Cookstown 100: Michael Dunlop wins red-flagged Open Superbike race as result declared - Michael Sweeney second from Marcus Simpson
The Open ‘A’ Invitational Superbike race at the Cookstown 100 on Friday evening was red-flagged with Michael Dunlop declared the winner.
Dunlop had pulled a gap of more than nine seconds over Michael Sweeney when the race was stopped on the seventh lap.
The Ballymoney man, who was riding his MD Racing BMW in the race, toured back to the paddock after the stoppage.
It later emerged than Donegal rider Caomhan Canny (Scott Racing Aprilia) was the rider involved in the incident, but fortunately last year’s Senior Manx Grand Prix winner escaped serious injury.
Dunlop is only riding his BMW machine and a Moto3 Honda for Dungannon outfit Burrows Engineering/RK Racing at Cookstown this weekend.
He was close to his outright lap record for the Orritor course in the Open race (1m 22.377s), clocking his best time in 1m 22.784s (91.322mph) in the late evening sun.
A battle was raging behind him involving Sweeney, Marcus Simpson and Darry Tweed for the podium spots prior to the red flag.
Sweeney was confirmed as the runner-up on his MJR BMW, 9.428s behind, with Simpson taking the final rostrum place on his Honda.
Tweed was fourth in the official results on the JLR Racing by Ability Energy Ltd Honda ahead of Paul Jordan, who was riding the Jackson Racing Ducati by Prosper2 Supersport machine.
Ballymena’s Neil Kernohan completed the top six on his Kernohan Racing BMW.
Kevin Keyes (Daracore Racing Honda) and James Chawke (BMW) were the top eight.