Cookstown 100: Michael Dunlop debuts new Hawk Racing Honda ahead of NW200 and Isle of Man TT

The Ballymoney man is racing at the 2.1-mile Orritor course for the first since 2018, when he was a winner in the Supersport class.

Dunlop is also riding his own MD Racing Yamaha R6 in the Supersport race and a McAdoo Racing Kawasaki Supertwin, but all eyes were focused on the Honda Superbike the 34-year-old will ride at next month’s North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.

The 21-time TT winner, who holds the outright lap record at Cookstown set on a Honda in 2013, was 0.8s behind Derek Sheils on the Superbike time sheets.

Southern Irishman Sheils (Roadhouse Macau BMW) last raced at Cookstown in 2020 but wasted no time in putting down a marker, while Michael Sweeney slotted into third on his MJR BMW.

Dunlop, who is using the event principally for time on his new Honda, is riding for Stuart and Steve Hicken’s Hawk Racing outfit again in 2023.

The father and son duo supplied him with a Suzuki GSX-R1000R last season in a last-gasp deal when Dunlop dramatically pulled the plug on his plans to ride a Ducati V4R for Paul Bird.

“He’s (Steve Hicken) been able to pull me out of a hole numerous times and I keep coming back because I know what he’s capable of,” said Dunlop.

“I’m confident in the team so we’ll see what we’re going to make out of this new job. To turn the bike around and start from scratch is pretty demanding on them, but I think they’ve done a good job and I think we will do a good job.”

A highly successful partnership, Dunlop and Hawk Racing have won five TTs together, including Superbike and Senior doubles in 2014 and 2016 on BMW S1000RR machinery, and a Senior victory on the brand-new Suzuki GSX-R L7 model in the 2017 Senior.

He also won two Superbike races on the Hawk BMW at the NW200 in 2014 and 2016.

Practice was held in bright sunshine, but rain in Saturday’s forecast could change the whole complexion of the event.