Armoy Road Races: Michael Dunlop shatters qualifying record for Superbike pole on Hawk Racing Honda

The 34-year-old threw the gauntlet down to his rivals with a final lap of 107.368mph to claim pole on the Hawk Racing Honda.

It was Dunlop’s quickest ever time around the three-mile course as the Ballymoney man recorded the fastest ever qualifying lap at the Irish road race.

Derek Sheils also posted his fastest lap at Armoy on the Roadhouse Macau BMW S1000RR at a scorching 106.994mph to slot into second on the front row, only 0.352s down on Dunlop.

Davey Todd, who won the ‘Race of Legends’ Superbike showpiece in Dunlop’s absence in 2022, was third quickest at 106.618mph on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda, seven tenths down on the Ulster rider.

Todd is the outright lap record holder at 108.534mph which he set on his way to victory last summer.

Cork rider Mike Browne was fourth fastest on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW M1000RR (104.88mph) ahead of Phil Crowe (BMW) and Paul Jordan (PreZ Racing Yamaha).

Adam McLean was seventh quickest on the J McC Roofing Racing Yamaha R6 followed by Dean Harrison on the BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha R6, who is back at Armoy for the first time since 2015.

Both Superbike races, including the ‘Race of Legends’, take place on Saturday over seven laps.

Dunlop is gunning for his 10th victory in the blue riband race after claiming the spoils nine times in a row following his maiden success in 2011.

He withdrew from his home race last year after claiming he had been treated unfairly by the organisers, but his return was confirmed on Thursday.

Dunlop also clinched pole for the Supersport class earlier on his MD Racing Yamaha.