William Dunlop to race at Cookstown 100 after securing deal to ride Yamaha 1000cc bikes

Dunlop will again be on the superstock yamaha bike previously ridden by Dan Kneen

William Dunlop will compete in this weekend's Cookstown 100 after filing a late entry for the event.

Dunlop, 31, will again have use of the Superstock Yamaha bike owned by Tim Martin, after riding the machine at last week's Tandragee 100.

The Ballymoney man will compete in the Supersport races on the Caffrey/IC Racing Yamaha he rode at Tandragee.

Dunlop will ride ex-Mar Train Yamahas in the Superbike and Superstock events for the remainder of the season.

The bikes will be run by William and his mechanic Alister Russell, with sponsorship from Temple Golf Club, which is now owned and managed by Martin and his wife Sonya.

Dunlop had been due to ride for ex-British Superbike outfit Halsall Racing at the international road races but the deal fell through after the team failed to secure the machinery they were seeking.

"Alister and William contacted me out of the blue last Thursday about doing a deal. Our two R1M bikes are currently for sale but we have agreed to let William use them for the year meaning they will be available to purchase again after the Ulster Grand Prix," said Tim Martin.

"I have a lot of time for Alister after his time with us a few years ago and it is no secret that I had tried a few times to get William to ride for Mar-Train racing over the years.

"Sonya and I undertook a new venture in the Temple Golf Club after withdrawing from racing and we have no intention of backtracking on our decision to quit running a team.

"We do want to promote the club though and William competing internationally on our bikes will be an excellent way of doing that. William and Alister will run the bikes themselves and I am confident they will do an excellent job."

Guy Martin is also racing at Cookstown after making his comeback to road racing at Tandragee.

The Lincolnshire rider was unhurt after sliding off on the first lap of the opening superbike race at Tandragee.

He was unable to get any further laps last weekend after the main superbike race was cancelled following bad weather and the serious crash involving Italian rider Dario Cecconi.

Dan Cooper, Derek Sheils, Derek McGee and Paul Jordan will be among the other riders in action at Cookstown.