Michael Dunlop to ride at Tandragee 100 road races
Michael Dunlop won four races at the 2025 Isle of Man TT
- Published
Isle of Man TT record-breaker Michael Dunlop is to ride at this weekend's Tandragee 100 road races, which is being held for the first time since 2022.
The 33-time TT winner is a late entry for the 61st edition of the event held over a 5.3-mile course in county Armagh and will compete on his MD Racing BMW Superstock and Supersport V2 Ducati machines.
Dunlop will be making his first appearance at the meeting for 12 years, just weeks after completing the fifth four-timer of his TT career.
The 36-year-old was recently awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list in recognition of his achievements.
He claimed a Superbike double when he last competed at Tandragee in 2013, has 11 wins at the meeting and still holds the Supersport lap record.
A statement released by the club said they were "absolutely thrilled to have Michael return to the iconic Tandragee 100 course, one of the few remaining 'old school circuits'."
The Tandragee races are running with with new dates of Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June, the event having previously been traditionally staged in early May.
The race was given the green light to recommence after essential resurfacing work was completed on the course.
Among the other leading entrants are Skerries rider Michael Sweeney, who will campaign an MJR Racing BMW, Yamaha R6 and Aprilia 660.
Manxman Conor Cummins bridges an 18-year gap since his last appearance at the race as he rides for the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team.
The 39-year-old had a best finish of fifth in the second Superstock race at the recent TT races.
Banbridge man Shaun Anderson is also part of the field, along with two more Manx riders in Joe Yeardsley and Marcus Simpson, Neil Kernohan and Ballymoney's Darryl Tweed.
French rider Amalric Blanc is a notable newcomer while veteran Ian Lougher is entered in the Supertwins class. Derek McGee is an absentee through injury.
Roads close on Friday at 11:00 BST, with practice scheduled to start at 11:30 and roads reopen not later than 21:00.
Roads close at 09:30 on Saturday, with the first race at 10:00 and roads opening again at 19:00.
Sprinkling of Dunlop 'stardust' a major boost
Analysis by Richard Petrie, BBC Sport NI:
The news that Michael Dunlop will compete at this weekend's Tandragee 100 will delight his army of fans and not least the race organisers, who can count on many more spectators coming 'through the gate' on the back of the announcement.
Some of those Irish national road races that remain on the calendar have struggled to attract some of the bigger names in the sport in recent years and Dunlop's appearances have been sporadic in nature and often a last-minute affair with the arrival of his machines in the paddock on practice day the first indication that he is going to race.
He has competed at the Cookstown 100 as preparation for the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT in recent years but his relationship with the popular and well-supported Armoy road races has been more complex, long winning streaks being intertwined with non-appearances because of disagreements with the race organisers.
Dunlop's first entry for the Tandragee event for 12 years represents a major coup for the organising North Armagh club and significantly heightens the anticipation for the return of the meeting held on one of the classic road race circuits.