- 2 days ago
Highlights of the 2026 Cookstown 100 from 24th-25th April 2026.
Moto3 & Supersport 300 - 05:34
Supersport - 09:52
Supertwin - 16:55
Open Class - 22:03
Barry Davidson Segment - 28:10
Senior Support / Lightweight Supersport / Lightweight Classics - 28:50 / Senior Classics
Cookstown 100 - 30:20
Moto3 & Supersport 300 - 05:34
Supersport - 09:52
Supertwin - 16:55
Open Class - 22:03
Barry Davidson Segment - 28:10
Senior Support / Lightweight Supersport / Lightweight Classics - 28:50 / Senior Classics
Cookstown 100 - 30:20
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:08Transcription by CastingWords
00:57The sun is shining.
00:59The roads are closed, the crowds are here and the riders are ready.
01:04It's time for another breathtaking season of Irish motorcycle road racing.
01:14What a start from Davy Todd.
01:17Oh, hang on, Dunlop has gone down there.
01:19And Hickman.
01:20And it was Hickman as well.
01:21Oh, and that was running it a bit tight.
01:24It's going to be Davy Todd on a brand new team, a brand new motorbike.
01:28He takes his first ever Superbike win.
01:33Supersport, what a great class this is.
01:35Still around.
01:35Sorry, Blader.
01:36Touch, is he going to get it stopped?
01:38They touch, they touch.
01:39Remarkable.
01:39If he gets that stopped, well, that was a minor miracle.
01:42Mickey D comes to play.
01:43That Ducati's got punch.
01:44Wow, look at that shot.
01:46Where else do you get that?
01:47Oh, there's five of them in it now.
01:49Cheers all round.
01:50He's just a man, isn't he?
01:51Michael Dunlop does it again.
01:53And it is a wonderful day out for everybody here on the North Coast.
01:58Wow.
01:59Well, if 2026 is as good as last year, we're set for some special road racing action.
02:05Welcome to County Tyrone for the Bear Competition's Cookstown 100.
02:11This is a fabulous meeting.
02:14It's Ireland's oldest and longest running road race.
02:18A cherished event which has been going for over 100 years.
02:22Now, as well as the Cookstown 100, we'll be bringing you lots of road racing action throughout the season,
02:28including extensive coverage of the North West 200.
02:32With all the practice and racing live from the North Coast on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
02:39We'll also be bringing you highlights of the Tandrgy 100 in June and the Armoy Race of Legends in July.
02:46But it all starts here today in Cookstown.
02:49And headlining is the biggest name in the sport.
02:57Michael Dunlop is the fans' favourite.
02:59A double winner at Cookstown in 2025.
03:02A year when he extended his Isle of Man TT record to 33 wins.
03:08It's great he's starting his season here.
03:11At the start of the road racing season, do you get a buzz of expectation every year?
03:16Here's everything, you know what I mean?
03:18But here, it's like all them things when you're, you know, I know if it clicks it'll be good.
03:23You know what I mean?
03:24But it's like everyone, we're all just trying to keep it going.
03:26Look, at the end of the day, it's staying out of trouble as well a little bit.
03:29You know what I mean?
03:29Because obviously North West is just around the corner and TT is just around the corner from that as well.
03:33So we're at a stage where you have to just watch yourself.
03:36Finally, Superbike not here though today?
03:38No, no, no, no Superbike.
03:40Just the stock bike we had built.
03:43We built a new one that was sitting ready to go.
03:45So I said we'll just take it out for a spin.
03:46It doesn't look new because we've had to use all the old birch on them but it's ready to go.
03:53Pushing him today will be Michael Sweeney, a former National Road Racer of the Year.
03:59Daryl Tweed is a former Manx Grand Prix winner who's shown some great form at Cookstown in the past.
04:07There's the impressive Marcus Simpson from the Isle of Man who's looking for podiums.
04:13And Paul Jordan who won his maiden North West 200 last year will be focusing on the Super Sport class.
04:25Well the Cookstown is the shortest of Northern Ireland's road races at just 2.1 miles long.
04:32Michael Dunlop is the lap record holder set last year.
04:45The order circuit always produces some close racing.
04:49There's a fast long start finish straight before the course winds its way into the countryside with plenty of exciting
04:56sections.
04:57There's a jump and a crossroads to the checkered flag.
05:02A short but a great little circuit.
05:08Well it's time to go racing and first up it's the Moto3 125cc class.
05:13Michael Dunlop is in pole position and he's already had a warm up win last night in the Open Invitational.
05:19Remarkably his 127th Irish road race victory.
05:23In this class he's riding for a local team in their local event.
05:27Burrows Engineering, RK Racing.
05:31Well there he is the bull, he's back and he's on pole position in the sunshine.
05:35Here we go, ready to go for 20, 26 Michael paddles away.
05:38A great start though by Chris Meyer at 1-2-2.
05:41Flies past Dan Sale, Sale look to get a really good start.
05:44But look at the adjournment rider, Meyer go flying past him down into Gorton for the first time.
05:50Yeah looking good on the brakes, Michael with that trademark leg dangling to the right hand side.
05:53He's got Dan Sale, he's on the falcon bike there now.
05:55Michael has a little look down, maybe the foot pegs not in the right position.
05:59Michael has a little look over towards Dan Sale there as they head into the farm.
06:03But let's have a little look there now off the start.
06:05Chris Meyer with an absolute flight.
06:07There's Nigel Moore, Leos, oh Michael Dunlop.
06:09What a start he got, rocketed through didn't he?
06:12It looked like Sale had got a really good start, but Meyer just blitzed them.
06:15Michael with not a good start on that bike, maybe not used to it.
06:18And here we go to the jumps for the first time, just heading towards...
06:20Look at the lead he's got already.
06:22It's incredible isn't it, he's going to make a move into here, that's brave.
06:24No he doesn't do it right, Blacks Farm there on your, as we look at the screen, the right hand
06:28side.
06:29And now they start to break towards the Craigmount corner.
06:32You've got to watch there, there's a little rise in the road, then we drop down, heading towards the Orator
06:36Crossroads
06:36and we head round to complete lap number one of this Moto3 and Supersport 300, two classes at one.
06:41Dunlop's racing here, it might be the first race of 2026 for Dunlop, but he is wanting to get past
06:46Dan Sale,
06:47because they both want to try and get to Meyer and they are closing the gap.
06:50All very similar machines, Chris Meyer, Dan Sale, Michael Dunlop, first, second, third as you go through, hard on the
06:55brakes there now.
06:56And there goes Michael Dunlop, up the inside he goes, as they drop down, lap number two onto Gorting Corner,
07:02and now they head into the trees towards McAdoo Benzer, great part of the circuit this Chris.
07:06Gets really narrow up here doesn't it, and then they get onto the wider roads later in the lap, but
07:10this part, so, so narrow.
07:12Meyer has got to Dunlop right in his slipstream here, look at that on the John Burroughs bike.
07:18Dropping down into McAdoo Corner there now, really really tight, is Michael going to make a move?
07:22I think he's already got through, I think he has, he got it.
07:24Oh, Chris Meyer, Chris Meyer kicking up a bit of dust into Dan Sale on the Falcon Engineering machine,
07:29Falcon Electrical machine, should I say. Good to see Dan back out again though, isn't it?
07:32It is, he did some of the Duque events last summer on this bike, and he's really getting racing here,
07:38he wants to try and get past Meyer next, Dunlop is way at the front, look at the gap he's
07:43already establishing,
07:44a bit of a gentleman's agreement for him to ride that bike this weekend.
07:47Sale then looking to get past Meyer for second.
07:50Yeah, dropping into Gorting Corner, should they say, and somebody's just got, looks like somebody's went up the slip road
07:55there,
07:55just trying to see who that was, didn't catch out, but Michael Dunlop leads after lap two from Chris Meyer
07:59and Dan Sale as you drop down now,
08:02this is great, little curb cam into McAdoo, in and out, that's a brilliant, brilliant shot through there.
08:06So tight through there, Chris, it really narrows up.
08:08There where the second bike is there, you've got to watch out, because the bike just lifts up a little
08:12bit,
08:12he just gets past Simon Lahain there, 97, but Michael Dunlop, he's looking like he's not been on one of
08:17these things for years, and he hasn't.
08:18No, 7-7-7, the next to get a blitz, that's Brian Harding, look at him go, looks so composed
08:24and controlled,
08:24Dunlop, done plenty of riding, obviously got so much to look forward to across this year,
08:30and this is really just the very start of it, the perfect conditions of Cookstown.
08:34Yeah, Cookstown, always good when it's dry, Michael Dunlop looking like he's going to take win number one for 2026
08:40on the John Boroughs,
08:41the Boroughs Engineering RK Racing Moto3, you've seen on the 16 bike, that's John's old race number by the way,
08:47and he goes across the line, and he takes that race, and that's a great start to the year for
08:51Michael Dunlop.
08:55Already up and running for 2026 is Michael Dunlop, Dan Sale completes in second, Chris Meyer third,
09:02new lap and race records for Lee Ospreay in the Tuba Sport 300s.
09:07Michael, congratulations, how nice to get a Moto3 win here.
09:12Hi, no, it was good, we found a wee issue just before we left, the pits were just nervous,
09:16no, there was nothing, just a funny thing, I thought it needed to ride a wee bit easier just,
09:21so I just, first lap, I just stood into it, and then two, three laps in,
09:25and I said I'll do one good lap just to see what it's like, and then just cruised it up,
09:28but it's a lot smaller than what I'm used to at the minute, so, no,
09:31but the day the bike ran, thanks to John, it was just something I wanted to try and do,
09:34and I thought it was going to crack.
09:40So another dominant display by Michael Dunlop.
09:43Next up, it's the Super Sport Class.
09:45The man to beat will be Paul Jordan, he's in pole position,
09:50and has already broken the lap record.
09:53Well, here we go, Super Sport Machines,
09:55you've got to get the start, that Ducati,
09:57and remember the races Sean Broly had at the Armoy races last year,
10:00he'll be one to watch in this one, but Paul Jordan on the Jackson racing bike,
10:04the bike is new to him this year, oh, Daryl Tweed in the second,
10:07Sean Broly, and Mick Oswini holding on to fourth.
10:09Tweed having a little bit of a look through Gorton, but nothing chance there,
10:12because Jordan is away now on the Ducati,
10:15the first time he's ridden this V2 in anger on the roads, and look at him go.
10:19It looks quite steady there as you go through the McAdoo farm there,
10:22Michael Sweeney, Kevin Keyes, you can just see Marcus Simpson,
10:24the young Maxman on 23 there, he's also in the mix there too,
10:28and he's got a new team, they've all got new teams,
10:30they've all got new paint jobs, they're not going to be nice and neat and clean
10:33at the end of this weekend, I can tell you, as we drop down now into the brilliant
10:37Macney corner, camera in, camera out, and then it's hard on the gas to the right,
10:41to the left, back to the start we go, Paul Jordan with the start,
10:44oh, he nailed that, didn't he?
10:45He did, absolutely on the button, Tweed got a really good start as well,
10:49in fact the front row all did, but Jordan just eclipsed the pair of them
10:52to get into Gorton nice and clean.
10:54He's already broken the lap record, he'll be near about it in qualifying as well,
10:57and I think he's going to be the man to watch in this class this year,
11:00so it is Jordan, Tweed, then it's Broly, then it's Sweeney,
11:03then it's Marcus Simpson, and Kevin Keyes keeping a watch and brief
11:06in roundabout sixth place on the number five machine.
11:09Yeah, County Offaly's Keyes impressed us all last year
11:13with his first real year at the top end of these road racing.
11:16Here's Sweeney though, having a look at Broly.
11:18Yeah, of the inside as he dropped down towards Gorton on lap number two,
11:22Michael Sweeney, the scariest man to watch Michael
11:24are now hard on the, oh, hard on the brakes,
11:26and the front wheel digging in, the rear wheel lifted in the air.
11:28He did well to get that stopped, wow.
11:30He tied it up really hard, long experience in Mickos,
11:33and it's good to see him back on form again,
11:35and of course he'll be looking for a great 2026,
11:37but at the front, Paul Jordan and Daryl Tweed,
11:39they're clearing off a bit, aren't they?
11:40They are, that record is going to be in danger,
11:42it did hold to Adam McLean from 2021,
11:45he's already eclipsed that as Jordan,
11:47and this looks to be even quicker.
11:49Marcus Simpson out of the seat there as the exit of McAdoo rising up
11:52and they're dropping down towards Mackney again.
11:54The man to watch though, I think, is Daryl Tweed,
11:56you know, he seems to have that triumph really real dialed in.
11:59Let's have a listen to the Ducati over the jumps.
12:01Whoa, that's over just before Blacksfarn there,
12:04on the jump there, and the bike straightens up again,
12:05the front wheel pour the air again there,
12:07and now it's hard on the brakes that he dropped into Craigmount.
12:11What a course this is, 2.1 miles, Chris, it's so short, isn't it?
12:14He's opened up quite a lead, yeah, first use in 2000, I think it was,
12:19it was first use, yeah.
12:20It was the old Sherry Grimm circuit before that,
12:22which is a great, great song.
12:23Ah, great, great song, great, great track, should I say.
12:26Daryl Tweed just had a little look over his shoulder
12:28and looked into those piercing eyes of the Scaries rider,
12:31Michael Sweeney, who's catching him up on the R6 Yamaha.
12:34Here we go, he's flat out there now.
12:36Here we go, Michael's going to pull to the right-hand side,
12:38this is the favourite move and that's on the track.
12:40Don't go to the left-hand side, it's really bumpy.
12:42Look how undulating it is here on the brakes,
12:44so easy to make a mistake.
12:46Oh, he's come back at him, he wasn't having that at all, Tweed.
12:49He's really trying to get down the inside
12:51and Tweed had time to move back to the inside himself
12:54and reclaim the place.
12:56On board with Marcus Simpson as he breaks.
12:58Uh-oh, that's not stopping Chris Boyd.
13:00No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
13:01Letting Sean Broly and Kevin Keyes through,
13:02you've got to be so careful into there, you really have.
13:05It's a long way you keep going down that road
13:06to get to the town of Cookstown itself,
13:08but here is Kevin Keyes on board with the man.
13:10He's such a nice, affable young man.
13:12So here we go, Marcus Simpson trailing that leg.
13:14He knows you're not getting that stopped.
13:15Oh, Sean Broly, though, he knew what was coming.
13:18He was keeping an eye slowly to the right, wasn't he?
13:20Paul Jordan at the front, he's flying.
13:23Jordan is literally flying.
13:25Lap records on lap three, again on lap four,
13:27and again on lap five.
13:29He goes under the 1.24 barrier.
13:311.23.927 on Supersport.
13:34Oh, Sean Broly, sorry, Chris, a cut over there.
13:36Sean Broly's just done exactly what Marcus Simpson's done.
13:39It's so easy because it's downhill when you're braking
13:41just to lose that track time.
13:43But that is some impressive pace by Jackson
13:45on the on the Jackson racing machine, isn't it, Paul Jordan?
13:48Flying, absolutely flying.
13:50Let's just have a look at this again.
13:51The riders were saying during qualifying on Friday
13:53that the wind was so strong it was causing issues for set up and gearing.
13:57Maybe that's run through into Saturday's race day.
13:59Well, it's promoted Kevin Keyes up a spot.
14:01Couple of later runners in the field there.
14:03But there's your race leader as they drop down into Mackney,
14:05heading now to the little flip-flop chicane.
14:08And there's Paul Cranston, who's one of them on 93.
14:10And 37 there is Adrian Hodgson.
14:12He's, of course, on his Camazaki.
14:13But this man, Paul Jordan, start to finish win, isn't it?
14:16Really classy.
14:17Flying, absolutely flying.
14:18Although for all this pace, he's not that far ahead, to be honest.
14:22And to break the lap record that's been held for five years
14:25is something that's special.
14:26And into that sort of pace, it's pretty good.
14:28Into the...
14:3190.078 mile an hour.
14:32That's some pace, isn't it, eh?
14:34Yep, 90.078 miles per hour.
14:36That's incredible, isn't it?
14:37And to get under, what, half a mile an hour,
14:39under that record.
14:40Oh, it's Michael Sweeney.
14:41Dennis Booth is just...
14:43Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
14:45Not at Debrayside.
14:46Do not do that, because Michael Sweeney, remember,
14:48had a big crash there the other year.
14:50Booth just doing his own thing in his own race.
14:52Doesn't really, he's got Sweeney right behind him.
14:54Sweeney's surely going to take him on the run down into Gorton,
14:57as he does.
14:58That slap flag is now out for Paul Jordan
15:00on the Jackson Racing by Prosper Square.
15:03There he's looking classed on that machine.
15:05It's weird, isn't it, at the start of the year,
15:06you have to kind of get used to the leather,
15:07so he's got darker-coloured leathers on this year.
15:09Last year it was all in the Team Jackson Racing colours,
15:12but again, he's shown some style.
15:14Do you know what?
15:14I think he'll be a force on the international meetings
15:16with the TT and the North West 200 coming up
15:18in a couple of weeks.
15:19I think he will be.
15:20This lays down a real marker, doesn't it, on the V2.
15:22First time out on it, dominant victory for Paul Jordan.
15:25He looks to be heading towards, he's absolutely flying.
15:28And it's good to see so many people around the 2.1 mile are at the circuit,
15:32the start off the Irish road race scene.
15:34It's a long old season coming up,
15:35got the big events coming up, the North West,
15:37there's Armoy, et cetera, there's Tandra Gee,
15:39have all to do, and Paul Jordan, he's looking classy.
15:41This is in the brace side, right-hand side of the tyre,
15:44left-hand side of the tyre, in past the old farmyard there,
15:47and it is going to be a win for Paul Jordan on the 22 machine,
15:50made it look reasonably easy, and across the line he goes
15:53and takes the chequered flag.
15:54And beats Adam McLean's race record by 1.3 seconds into the bargain.
15:59Second place, Daryl Tweed, well done to him,
16:01Michael Sweeney takes on third, Kevin Keyes,
16:03Marcus Simpson and Sean Broly, but he's taken the applause.
16:06A good win around the orator circuit for Paul Jordan.
16:10Fantastic start for Jordan from Tweed, Sweeney, Keyes,
16:14Simpson, Broly, drummer and Joe Lachlan in eighth.
16:18I know it wasn't, but you made that look quite straightforward.
16:21Yeah, to be fair, we had a good pace yesterday,
16:23and I knew the boys had said,
16:24let's get away at the start and just go,
16:26and even if I hadn't got away at the start,
16:27it's just don't panic, you've got pace, just get to the front and go.
16:33Well, two of our podium finishers in that race,
16:36Tweed and Sweeney, are on the front row for the next one.
16:39It's going to be a battle between the Sportbikes and the Super Twins.
16:43Michael Sweeney in pole is on a twin,
16:46Daryl Tweed is on a Sportbike and Sam West in the middle.
16:49Also on a twin is Sean Broly.
16:53Engage gear, watch the lights, here we go.
16:56They've got to watch the flag, actually, on the Twins
16:58and, of course, the Sportbikes in this class as well.
17:00Oh, Daryl Tweed with a cracking start on 59,
17:03but Michael Sweeney, he's in second.
17:05Look at the master here.
17:05Look at the master down the outside.
17:08Michael Sweeney, though, he's got to the front.
17:10Right round the outside and up to second for the master.
17:12Fantastic start.
17:13Can you imagine putting a Group A rally car on that road?
17:17How much room there wouldn't be?
17:18They're trying to get six motorbikes in there.
17:19The second group away.
17:20Led by Jack Mears there, 86 on the Kawasaki.
17:23So the second wave underway.
17:25They let them go in waves to Cookstown here.
17:28And it's all done and correct the timing,
17:30so somebody in the second wave could come forward
17:31into the first group, Lee Osprey.
17:33I also saw in there.
17:35But here's the scariest man over Black's...
17:37Oh, that's lovely, isn't it?
17:38Over the jump there.
17:392-1-2, McMaster.
17:4059 is in there.
17:41Tweed as well.
17:42Got to keep an eye on Sean Broly in there.
17:43Kevin Lavery, another name to watch in this class.
17:46But the Super Twin class is great, isn't it?
17:47Really good.
17:48But Michael Sweeney, he's clearing off, isn't he?
17:50To go round Craig Mountlap 1.
17:52Noticeable how these bikes just look so much more composed
17:54over Black's jumps.
17:55Just with that little bit extra horsepower,
17:57so much more manageable.
17:59Yeah, and not as aggressive on the power as well.
18:01You can...
18:01I'm not saying there's not much power,
18:02there's a lot of power there to have.
18:04But somebody looked like McMaster
18:05was really, really wide as he went through Brayside.
18:08But that's about a second and a bit leave.
18:09We're on board now, McMaster.
18:10Tweed's lining up.
18:11Tweed's lining up.
18:12He is.
18:12He's got to keep a little light, though,
18:14because Sean Broly could be in the mix there as well.
18:15So Dean McMaster on 2-1-2.
18:17He, of course, is on the Kawasaki, the Ayrtoni machine.
18:20Oh, he's gone.
18:21He's gone.
18:21He slipped off there down into...
18:23Oh, goodness me.
18:23Down into Mackney corner, so let's go back on board.
18:26Tweed trying to make the overtake up the inside.
18:29He just makes the pass, I think, before McMaster dropped it.
18:32Yeah, he's trying to scrub off speed.
18:34Oh, there we go.
18:34Just took the front, that's all.
18:35Tipped up the front.
18:36I think he'll be all right with that one.
18:37Only quite a low-speed crash, really.
18:39Just slide away.
18:40Yeah, there he is.
18:40He's up on his feet.
18:41So Dean is perfectly fine.
18:42The Balamina man, then, is OK.
18:44That's relief.
18:45But Sweeney out front is away now.
18:47That's giving him a second or two's break.
18:49Just over Daryl Tweed and then Sean Broly.
18:52Yeah, out of the McAdoo bends there now.
18:54Quite a tight part of the circuit.
18:55That's about the highest part of the circuit there as well.
18:57Then they drop down into Mackney,
18:59and then on the right-hand side of the tie.
19:01There's Tweed going through on the drive.
19:03Sounds great, that does.
19:04Let's have a little listen to this.
19:06Oh, that sounds great, doesn't it?
19:08Through the hedges, it rattles through the hedges.
19:10But a man who is rattling through the hedges,
19:12and that's cliche to anything.
19:13But Michael Sweeney on 65, he's cleared, isn't he?
19:16It's Aprilia's to the four here.
19:18Sweeney, Tweed, James Chalk, Sean Broly at the front end,
19:21all on Aprilia's.
19:22Yeah, in fact, I said Tweed was on a tri-figure pond.
19:25That was the 600 race which he'll be out in later on.
19:27But Michael Sweeney, the scariest man,
19:29he's had this about three years, I think, now, this Aprilia.
19:31Getting to two years, I think, getting to grips with it.
19:33Yeah, he is indeed, as you say, coming right to the four,
19:36and so many wins that he's racking up
19:37on all of these Irish road races.
19:40Tweed, though, look at him.
19:41He's trying to keep him in view.
19:43Yeah, Michael Sweeney, as you quite rightly say,
19:45he's won a lot of races.
19:46He's won Manx Grand Prix.
19:47He was on the podium at the North West last year,
19:48you know, in this class as well.
19:50And, you know, I'm pretty sure in a couple of weeks' time,
19:52he'll be one to watch in that class,
19:53but that's Daryl Tweed getting a little bit sideways
19:56as they drop into Gauching Corner,
19:58and you've got to scrub off so much speed into there.
20:01Like we've seen, we saw with Dean McMaster,
20:02you can quite easily just lose the front.
20:04We're on the final lap into McAdoo-Benz,
20:06and I think Sweeney has this under control.
20:08It looks to have Tweed kept him in touch all the way through.
20:11He hasn't let him get miles ahead,
20:13so he has kept company with him,
20:15but he's just too far back to do anything about this.
20:18Sweeney leaving Tweed,
20:19and then Sean Brawley with Neil Kernaghan in fourth.
20:22Yeah, Kevin Lavery's in the mix as well.
20:23Lee Hara, Michael Gilley, Liam Chalk, Andy Farrell,
20:25Michael Garn, all sort of big names you'll see
20:27around the Irish roads in 2026,
20:29but none bigger than this guy.
20:31He's got a big fan base, you know,
20:32he really, really has at the Scaries,
20:34and my Daryl Tweed.
20:37He's getting a bit aerated.
20:38So, so tight through here.
20:40Front wheel right again.
20:42I tell you, he's catching that.
20:43He better be careful here,
20:44because Michael Sweeney's got some traffic.
20:46Tweed is absolutely charging on the ball of money, man,
20:49but Sweeney's just got to get past this rider here.
20:51Yeah, Brandon Kavanagh, that is on 1-1-10,
20:54riding for the Brian McCormack team.
20:56He is there as Brandon,
20:57but looks like it's going to be Michael Sweeney.
20:59He'll take the race swing around the 2.1
21:01or it's a circuit with Daryl Tweed,
21:02just in behind in the end by just about one and a half seconds,
21:05but well done to Michael Sweeney.
21:07Waves his appreciation to the crowd.
21:10James Chalk moves up from fifth to third on the final lap,
21:13then Sean Brolley, Kevin Lavery and Neil Kernighan.
21:15Lee Hara, Michael Gilley, Liam Chalk, Andy Farrell, your top ten.
21:18Michael, a win, nice.
21:20Yeah, very nice, Stephen,
21:21especially at the first road race of the year.
21:24This is my first time on the bike.
21:25Frank Rattle and Ian,
21:26they've done a load of work over the wintertime,
21:28trying different parts and stuff like that
21:29to see if we can get it a little bit better than last year,
21:32and it seems to be good,
21:33so hopefully it'll be like that next week
21:35when we go to the North West.
21:40Next up, it's the big bikes, the open class,
21:43and in pole position is the rider
21:45that most of the fans have come here today to see.
21:48Michael Dunlop, a very talented rider
21:51from a special racing family.
21:54Now, at the Internationals, the North West and the TT,
21:57he's hoping to ride a brand-new Ducati Superbike.
22:00Here today, he's on a superstar.
22:04Yeah, Jordan missing.
22:05Yeah, no Paul Jordan.
22:06Big hole for 59.
22:07Daryl Tweed on the Honda this year
22:09to make a run-through,
22:10but a good start by Michael Sweeney.
22:12Just look at these bikes compared with the Super Twins
22:14and things that we've seen earlier in the programme.
22:16Yeah, animals.
22:17Absolutely bouncing.
22:18Yeah, 220-plus brake horsepower down little country roads.
22:21Fantastic.
22:21Michael Dunlop on the sixth bike,
22:23and he fires in and out at a gorching corner
22:26as the drop-up towards Hill is the second wave.
22:28Big Neil Kernan.
22:29Change for Neil this year, he's on the BMW.
22:31He's leading those away,
22:32but up at the front, there's a battle going on here
22:34because Sweeney is very used to that MJR BMW
22:37and he's keen to keep with Dunlop if he can.
22:39Kevin Key's in there too,
22:40Marcus Simpson also, Sean Broly in there too,
22:43and Daryl Tweed.
22:44We know he's good
22:45because, of course, winning the IRRC Championship last year,
22:48he's on good form coming in to the 2026 season.
22:50There's the drop-down now from the highest point of the circuit.
22:53Michael Dunlop six, lead 65, then it's 10, then it's 23.
22:56So that's Dunlop, Sweeney, Tweed and Simpson.
22:58He's in your top four.
22:59Here's the start though.
23:00Wrong, Marcus Simpson.
23:01Oh, Marcus Simpson getting done for outside of the second row
23:05and down he goes.
23:06You've got Sweeney and Dunlop ahead,
23:08trying to tap by to get into that first corner at Gorton.
23:11Did say that Sweeney had a big gap in front of him,
23:13and Paul Jordan, you make good use of it.
23:14I tell you what, Michael Sweeney is keeping Michael Dunlop very,
23:18very honest here as they go up into,
23:20this is so tough through this part of the circuit.
23:21It is of course called Craigmount,
23:23and there's a little rise in the middle of the road,
23:25you've got to look out for that,
23:26but Dunlop leads well.
23:27Two Michaels, Michael Dunlop,
23:28Michael Sweeney's coming to Brayside.
23:30Dunlop saying coming into the meeting
23:31that he's had very little time with this bike so far this year.
23:35Of course, the bike that he's ridden for the last few seasons
23:37at super stock level, the BMW,
23:40but not much time on it.
23:41And of course, we know that Sweeney is very, very comfortable on the NBL.
23:44What's going on here?
23:45That's Chalky, that's James Short,
23:46that is absolutely flying past Sean Brody there on his number 10 machine.
23:50So that Suzuki has got the GGs.
23:51And of course, Michael Dunlop, that is,
23:53has got the Ducati to look forward to.
23:56Yeah, James Chalk, then the Rafkeel rider,
23:58absolutely blitzing his way up a place there
24:00as he went down over the start finish.
24:01But look at this, Sweeney is right with Dunlop.
24:04He's not letting him go, is he?
24:05I thought Michael Martin cleared off a little bit.
24:07Here we go, over the jumps.
24:08Oh, that's trying.
24:09Front wheel first.
24:10He is trying to break Michael Sweeney,
24:12and they have cleared off a little bit from number 59, Daryl Tween.
24:15What a good showing by Daryl.
24:17Normally good on the smaller bikes,
24:18but going well on the big bike today.
24:19Fantastic to see, a potential real step up here for Daryl Tween
24:23on the bigger bikes.
24:24Great, and it's very familiar and a multi-winner
24:27around here at Cookston, of course.
24:29Michael Dunlop said about 15 or so wins around here already.
24:32He's going to make it 16 with this one,
24:33but Sweeney getting into the 16.
24:34He's got a slipstream.
24:35He's got a slipstream.
24:36Can he do anything?
24:38This is like somebody grabbing you by the back of your shirt,
24:40but Michael, tell you what, that's got some GGs, hasn't it?
24:43Oh, fair grunt in that machine from Michael.
24:46He's still gearing up for the North West 200 in a couple of weeks' time,
24:49but he knows he's got a race on here.
24:50There's some good battle going on with Neil Guernan in the mid-pack there
24:54on the 109 machine.
24:55I wonder how he's finding this.
24:56I must speak to him and ask him about that.
24:582-1-2 McMaster in there.
24:592-29, I think they've just caught 29.
25:02We'll give him a shout in a second.
25:03But back in the front, Michael Dunlop and Michael Sweeney.
25:05Both are there.
25:06Well, that was a bit tidier for Michael.
25:07Both of them that time as well.
25:09Nice and steady now.
25:10Easy on the brakes.
25:11A new patch of tarmac there just by the house.
25:13That won't affect the line.
25:14Then up over the little rise in the road.
25:15He noticed the way they sweep to the right-hand side,
25:17then to the left, then they have the barriers
25:19just to slow them down a little bit as they get into Brayside.
25:21This is a great track.
25:22Michael a little bit wide there.
25:24Yeah, Dunlop is working hard here.
25:25He knows he's got real company and he is pushing.
25:28Fair play.
25:29Sweeney is keeping him really honest here.
25:31Think about the 122s at the moment,
25:33which is only a little bit away from the lap record,
25:35I think, Chris Boyd.
25:36You're the stat man.
25:37You'll have it somewhere in your head.
25:38The lap record is, of course,
25:39held by Michael Dunlop from last year.
25:42122.3, so they're not too far away.
25:44Wow.
25:44They're pushing in absolutely perfect conditions.
25:46How good is it to see the sun shining
25:48on the opening Irish road race of the year?
25:50Let's hope it stays all through the summer
25:52and set up for a couple of weeks, of course,
25:54at the North West London.
25:55Into McAdoo's they go.
25:56Now they will start to rise.
25:57Easy on the power coming out there.
25:59Attraction control working Michael Sweeney
26:01leaning over to the left-hand side of the bike
26:03just to steady it off a little bit
26:04and just to stop it from tank slapping
26:06over the rise in the road to the top.
26:08Great, great place to watch down there.
26:10Now hard on the brakes.
26:11There's a lot of braking in this.
26:12That's heavy, heavy braking into there.
26:14And the two Michaels, well,
26:15I think they just dropped Daryl Tweed just a little bit
26:17by a couple of seconds there now.
26:19And Michael Dunlop as the exit through there,
26:21running towards the farm.
26:23He was so, so wide.
26:26Flying, absolutely flying is Dunlop.
26:28He's trying to break Sweeney here.
26:30He's trying to make the brake on lap six.
26:32Only thing you got to watch out for this circuit
26:34is the faster men are fast.
26:35The guys in the middle are fast.
26:37The guys to the back, they're fast.
26:38But Michael, it's only 2.1, could catch up
26:41with some slower riders.
26:42Let's hope that doesn't happen this time.
26:44But I think he's broken by about half a second there.
26:46Oh, no.
26:46Red flag.
26:47Oh, we have a red flag incident unfortunately here
26:49at the open race.
26:51The AJM sales a open race
26:52with Michael Dunlop taking the race win
26:54for Michael Sweeney, Daryl Tweed,
26:56Marcus Simpson, Kevin Keyes.
26:57Sure.
26:58Broly, Gilbert, and the sentiment master
27:00round out the top ten.
27:01Michael, race, red flag.
27:02But it's a victory for you.
27:04Yeah, no.
27:05It's just starting to get into my rhythm there.
27:06I made a bit of change last night
27:07and it took me a couple of laps to understand it.
27:11And then I got a good lap.
27:12And the last lap is right,
27:13I'm up in the pace again here.
27:14Let's go again.
27:14I was going to try and take a good chunk out of it there.
27:17And then obviously red flag him out.
27:18So it's a spot that we were,
27:20I think we were rightly through the races
27:21and about four laps to go,
27:22or three laps to go, I think.
27:240.10 under your own lap record.
27:26You were going really well.
27:27Yeah.
27:27And I think there's a bit more to come.
27:29We've just left the old tyres in it and stuff like that.
27:31So I would like to have a real good shot at it here.
27:33But we'll see.
27:33We'll get another run here.
27:34Hopefully, and the weather's good
27:35and see what goes on.
27:36Yeah, big race.
27:37The Cookstown 100 to come.
27:39Yeah, no.
27:40Just keep battering away.
27:41And then hopefully,
27:41let's just see what,
27:42as I say, the weather's unreal today.
27:44So if I keep going,
27:45Michael was pulling along nicely there.
27:47So we just up the pace now
27:49and see how we get on the bigger one.
27:50And I know you've only one of your own bikes here today,
27:53but has it been beneficial
27:54getting the track time ahead of bigger events to come?
27:57It's hard.
27:57We're obviously going to the north,
27:58but it's a different kettle of fish.
27:59But you know what?
27:59I just enjoy riding around.
28:01So it's because I don't do many road races anymore.
28:03So it's just nice to get a spin out.
28:11Well, there was a long-standing record broken here today
28:16at the Cookstown 100,
28:17as veteran Barry Davison notched up his 27th victory at the event
28:23to overtake the number of wins set by road racing legend Ryan Farquhar,
28:27a record that has stood since 2012.
28:31It was certainly an emotional win for Barry
28:33after the passing of his father earlier in the week.
28:38Especially, as I say,
28:40this is my 35th season,
28:4127 wins,
28:43but that one's for my dad.
28:45And there's been lots more fabulous racing here
28:48in different classes today.
28:51Away we go with the scene he supports Brandon Kavanagh.
28:54Well, he rode well in this one on the number 10 machine.
28:56He came through to take a very, very well-deserved victory
28:59in this class and happy about it he was as well.
29:02Moving on to the Lightweight Supersports.
29:05Kevin Lavery won that one.
29:06Ashley Robson also winning in class.
29:07Dave Walsh and Andy Horby.
29:09There's a lot of different people in this class.
29:11And Daryl Tweed also in there as well.
29:14Lightweight Classics was won, of course.
29:15Well, Barry Davison.
29:17How good is Barry Davison still on the number 40 bike?
29:20And Barry, a multiple, multiple Irish road race winner
29:23into the hundreds now he is as well.
29:24And we've got Nigel Moore in there too.
29:26Nigel in the Evergreen.
29:27Nigel Moore lives over there in Dungannon near the Cookstown circuit.
29:30Nigel Moore also took a win in a class,
29:33which is this one here we're showing now.
29:34We have Robert McCrum, I've just seen on the front row in that one.
29:38Bailey Harker.
29:38He's a man to watch on the roads too.
29:40He won the Junior Support A class there.
29:43Bailey did.
29:43Well done to him.
29:45And then finally, we will move on to the Senior Classics.
29:48And well, Andy Hornby, he's a good classic man, isn't he?
29:51He won the 1,000cc class on this one on his big triumph.
29:54And of course, Nigel Moore, as we mentioned before,
29:56winning in the Junior Classics, he won the 500cc class.
30:00The final race of the day is the big one, the Cookstown 100.
30:05Michael Dunlop is again in pole position.
30:08He's already had three wins at this race meeting, including two today.
30:12And he's hoping for a repeat of the success he had in this race last year.
30:17A race which many of the legends of the sport have won.
30:21Here we go for the big bike race of the day.
30:24And a good start by Michael Sweeney on 65.
30:26Look at him go this time.
30:27Wow, he's got a real break.
30:29Oh, that's Simpson as well.
30:31He's trying to challenge Dunlop into Dorton on that one.
30:34Yeah, I think that was Marcus getting a little bit close to number 10.
30:3759.
30:38It was, of course, Daryl Tweed.
30:39He's had a pretty good day so far.
30:40Sean Broly also in the mix there as of it.
30:42Here we go with the start.
30:43Here's Sean Broly on the Ducati.
30:45Gets it to fire up pretty good, doesn't he?
30:46And that's tight to the curb.
30:48And there's Daryl Tweed.
30:49And then, oh, look at that.
30:50And look how close they get.
30:52Oh, boy.
30:53Oh, goodness, goodness me.
30:54But it's an early lead for the scariest man, Michael Sweeney.
30:56He'd love to win this one, wouldn't he?
30:58Yeah, Dunlop did him in the earlier race.
30:59But this time, Sweeney's the man out front on the MJR BMW against Dunlop's MD Racing.
31:05Similar BMW.
31:06Then look at Simpson right with them.
31:08Yeah, Marcus on the new team for him on the 23 bike this year.
31:10Don't forget, Michael Dunlop has won the Moto3 race.
31:13The two other big bike racers will be looking for a four-timer here at the Cuxain 100 for 2026.
31:19Daryl Tweed in there, Kevin Keyes in right about fifth place at the moment.
31:22There's James Short, Neil Kernan, Don Gilbert, Julian Trummey, Sean Broly and Daryl Anderson.
31:27Just a name but a few, but across the line they go to complete lap number one.
31:30Here comes Michael Dunlop.
31:31Sweeney is doing his best here but he knows Dunlop and there he goes.
31:34Wow.
31:35Blasted past on the run down to Gorton.
31:37You've got to watch just on the braking point.
31:39The road dips away.
31:40Michael struggling to scrub off.
31:41He does it.
31:42He does it though, gets it stopped.
31:43You've got to watch on the braking point.
31:44The bike will compress and then you'll start to lose traction with the brakes
31:47because you need the wheels on the ground.
31:49But how impressive is Marcus Simpson keeping with these boys through McAdoo?
31:53The Honda for the Manx rider who's 27 now.
31:56Marcus Simpson doing his best to try and stick with the two BMWs ahead.
32:00Looking at the lap record for the Superbike.
32:02Michael Dunlop holds that from last year actually, 91.773.
32:07Have they got close to it all through this weekend?
32:09They've been pretty close, hasn't he?
32:10I think the conditions mean that every record's under threat this weekend.
32:13And certainly Dunlop, if he's pushed by Sweeney here,
32:16we could well see a new outright lap record for the Cooke's Down 100.
32:20And they blast out of the trees towards Black's Farm again.
32:22Over the jumps all the spectators.
32:24Oh, you can nearly touch them as you go by.
32:26And then here again, front wheeler rise just about there.
32:28And they're hard on the brakes now into Craigmount.
32:31Great part of the circuit this.
32:32Sweeney spent nearly the whole of the last race.
32:35Sat behind Dunlop.
32:36He's looking to do the same again here.
32:38He wants to try and challenge if he can.
32:39But look at Simpson.
32:40This is a brilliant ride by the Manx men.
32:43Yeah, and Daryl Tweed holding on to that fourth position.
32:45Just keeping a watch and brief.
32:46You just saw him going through there.
32:47Daryl, of course, new machine for him this year on the Honda.
32:49But it's BMW.
32:50It's BMW.
32:51Then it's two Hondas.
32:52That's your top four.
32:53Michael Dunlop leads.
32:54Michael Sweeney the head out on lap number three.
32:56Marcus Simpson.
32:57Now he's too far back for that.
32:58You've got to pick your point in the road here.
33:00There's only really one line.
33:01And it skips away, as you say, into Gorton every time.
33:04Just under the brakes.
33:05Sean Brolley.
33:06We're getting a view here.
33:07Oh, he's not stopping that.
33:09He is no way stopping that.
33:10No, he's off to Cookstown.
33:11Oh, he ties his own well.
33:12Yeah, well done.
33:13And it's, I think, Kevin Keyes through there.
33:15There on his machine, Kevin Keyes.
33:17He's riding well yet again on the five bike, isn't he?
33:19Yeah, top five here for Keyes then behind Dunlop,
33:22Sweeney, Simpson and Tweed,
33:24who have been the men of the meeting really all the way through.
33:27Sweeney, though, desperate to try and stick with Dunlop
33:29through the middle part of this race.
33:30Extended ten lap race for the main Cookstown 100 feature.
33:34Ten laps.
33:35That's 21, 22 miles just about.
33:37That's all it is.
33:38That's nothing, is it?
33:38What, three quarters of a TT lap?
33:40When you're just starting the year, I'm sure it's plenty.
33:43Oh, yeah.
33:44It's been a long, hard, wet winter, isn't it?
33:46But Michael Dunlop, he's taming that BMW over the jumps.
33:49First, second, third, through as quick as that.
33:51Michael Sweeney just looking for a way through
33:53and there's not many places here to pass.
33:54They're doing pretty similar pace, aren't they?
33:56They're very similar indeed.
33:58They're working their way down towards that lap record type pace.
34:00And being pushed might just push Dunlop to it.
34:03He's going to have to push now, try and pull the pin.
34:06He tried to do that in the second big bike race, didn't he?
34:08Because he won the first one on the Friday,
34:09won the second big bike race earlier today.
34:11But Michael Dunlop, he's on a fly now.
34:14Absolutely charging as they head out onto the next lap down into Gorton.
34:19Lap four, Dunlop and Sweeney both under the 1.23.
34:23Wow.
34:24I was looking back at the lap records the other night.
34:25Keith and Moore held the lap record around here on a 600 for years and years and years.
34:30That stood for a long, long time.
34:32But Neil Kernaghan, wonder how he's getting on with the new BMW.
34:34He was on the back of Sean Broly, I think that is, on the 99 bike there now.
34:38They come out back into the sunlight here and here he comes.
34:41The big BMW should pick Neil on that will just blast past.
34:43Yeah, that's just power, pure horsepower.
34:46Total grunt then as Broly drops a place to Kernaghan.
34:49As long as he can get it all stopped, he can.
34:52Yeah, don't forget Broly in the support classes last year as well.
34:54But Michael Dunlop, he's made that move.
34:56He's on lap number eight now, Michael Dunlop on a flyer, Chris Boyd.
34:59Oh, pace, what's the pace like?
35:01Outright lap records for Michael Dunlop on both laps six and seven.
35:05Lap seven was a 1.22.047, over 92 miles an hour.
35:12Wow, the old lap record, 91.773 and he's just obliterated it.
35:16But he had to, to push away from Michael Sweeney, didn't he?
35:19As we follow Daryl Treedy over the farm jumps there now.
35:21Over we go, over Craig Mount.
35:23The bike just goes light today.
35:25Saw a bit of squirrel movement on that one.
35:27Squirrelly bike is when it's moving around.
35:29But Kevin Keyes is on the back of Daryl Treedy now.
35:31But Michael Dunlop, he's already got 14 wins around the Cookstown circuit.
35:35At the three so far this weekend, it's 17.
35:37He could come away with a four-timer for the weekend.
35:40Oh, these two.
35:42Kevin Keyes.
35:43And we're on the final lap now as we follow Marcus Simpson.
35:45Here we go.
35:46Kevin Keyes up the inside of Daryl Treedy.
35:48Is he going to get it stopped?
35:49Ooh, I think he is.
35:50You see the front just shaking on the fire bike.
35:52And how close were they?
35:53There was nothing left there at all.
35:55Proper full racing right to the final lap of this Cookstown 100.
35:59But Dunlop with the new outright lap record for the circuit.
36:03In perfect conditions.
36:05What a way to start his year.
36:07Gives him a lot of confidence ahead of the North West 200.
36:09A little bit of traffic.
36:10He's just in the middle of there.
36:11Richard McLaughlin now on the 28 machine.
36:13He's just going to try and get past him.
36:15In fact, he probably knows where he is to be fair.
36:17And also 139 also in there as well.
36:19That said, dear McCleary.
36:20But there he is.
36:21Michael Dunlop takes the chequered flag.
36:23And with that, his hands back on the Cookstown 100 trophy for 2026.
36:28And there's Daryl Tweed across the line.
36:29And Michael Sweeney with a good showing in second place.
36:32And what about that?
36:33Just ahead, Daryl Tweed of Kevin Keyes.
36:35But Marcus Simpson takes home third.
36:37Then it's Tweed and Keyes.
36:38And it's a four-timer for Dunlop.
36:39And a race record by eight seconds.
36:42Michael, congratulations.
36:43A great way to finish today.
36:45Yeah, it's a good way, yeah.
36:46The weather was great, you know.
36:47And conditions were fantastic.
36:48So it's just nice to come here and be competitive, you know.
36:52So we don't...
36:53Four races, four wins.
36:55So, yeah, it's nice.
36:56And a lap record as well.
36:57Yeah, I got a lap record there.
36:58I thought I would've got...
36:58I wanted to go a bit stronger than that.
37:01And I set myself up for a lap.
37:01And I just...
37:02The last lap then.
37:03And then we just caught the infield then.
37:04And I just...
37:05I seen them in the distance and said,
37:05Oh, this is not going to work.
37:06But no, I kept consistently in the lap times.
37:08And kept them battering on nicely.
37:09So I took Michael.
37:11Michael was on behind me.
37:12I knew he was going to cling on for a couple of...
37:14I said, alright.
37:14And then I upped again.
37:16And I said, right, I've got breath on my own.
37:17I'm going to up even more.
37:18But I just didn't get the time for it.
37:20And after what's been a super Cookstown 100,
37:23how does that set you up for the bigger ones to come?
37:25Well, hopefully it should.
37:26You know, I don't know.
37:28I feel like I'm riding good.
37:29Obviously I broke the lap record.
37:30I broke the lap record here last year.
37:31So I'm breaking it again this year.
37:32So obviously I'm at the pace that, you know, left me good.
37:35But we've got a lot of hurdles to go for before we get there.
37:37But all being well.
37:38Look, the bikes.
37:39Everyone's a bit rough.
37:40The new suits arriving this week.
37:43New helmets, new bodywork.
37:45So apologies to the sponsors,
37:46but nearly all staying boys.
37:54Well, what a wonderful Cookstown 100 for Michael Dunlop.
37:58And a signal of intent, perhaps, of what's to come.
38:02Last year, he produced scintillating rides
38:04at the Northwest 200 in Isle of Man TT.
38:07And if this weekend's performance is anything to go by,
38:10we could be in for a repeat of those achievements.
38:13Next up for us, it's the Northwest 200.
38:16I'm with every angle covered right across the BBC.
38:19I look forward to seeing you on the grid, on the North Coast.
38:23But for now, from everyone here at the Cookstown 100,
38:26it's bye-bye.
38:49The number five.
38:49The speed Rotterking Man.六xF
38:50America has been hit. The speedavascript识
38:51of Willkharrenount. The performance block. The speed
38:54signs of 저희 Reach
38:54Global. The speed mundial, counted가두pepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepepeayo.
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