Storm Stacey says he won’t forget his first experience of racing against Northern Ireland road racing legend Michael Dunlop at the 2026 North West 200.

The Staffordshire rider will return to the event in 2027 when he will compete for Michael Laverty’s GRYD Racing Team on Alpha Racing-prepared BMW machinery alongside 12-time Superbike winner Glenn Irwin.

Stacey won two races as a newcomer this year in a sensational performance that will live long in the memory.

The 23-year-old went head-to-head with Dunlop in a dramatic Superstock race and eye-balled the record 36-time Isle of Man TT winner as they rode side-by-side at almost 200mph on the fast run to Magherabuoy chicane.

placeholder image — Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW) leads Storm Stacey (GRYD Racing/Alpha BMW) in the Superstock race at the 2026 North West 200

Stacey made a decisive move on the brakes into Metropole in Portrush on the GRYD Racing/Alpha BMW and any chance Dunlop had of hitting back along the coast road was thwarted when he lost the rear of his BMW on the exit, allowing Josh Brookes to sweep past into second place.

Stacey set a new Superstock lap record at 124.48mph to secure his maiden NW200 victory, while Dunlop had to settle for the runner-up spot after edging past Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) at Juniper chicane.

“I’d love to have had a camera in my helmet when I looked across at Michael down the back straight into the first chicane,” said Stacey, who flew to Northern Ireland on Wednesday for the announcement of his return to the event in 2027.

“I could just see his eyes looking across at me and then looking back at where he was going, and I was just saying in my head, ‘you’re going to brake, then I’m going to brake’.

“And that’s exactly what happened. To beat Michael Dunlop, I’ve never raced against him, I didn’t know how he raced; what amazed me with Michael is when you race against him on a circuit, you’re not quite in the same league, but then you come [to the North West 200] and I wasn’t really riding much less than I would around a circuit, but he was going just as fast.

“So I couldn’t get my head around that but what an incredible rider and the family as well; what the Dunlop name means is so special and then to come and beat that and be in front of it is only something you can dream about and I guess I’ve not woke up yet.”

Stacey became the first rookie winner of a Superstock race around the 8.9-mile ‘Triangle’ course since Kiwi great Bruce Anstey in 2002, who won the Production 1000 race as a privateer.

He was also the first debutant to win at the event since former 125cc British champion Christian Elkin triumphed in the 250cc race in 2007.

The British Superbike prospect later won the main Superbike race, which was declared a result after a red flag because of oil on the course. Honda’s Dean Harrison was second with Glenn Irwin confirmed in third on the Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati.

The 2027 Briggs Equipment North West 200 takes place from May 10-15.