Tandragee 100: Michael Dunlop battles through to third on corrected time in Supersport opener after starting from 17th place
Michael Dunlop battled his way through to finish on the podium in third in Friday’s opening Supersport race at the Around A Pound Tandragee 100 after starting from 17th position.
The record 33-time Isle of Man TT winner was riding in his first race at the Co Armagh meeting since 2013.
Dunlop had to pull out of the Supersport qualifying session on the Milwaukee Ducati Panigale V2 earlier in the afternoon with an issue.
He later managed to squeeze in a lap on the Italian machine during the Senior Support qualifying session but started from the second group in Friday’s non-championship Supersport race, which was held over four laps.
The 36-year-old set the fastest lap of the race at 107.445mph on his final lap, but had to settle for the final spot on the rostrum on corrected time behind Republic of Ireland riders Mike Browne and runner-up Michael Sweeney.
Dunlop holds the Supersport lap record at Tandragee at 108.367mph which he set on the Street Sweep Yamaha R6.
Browne’s winning margin was half-a-second from Sweeney.
Conor Cummins, riding at Tandragee for the first time since he made his debut at the event in 2007, finished fourth, narrowly holding off Darryl Tweed.
Shaun Anderson took sixth on the Butterfields of Skipton Suzuki.
Friday’s Supersport race was the first race at Tandragee in three years after the event did not run in 2023 or 2024, with crucial resurfacing work required on the course.
The main 10-race programme, including another Supersport race and both Superbike events, takes place on Saturday, with roads closed from 09:30 BST.