NW200: Michael Dunlop wins red-flagged Supersport race for ninth 'Triangle' triumph as Dean Harrison sets new lap record
Michael Dunlop was declared the winner of the red-flagged Supersport race at the North West 200 from Dean Harrison, giving the Northern Ireland rider his ninth victory at his home race.
The race was restarted after Ian Hutchinson crashed on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing Ducati at Mill Road roundabout.
A second red flag incident occurred on the fifth lap, when Dunlop was ahead on his Scars Racing Ducati from Honda rival Harrison.
Australian Josh Brookes, who was confirmed in third on the Carl Cox Motorsport by Uggly&Co Suzuki, said Richard Cooper (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) and Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Ducati by Prosper2) had crashed out at Mill Road roundabout as they battled for third place, causing the second red flag.
Harrison set a new Supersport lap record on the fourth lap at 118.748mph to close the deficit to three tenths of a second, with Dunlop also under his old lap record at 118.683mph.
Alastair Seeley was the early leader from pole on the Binch Pro Racing Ducati by 3b Construction, with Brookes second from Dunlop.
At University, Seeley ran wide and Dunlop took the lead. Jeremy McWilliams (CD Racing/MSS Kawasaki) ran straight on and lost a lot of time.
Seeley passed Dunlop into Magherabuoy chicane and led at Metropole. However, Dunlop returned the favour on the brakes into Juniper and led by 0.328s over the line, with Harrison third ahead of Jordan, Cooper and Brookes.
On the second lap, Cooper went wide at University and took Jordan with him onto the footpath as Dunlop continued to lead from Harrison and Seeley.
At the end of the lap, Dunlop’s advantage was 0.6s over Harrison, with Seeley third and Jordan next from Cooper and Brookes.
Dunlop was still ahead at Metropole on the third lap but Harrison was tucked in behind him. Cooper was now third after passing Seeley, who was under pressure from Jordan and Brookes. At the halfway point of the race, Dunlop’s lead was 0.440s over Harrison.
Jordan was on the move and passed Seeley into the Ballysally roundabout for fourth on the fourth lap. Dunlop and Harrison were pulling away from Cooper in third.
Jordan then moved into the podium places, passing Cooper on the run to Portrush.
Harrison set a new lap record on the fourth lap at 118.748mph and was only 0.292s behind Dunlop when they crossed the line.
However, the red flag went out on the penultimate lap and a result was called.
Seeley took fourth, with Ulster Superbike champion Carl Phillips fifth on the Bell Bikesport/B&W Racing Ducati and New Zealand’s Mitch Rees (Milenco by Padgett’s Honda) in sixth.
Mike Browne (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha) and Dominic Herbertson (KTS Racing Triumph) were the top eight.