Retro Rewind: Michael Dunlop's first 'Race of Legends' victory at Armoy Road Races in 2011

The home hero kicked off his record unbeaten run in the race back in 2011 on the Streep Sweep Kawasaki in front of his delighted fans.

Dunlop has won the blue riband race every year since, with the exception of 2018. On that occasion, the meeting was called off after the main Saturday race day was hit by torrential rain.

Ballymoney man Dunlop was not due to compete at the event that year following the tragic death of his older brother William only a few weeks earlier in practice at the Skerries 100 near Dublin.

He made it eight wins in a row last year, maintaining his unbeaten streak on the Tyco BMW despite struggling with a broken pelvis following a crash weeks earlier at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man.

Here, we take a look back at Dunlop’s first triumph at his home race nine years ago on Saturday, July 30, when his win in the big race of the day completed a terrific treble.

At the time, he had a fierce rivalry with Dungannon man Ryan Farquhar, but although Dunlop got the better of the Co Tyrone man in the Open Superbike race, he later paid a respectful tribute to his main adversary.

Dunlop told me: “During the race I was expecting the other lads to be quicker – I’m not being smart or anything I just thought I’d have been pushed a bit harder.

“I thought Ryan would have given me a bigger run, but if people are turning around and thinking Ryan’s finished then they are stupid. Ryan’s not finished and I’m not thinking like that.

“I know myself that he’s not done yet. I’ve a lot of respect for Ryan – he’s a good rider and not only will he be back again, he’ll be back stronger.

“The fact that he was beat at the weekend will only make him come back stronger.”

Farquhar was making his first Irish national appearance in Ulster since he won five races at the Bush meeting in June, although he did compete at Scarborough and the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man in the run up to Armoy.

Dunlop added: “I thought I might have been challenged a bit more, but I rode well on the day, pulled out a gap and did what I wanted to do.

“There were a few weekends there when I was winning the Open race but for whatever reason I wasn’t doing it in the Grand Final. On Saturday I did win both Superbike races and now I’m feeling good and I’ll be ready for the Ulster Grand Prix.”

Dunlop pulverised the lap record in a sizzling opening Superbike race at Armoy, setting a new outright average speed for the three-mile circuit of 105.217mph on his Street Sweep Kawasaki ZX-10.

He was locked in battle with Farquhar and Michael Pearson in the first half of the race before he hit the front and pulled away, eventually winning by 4.7 seconds in arguably the best national road race witnessed that season.

Guy Martin was fourth on the Relentless TAS Suzuki with the first six completed by William Dunlop and Derek Sheils.

Dunlop was also in control of the Supersport race on his Yamaha R6 when the red flags came out following a crash involving Skerries man Michael Sweeney, who escaped serious injury.

The result was taken on positions based at the end of the fourth lap, with Dunlop declared the winner by over six seconds from KMR Kawasaki ace Farquhar and Martin, with the top six completed by Pearson, Derek Sheils and Ben Wylie.

Dunlop also bettered the lap record for the Supersport race with a speed of 101.729mph.

He had an easier path to victory in the ‘Race of Legends’ than he was afforded in the earlier Superbike race, forcing his way through to the front in the initial stages before opening up a comfortable gap to take charge.

He eventually won by 4.9 seconds from Pearson on the D&G Wray BMW Superstock machine with William Dunlop moving into third on Wilson Craig’s Honda.

Adrian Archibald took fourth ahead of newcomer Steve Mercer and Davy Morgan in sixth.

Farquhar, John Burrows and Guy Martin were forced to retire from the race with mechanical issues.

The main event was brought forward by the organisers due to the threat of rain, with the Supertwins race held as the last race on the programme.

Farquhar was unstoppable, winning by over 10 seconds from John Burrows and Wayne Hamilton and setting a new lap record of 94.881mph in the process.

He also tasted victory in the Moto450 race from Seamus Elliott, who was back in action following his crash at the Bush road races.

William Dunlop, who was ruled out of the Supersport race after his Honda developed an engine problem during practice, won the 125cc race by 3.6 seconds from cousin Sam Dunlop and Jeff Shaw, while Davy Morgan took the 250cc honours after Dunlop limped across the line in fifth place with a machine problem.