Armoy Road Races: Question mark over home hero Michael Dunlop as Paul Jordan eyes more silverware and Richard Cooper gears up for debut
Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan has more silverware in his sights at this weekend’s Bayview Hotel Armoy Road Races after earning the Man of the Meeting award in 2025.
The Jackson Racing rider won both Supertwin races last summer and secured six podiums overall at the Co Antrim meeting.
Jordan later said his victories at Armoy meant as much as his previous wins at the international meetings.
“These wins mean as much to me as my international wins,” said Jordan, who tasted victory at the North West 200 for the first time last year in the Supertwin class.
“Armoy is a real great event and it’s near enough got an international vibe about it with the calibre of riders.
“The course has got a bit of everything and there’s lots of elevations, jumps, fast corners – it’s exciting for everybody, the riders and the spectators.
“It’s a great event and I look forward to it every year.”
Home favourite Michael Dunlop has won the showpiece ‘Race of Legends’ a record 10 times at Armoy, but Dunlop’s last appearance at the event was in 2023.
The record 36-time Isle of Man TT winner has been absent from the grid after a spat with the Armoy Club, but it remains to be seen if he arrives as a late entry.
Davey Todd, a former multiple winner at Armoy, had hoped to be fit enough to compete this weekend but it seems the event has come too soon for the 2024 ‘Race of Legends’ winner.
However, the line-up includes high profile newcomer Richard Cooper, who will ride alongside Mike Browne in the Russell Racing team in the Supersport class.
Cooper is a seven-time North West 200 winner and cannot be discounted on his debut, with the 43-year-old claiming a podium on his NW200 bow in 2019 and winning four Supersport races at Imatra in Finland last year at his first attempt.
Cooper has reunited with Ryan Farquhar for the Supertwin races on the Jack Reid Car Sales KMR Kawasaki, when his opposition includes TT Sportbike podium finishers Jordan (Jackson Racing Aprilia) and Browne, who is riding the Melbray/Laycock Racing Paton.
Republic of Ireland duo Michael Sweeney and Derek McGee are among the expected frontrunners, with McGee returning to Armoy to ride for John Burrows’ team.
Dominic Herbertson is another top contender, while Nathan Harrison will make his Armoy debut and could be a dark horse.
Fellow Isle of Man riders Conor Cummins, Joe Yeardsley and Marcus Simpson add further depth to a quality field while club member Neil Kernohan also shines at his home race.
Roads close on Friday at 10:00 BST for practice. The first Supertwin and Supersport races are scheduled after qualifying, with roads opening by 21:30 BST.
on Saturday, roads close at 0:900 BST for the main race programme, reopening again no later than 19:30 BST.