Motorbikes

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Six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea said it was "an absolute privilege" to be involved in a celebration of the life of motorcycle racing hero Joey Dunlop in Ballymoney, County Antrim, on Saturday.

The 'Joey 25' tribute day was being held a quarter of a century after the revered 26-time Isle of Man TT winner was killed in an accident at a race in Estonia in July 2000.

The event brought together a plethora of famous names from two-wheel motorsport past and present, including Rea, another multiple World Superbike champion in Carl Fogarty, Glenn Irwin, Brian Reid, Phillip McCallen and Ron Haslam.

The special celebration to remember Joey and honour his legacy was hosted by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, in conjunction with the Dunlop family.

"Joey Dunlop was an icon, not just in motorcycle racing but as a sportsman in the country," Rea, 38, told BBC Sport NI.

"I grew up in race paddocks and didn't really understand the magnitude of Joey or the legacy left.

"My father was racing against him but over time I've understood all his accomplishments and more of the human he was, the effect he had on the fans and the people here, understood what a legend he was, someone we can be really proud of."

Thousands of people defied the inclement weather conditions to commemorate the life and achievements of the five-time TT Formula One world champion, who also racked up 24 Ulster Grand Prix victories and 13 North West 200 successes in an illustrious career.

The occasion to mark the landmark anniversary included a closed-roads parade around the town centre with top riders using Joey Dunlop's original machines.

"It's a really good day, not just to honour Joey, but everyone involved in the day has been really pumped to be part of it," added Rea.

"I thought there would be a lot of people here but it has blown me away the crowd that came out."

Image source, Isle of Man TT

Republic of Ireland rider Mike Browne is to ride for KTS Racing in the 1000cc classes at the Isle of Man TT after the team's regular rider Jamie Coward was ruled out of the event through injury.

Coward confirmed earlier this week that he was withdrawing from the TT because of injuries sustained in a crash at the recent North West 200 international road races in Northern Ireland.

Browne will now be on board Honda machinery for the Superbike, Superstock and Senior races.

The Cork rider had been scheduled to ride BMW bikes for the MLav Racing outfit, for whom he competed at the North West.

Browne will retain his Yamaha ride with BPE by Russell Racing for the Supersport races and his KMR Kawasaki machine for the Supertwins outings.

The 34-year-old made his TT debut in 2019 and has achieved two podium finishes to date, along with a personal best lap of 130.872mph.

"Firstly, I would like to wish Jamie a speedy recovery. I am very keen to get going with the KTS Racing team and have high hopes to better the results of last year," said Browne.

Meanwhile, KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart Team Owner, Kevin Watret added: "We are all gutted to have Jamie injured following his off at the North West 200 and wish him a speedy recovery.

"We welcome Mike on board with KTS. Let's see if we can get him some good results."

Image source, Getty Images

British Superbike Championship leader Bradley Ray held off the challenge of Glenn Irwin to complete a treble of wins at Donington.

England's Ray had already won Saturday's 20-lap race and Sunday's sprint before the Yamaha rider led from first lap to last in the weekend's finale.

Rory Skinner, Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam were in early pursuit, but it was Irwin who established himself as Ray's biggest threat from lap 10.

The PBM Ducati rider bridged the gap across the closing laps but could not make the move that would have denied Ray his hat-trick.

After his latest trio of wins, Ray now leads the championship on 86 points, 12 ahead of Irwin with last year's champion, Kyle Ryde, eight further back.

The championship resumes at Snetterton on 20 June.

Image source, Pacemaker

Glenn Irwin finished fourth in Saturday's opening British Superbike race of the weekend at Donington.

The 20-lap event was won by Yamaha rider Brad Ray, with defending champion Kyle Ryde second on a machine provided by the same manufacturer, and Australian two-time BSB champion Josh Brookes third for DAO Racing Honda, their first-ever BSB podium.

For Brookes, it was a first rostrum finish in the championship since 2023.

Ray was the early leader, before Irwin hit the front, but under pressure from his pursuer, the PBM Ducati rider ran too hot into Melbourne Loop on lap 14 and subsequently fell out of the podium positions.

Rory Skinner came home fifth for the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati by TAS Racing team.

Andrew Irwin was eighth for Honda Racing, compatriot Scott Swann 12th and Richard Kerr 16th.

Ray now leads the standings on 50 points, six points ahead of Glenn Irwin, with Leon Haslam a further two points in arrears.

The sprint race and the second feature race will be staged on Sunday.

Meanwhile Ben Currie won the Supersport sprint race, with Donegal's Rhys Irwin third, Dubliner and five-time series champion Jack Kennedy fourth and Eugene McManus fifth. Lee Johnston was 12th.

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland's Jonathan Rea finished 10th in the first World Superbike race of the weekend at the Most circuit in the Czech Republic on Saturday.

The race's winner BMW-mounted Toprak Razgatlioglu, of Turkey, overtook early leader Nicolo Bulega with 19 laps to go and had six seconds to spare over the Italian Ducati rider at the chequered flag, with Danilo Petrucci a further four seconds adrift in third.

Six-time champion Rea crossed the line 22.6 seconds behind Razgatlioglu to achieve his best result of the season to date.

The 38-year-old missed the first three rounds of the series in Australia, Portugal and the Netherlands as he recovered from a serious injury to his left foot sustained in a crash during testing at Phillip Island in February.

Rea finished 19th, 16th and 18th on his return to action at the Cremona round in Italy two weeks ago.

Britain's Alex Lowes was fourth in Saturday's race, with Alvaro Bautista working his way up the field from 16th to take fifth after being involved in a collision with Andrea Locatelli and Michael van der Mark at the opening chicane on lap one.

The incident ruled Locatelli and Van der Mark out of the remainder of the race.

Bulega heads the championship standings on 218 points, with two-time champion Razgatlioglu 29 points in arrears on 189.

The Superpole sprint race and Race Two will take place on Sunday.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

English rider Jamie Coward has returned home following an accident at the NW200 on Saturday.

Coward was taken to hospital in Coleraine after a crash in the opening Supertwins race at Quarry Bend on Saturday.

His wife Sally Coward confirmed on social media that he was returning home to England "battered and bruised with some injuries but still smiling".

"Lots of rest needed but we know Jamie," she continued in a post on X, external.

"Can't thank everyone enough, especially all the medical team and hospital staff, forever grateful."

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Road racer Damian Horan has explained that his condition is improving in hospital after he underwent a fifth operation to treat injuries sustained in a crash at the Cookstown 100 road races in early April.

The Republic of Ireland rider's accident occurred in the Open race and he was airlifted from the Orritor circuit to hospital by air ambulance.

"So over 2 weeks have passed since my big accident in the Open race in Cookstown and I have definitely improved a lot in that time although I am still immobile and confined to bed most of my bruising and swelling has gone," explained Horan on his Facebook page, external.

"Got through surgery no.5 yesterday which was plastic surgery to finalise the skin flap and graft on my right shin and once that has a bit of healing time they can go back in and sort my knee and tib/fib but all heading in the right direction.

"Hip has been pinned and plated , femur has a nail through it as it was snapped so they are sorted."

Athlone man Horan went on to explain the harrowing nature of all he has undergone in recent weeks.

"It been a tough couple of weeks of ops, heavy anaesthetics and pain relief but I have to say that my initial care by the Medical team at the track, the Air Ambulance team and then the Team of surgeons in the Royal Hospital in Belfast has been second to none.

"I was moved to the Ulster Hospital where I have been since last Monday week and I can't thank them enough for everything that they have done for me. They leave no stone unturned when it comes to top class health care".

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Northern Irish rider Gary McCoy remains in the critical care unit in hospital after an incident during the Supersport qualifying session on the first day of practice for the North West 200 on Wednesday.

McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance after both were involved in an incident at Mill Road roundabout six minutes into the Supersport qualifying session.

In an update provided by his wife Leana, she confirmed he is still in the critical care unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where "he is being cared for brilliantly by the team".

McCoy has suffered an extensive list of injuries including: 11 broken ribs, two fractures in his pelvis, a punctured right lung, a broken collar bone, a fractured right wrist, a broken left thumb and a small bleed in the brain.

Leana added: "I wanted to say on behalf of Gary and myself that we are so grateful for all of the kind messages, well wishes and support shown by everyone.

"Gary has a long way to go in terms of recovery but if there is one thing I have always said about my husband is that he is the most stubborn person I know and he's proving that each day."

Image source, BBC Sport

A rider has been airlifted to hospital with "non-life threatening injuries" after an accident in the final Superbike race at the North West 200.

The rider crashed at the Quarry Hill corner on the penultimate lap of the road race in Northern Ireland.

He was treated by medics at the scene before being transferred to hospital by air ambulance.

After a red flag stoppage, Davey Todd was declared the winner of the race ahead of Dean Harrison and Alastair Seeley.

Earlier on Saturday, English rider Jamie Coward was taken to hospital after an accident in the opening Supertwins race at Quarry Bend, and another rider was transferred to hospital after an incident at Church Corner which led to a red flag in the Supersport race.

On the opening day of practice on Wednesday, Northern Ireland's Gary McCoy was transported to hospital by ambulance while Englishman Craig Neve was taken from the circuit by air ambulance after an incident at Mill Road in Supersport qualifying.

Neve remains in ICU in Belfast, but both his and McCoy's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

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Four-time winner North West 200 winner Peter Hickman says he has "probably" competed in his "last-ever" North West 200.

The Lincolnshire rider declined to take his place on the podium after a controversial first Superbike race on Saturday saw Michael Dunlop awarded the win over Hickman's 8TEN Racing team-mate Davey Todd after Dunlop had initially been penalised 10 seconds.

The Northern Ireland rider was one of a bunch of riders contesting the lead on the opening lap when he and Hickman missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane and went straight on.

Hickman pulled off to the left to take his 10-second penalty in the 'stop box' while Dunlop proceeded and was given a 10-second penalty for his alleged infringement and the official timings adjusted accordingly.

Davey Todd, winner of Thursday's Superbike race, had built up a seemingly unassailable 10-second advantage at the front but despite losing significant ground as a result of the first-lap incident Dunlop remarkably battled his way to the front on his BMW and ended up crossing the line first.

Dunlop's 10-second penalty was then rescinded after the race and the Ballymoney man awarded the victory, much to the dismay of Todd and his 8TEN Racing team-mate, third-place finisher Hickman.

"It's been a bit of a sad end, really. There's a lot of stuff going on and a lot of things have happened that shouldn't have happened," Hickman said on BBC Sounds.

"That will probably be my last-ever North West unfortunately. We're not going to be here and be treated the way we've been treated.

"Rules have been bent for certain people and not others. It's not right, it's not fair so that's it I'm afraid."

After the race, Event Director Mervyn Whyte said in an interview with BBC Sport NI: "Results are always provisional. The footage will be looked at afterwards and if there is a change required then a change will be made.

"The stewards are currently reviewing the situation at the current time and if it has to be changed, it has to be changed.

"Bearing in mind they are always provisional results until they're approved by the stewards in the meeting."

Organisers told BBC Sport NI that there were no changes to any results following the meeting of stewards at the conclusion of the event.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

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Davey Todd completed a hat-trick of wins at this year's North West 200 when he took victory in the feature Superbike race which rounded out the action over the Triangle circuit on Saturday.

Having won the opening Superbike outing on Thursday night and Saturday's Superstock race, the Yorkshireman now has nine career wins at the event.

Todd was involved in a thrilling dice for the lead with Dean Harrison when the red flags went out to halt the race following an incident involving a rider who was airlifted to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The leading bunch of riders had finished their fifth lap and Todd was awarded the victory as he enjoyed a 0.4-second advantage over his compatriot when they crossed the line.

Todd's 8TEN Racing team-mate Peter Hickman had got off to a flying start but his hopes expired when he started touring on the approach to University.

Michael Dunlop had ground to make up but moved through the field to sit fourth after lap one, third after his second circuit and then up to second by the end of lap four with the help of the fastest lap of the race of 125.48mph.

The Ballymoney rider's race ended however when he retired his BMW on the run to Mather's Cross.

Alastair Seeley also gave chase to the leaders and took the final podium berth, with Ian Hutchinson fourth, Josh Brookes fifth and John McGuinness sixth.

Michael Dunlop also ended the meeting with a treble of wins, while Richard Cooper won two races and Paul Jordan secured a maiden success.

Superbike race two results

1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

4 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

5 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

6 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

8 Michael Rutter (Eng, BMW)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Richard Cooper edged out Adam McLean on the final lap of four to take victory in Saturday's opening Supertwins race at the North West 200.

It was a fifth Supertwins success at the event for the 42-year-old three-time British champion.

The KMR Kawasaki rider was pushed all the way by Northern Ireland rider McLean, who was just two tenths of a second behind his Nottingham rival on a Flitwick Yamaha at the chequered flag.

Sixty-one-year-old Jeremy McWilliams was third on a JMcC Aprilia to claim his 13th podium finish.

McLean and Cooper were contending for the win again in the second Supertwins outing when the pair collided and crashed out on the exit to the Juniper Hill chicane on lap three.

Their departure left the way clear for Paul Jordan to take the victory by 9.8 seconds ahead of Michael Sweeney and Barry Furber.

The result gave Aprilia their first NW200 Supertwins triumph.

In race one, McLean led the field across the line after lap one after Cooper went onto the grass as he entered the start-finish chicane, before Cooper assumed the lead by the end of the second circuit.

McLean set the fastest lap of the race at 110.927mph to take over at the front next time but Cooper made his move on the dash to Metropole on lap four and held onto his advantage.

Last year's double Supertwin rider Peter Hickman retired at the end of lap two while battling for a rostrum place.

Supertwins race one result

1 Richard Cooper (Eng. Kawasaki)

2 Adam Mclean (NI, Yamaha)

3 Jeremy McWilliams (NI, Aprilia)

4 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

Race two result

1 Paul Jordan (NI, Aprilia)

2 Michael Sweeney (RoI, Aprilia)

3 Barry Furber (Eng, Yamaha)

4 AJ Venter (SA, Kawasaki)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Davey Todd was the winner of a hotly contested Superstock race at the North West 200 on Saturday.

The Yorkshireman crossed the finishing line with just over half a second to spare from Dean Harrison, with Peter Hickman a further two-tenths of a second behind in completing the rostrum spots.

Record wins holder Alastair Seeley was the early pacesetter after lap one, with Todd, Harrison, Michael Dunlop and Hickman in hot pursuit.

Todd hit the front after the next nine miles of the Triangle circuit, with Dunlop's challenge ending when he retired.

A lap of 124.236mph on lap five moved Hickman ahead of Seeley and into contention for the win but Todd retained control and took victory on his 8TEN Racing BMW.

For the English rider, it was his second success of the event and the eighth of his North West career, the 29-year-old having won the Superbike curtain-raiser on Thursday evening.

Todd won both Superstock races last year.

Harrison achieved his runner-up finish on a top-five leaderboard dominated by German manufacturer BMW.

Seeley was fourth and Ian Hutchinson fifth, with Northern Ireland's Paul Jordan sixth.

"The boys have done a fantastic job to put these bikes together. We've had no testing at all," said Todd of his team after the race.

Saturday Superstock result

1 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

5 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

6 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

7 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)

8 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Richard Cooper made it North West 200 win number seven by coming out on top in a thrilling Supersport battle over a shortened distance of four laps on Saturday.

The Nottingham rider also won the Supertwins race earlier in the day.

The initial running of the Supersports was halted when red flags were displayed on lap three of six after incidents at Mill Road and Church Corner.

Both riders involved were subsequently taken to hospital for observation.

When the race re-started after a lengthy delay, over the reduced distance, Honda Racing rider Dean Harrison took charge at the head of affairs, leading after each of the first three circuits.

A thrilling battle ensued as the Yorkshireman came under threat from challengers Cooper, Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd and Peter Hickman.

By the final lap it was left to Cooper, Harrison and Dunlop to dispute the lead, that trio having shaken off their pursuers.

Cooper and Harrison both mounted the grass section at the final chicane as the leading three battled for supremacy, with the 42-year-old three-time British champion somehow staying on board his machine and ultimately prevailing by 0.4 seconds on his BPE by Russell Engineering Yamaha.

For Cooper, it was a second Supersport win of his career at the North West, the Englishman having also taken a win in the middleweight class 12 months ago.

Dunlop completed the rostrum places and set the quickest lap of the race at 118.315mph, just shy of the benchmark he set in winning Thursday's Supersport event.

"I was like, 'that one I'm having," Cooper told BBC Sport NI after the race.

"We came here to win and we did it."

Dunlop hinted in his post-race interview that he believed he had been hard done by the events in the closing stages.

"It was a great race. Everyone was on the same run, it was hard to call that one," he said.

"The two boys knew they weren't making the turn so let the brakes off. The two of them ran on but I made the chicane. They made a clear advantage.

"I ran on earlier [in the Superbike race] but didn't get an advantage from it. I'm not going to cry about it, what do you say about it unless the organisers look at it. It was great racing. It's always going to go to that last chicane."

Saturday Supersport race results

1 Richard Cooper (Eng, Yamaha)

2 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

3 Michael Dunlop (NI, Ducati)

4 Davey Todd (Eng, Honda)

5 Peter Hickman (Eng, Triumph)

6 Alastair Seeley (NI, Kawasaki)

7 Josh Brookes (Aus, Honda)

8 Paul Jordan (NI, Honda)

Image source, BBC Sport

It was a comeback ride for the ages from Michael Dunlop to pick up his third win of the 2025 North West 200 but it wasn't without controversy.

When Peter Hickman and Dunlop missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane on the opening lap, Hickman stopped to take a 10-second penalty while Dunlop didn't.

Ahead of both of them, Davey Todd was storming to what looked like an unassailable lead before a quite remarkable recovery ride from Dunlop saw him take the lead on the final lap and the chequered flag.

The race win was initially given to Todd with Dunlop hit with a 10-second penalty but that was rescinded and the Ballymoney man was awarded the win.

Here's how the riders reacted after the race:

Peter Hickman (third)

"It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again.

"Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

"If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

When the official race result was confirmed, Hickman interrupted Todd's interview to say to him:

"You won that race mate - well done. I'm not going on the podium."

Davey Todd (second)

When told Dunlop had been given the race win:

"Of course he did. It's his back yard isn't it? Fair play to him - he's obviously riding well. I should have won the race anyway. We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike. It started running really slow so I don't know what was wrong with it.

"I've no words. There's a rule and they just change rules to suit whoever. I don't want to say too much more. It's the way it is. We've got to move on and keep racing."

Michael Dunlop (first)

"We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

"The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that.

"It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race. You can't start swerving all over the road.

"I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Michael Dunlop took a controversial win in the first Superbike race of the day at the North West 200 on Saturday to complete a treble at this year's event.

The 36-year-old won the first Superstock and Supersport races on Thursday.

Dunlop was one of a bunch of riders contesting the lead on the opening lap when he and Peter Hickman missed the entry to the Mather's Cross chicane and went straight on.

Hickman pulled off to the left to take his 10-second penalty in the 'stop box' while Dunlop proceeded and was docked 10 seconds on the official timing screens for his alleged infringement during the race.

Davey Todd, winner of Thursday's Superbike race, had built up a seemingly unassailable 10-second advantage at the front but despite losing significant ground as a result of the first-lap incident Dunlop remarkably battled his way to the front on his BMW and ended up crossing the line first.

Dunlop's 10-second penalty was rescinded after the race and the Ballymoney man awarded the victory, much to the dismay of Todd and his 8TEN Racing team-mate, third-place finisher Hickman.

Dunlop's margin of victory was two seconds over Todd, with Hickman a further five seconds in arrears.

The Ballymoney rider set the fastest lap of the race on his fifth circuit, his speed of 125.539mph just one second off Glenn Irwin's one-year-old lap record.

Later in the day Todd won Superstock and Superbike races to take a hat-trick of his own while Richard Cooper secured Supersport and Supertwins victories on Saturday and Paul Jordan a maiden triumph in the Twins.

Speaking after the race, Dunlop told BBC Sport NI: "A good ride there. We were pushed into the chicane, Peter jumped over the grass which was dangerous. We went over the curb. I came back to win.

"The rules say if you cut the chicane you have to put your foot down. For safety reasons I couldn't do that . It was too dangerous. End of story, I didn't gain an advantage, got past everybody and won the race.

"You can't start swerving all over the road. I didn't gain an advantage, people got past me and I made another mistake. I think I deserved the race, I lost a load of time and came back again."

A disconsolate Todd revealed that he had suffered mechanical problems and said: "Fair play to him he is obviously riding well but we should have won the race anyway.

"We were miles in front and we had a technical issue with the bike and it started riding really slow. I don't know what's wrong with it and I wasn't sure if it was going to finish.

"I have no words. There is a rule and they just change the rules to suit whoever it suits."

Hickman declined to take his place on the podium after the race in protest at the outcome.

"It's dead simple, if you run onto a chicane, you have to stop and put your foot down and go again," stated Hickman.

"Michael Dunlop obviously got pulled in by me into Mather's Cross and we both missed the chicane. Michael went straight on, I cut across to the stop box and went like you're meant to.

"If you don't do that, it's a ten second penalty and that's the rules. As far as I'm concerned one of us gets a ten second penalty and the other doesn't, but who knows what's going to happen."

Saturday Superbike race one result

1 Michael Dunlop (NI, BMW)

2 Davey Todd (Eng, BMW)

3 Peter Hickman (Eng, BMW)

4 Alastair Seeley (NI, BMW)

5 Dean Harrison (Eng, Honda)

6 Ian Hutchinson (Eng, BMW)

7 John McGuinness (Eng, Honda)

8 Erno Kostamo (Fin, BMW)