Cookstown 100: Adam McLean smashes Michael Dunlop's Supersport lap record

The Tobermore man also won the Supertwin race in a repeat of his 2020 victories at the Co Tyrone event, which was the final Irish national road race of the year.

McLean narrowly missed out on a hat-trick after finishing as the runner-up in the Open Superbike race on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR behind Mike Browne, who pipped the Ulster rider to victory on the final lap after they encountered slower riders.

Nonetheless, it was a successful weekend for McLean, who gave the Cookstown-based McAdoo Racing team plenty to cheer at their home road race around the 2.1-mile Orritor course.

“I had a bit of a bee in my bonnet after getting held up in the Superbike race by backmarkers, so I knew had to make a break in the Supersport race because the same thing could happen again,” McLean told the News Letter.

“I tried to get a bit of an advantage built up and it went to plan, and the lap record topped it off.

“It’s my third straight win in the Supersport race at Cookstown and I won the race in 2017, finished second in both races in 2018 and then we’ve managed to win the last three.

“I’m well pleased with that and we got another win in the Supertwin race as well, although it was a long nine laps! I was just riding around and it was a pity Darryl (Tweed) broke down and (Michael) Sweeney was ruled out, but a win’s a win and I’ll take it,” he added.

“There’s always that bit more incentive to do well because it’s my home race and also the home race for the team, so it’s good to get another couple of wins.”

The Supersport race was re-run later in the afternoon after Michael Sweeney had a huge crash at Braeside at the end of the second lap, fortunately escaping injury.

Starting from pole, McLean set a blistering early pace and established a new lap record of 89.529mph, putting some daylight between himself and Burrows Engineering/RK Racing rider Browne.

The 25-year-old was in a class of his own as he claimed the Supersport spoils for the third year in a row by nine seconds from Cork man Browne, with Paul Jordan finishing third on the PreZ Racing Yamaha, 23.5s behind McLean.

Ballymoney’s Darryl Tweed came home in fourth on Stanley Stewart’s Yamaha R6.

McLean also dominated the Supertwin event, taking another start to finish victory after qualifying on pole.

However, the McAdoo team was denied a one-two finish in the race when Tweed retired from second place with a broken chain.

Banbridge man Stephen McKnight finished as the runner-up, 29 seconds adrift, with Duleek’s Barry Sheehan in third.

Tweed won the Lightweight Supersport race on the 400 M&D Kawasaki by nine seconds from Saintfield man Davy Morgan, who was riding his DM71 250cc Honda.

Saturday’s racing was hampered by a raft of red-flag incidents, including three alone in the Senior Support race. Eventually, the race was called a result after two laps following the second restart, with victory going to Offaly’s Keelim Ryan from impressive Limavady newcomer Jack Oliver. Cork’s Michael Gillan won the Junior Support race.

Ballymena’s Barry Davidson was declared the ‘Man of the Meeting’ with three wins in the Supersport 300, Junior Classic 350 and Classic 500 races.

The feature Cookstown 100 Superbike race was run over four laps after initially being red-flagged due to rain. Most of the leading riders decided to sit out the final race of the day due to the conditions.

England’s Forest Dunn won by half-a-second from Tweed as only seven riders finished.