the two biggest names at Tandragee, southern Irishman Michael Sweeney could be the man to get closest to Dunlop. The multiple national road racing champion will be out to make his presence felt on his MJR BMW and Yamaha R6 machines and will line-up as the favourite in the Supertwin class after his maiden podium at the North West 200 on his Aprilia in May. Shaun Anderson from Banbridge is another leading light as he returns to his home road race. Roads will be closed on Friday from 11am-7pm for practice. Two races are planned, with a non-Championship Supersport and Senior Support race scheduled after practice. Roads close on Saturday at the earlier time of 9.30am for a 10-race programme and will open again by 7pm.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael Dunlop to make Tandragee 100 return after more than a decade away
Dunlop hasn't raced at the event since 2013, when he won both Superbike races on a Honda Fireblade. The Ballymoney rider is on the crest of a wave after winning four more races at the TT to increase his tally to an unprecedented 33 victories around the Mountain Course earlier this month. Dunlop has also been honoured with an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours for services to motorcycling. He is entered in the Supersport and Superbike classes at Tandragee, which is being held for the first time since 2022. Confirming the news on Monday, a statement from the organisers said: 'Earlier this year, our overall sponsor, owner of Around A Pound, Gerry Rice — who has also been a personal sponsor of Michael's for many years, had agreed to negotiate with Michael once the TT was over. 'True to their word, both men met and agreed that Michael will compete on his Supersport Ducati and Superstock MD Racing machines at this year's Around A Pound Tandragee 100 event on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28, 2025. 'The club are absolutely thrilled to have Michael return to the iconic Tandragee 100 course, one of the few remaining 'old school' circuits — especially after his record-breaking performance at the 2025 Isle of Man TT.' The need for crucial resurfacing work around the spectacular 5.3-mile course prevented the race from going ahead in 2023 and 2024 but those have now been completed and the 2025 edition of the race is all systems go. It may be over a decade since Dunlop last raced at Tandragee but there is no shadow of a doubt that he will take all the beating this weekend. His chief rivals for success when the action gets under way include the likes of Skerries man Michael Sweeney and Conor Cummins from the Isle of Man, who is spearheading the charge for silverware for John Burrows' team. Shaun Anderson, meanwhile, has also entered at his home road race where his machines include the Wiz Norton, which he will be jumping aboard in the Classic Superbike race. Practice and qualifying for the Tandragee 100 takes place on Friday (roads will be closed 11.00am to 9.00pm) with racing on Saturday, when roads will be closed from 9.30am until no later than 7.00pm.
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Calgary Herald
In Calgary courts: Crown's case against suspect in 'savage' killing of sex-trade worker isn't sufficient, lawyer says
Police worked 'backwards' in looking for evidence to show previously convicted killer Christopher Ward Dunlop was responsible for the 'savage' killing of a sex-trade worker, his lawyer argued Monday. Article content Defence counsel Allan Fay said detailed video the Crown says tracks both the movements of murder victim Judy Maerz and his client the morning she was repeatedly stabbed in the Deerfoot Athletic Park don't paint that picture. Article content Article content Article content 'There is not a single shred of video presented for which this court can be satisfied, beyond a reasonable doubt, that that video places Judy Maerz in the company of Chris Dunlop,' Fay told Justice Colin Feasby. Article content Article content It's the theory of prosecutors Greg Piper and Hyatt Mograbee that Dunlop picked up Maerz on the Forest Lawn 'stroll' in the early morning hours of Feb. 16, 2023, and drove her to the park adjacent to the busy Deerfoot Trail, arriving at 3:03 a.m. Article content Video from a security camera at a home on the opposite side of the freeway captured headlights entering the park at that time and leaving nine minutes later. Article content Fay conceded Maerz was the victim of murder, as opposed to manslaughter, but there was insufficient evidence to place his client 'in that nine-minute window at Deerfoot Athletic Park.' Article content Article content Calgary police civilian employee Mark Ruggieri was able to put together a PowerPoint presentation that showed an orange pickup truck attending the parking lot of the Peter Lougheed Centre, where Dunlop's wife worked, and its driver leaving in her SUV. Article content That same vehicle returned and the driver switched vehicles a second time, leaving in the pickup. Article content At the time Dunlop was driving an orange Dodge Ram. Article content Dunlop was handed the equivalent of a 13-year prison term after pleading guilty in 2015 to manslaughter and causing an indignity to a corpse, in connection with the Aug. 25, 2009, killing of Laura Ferlan, whose body he dumped in Fish Creek Park.
