Michael Dunlop sweeps the Cookstown 100 on every bike

Between Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, the 2026 edition of the Cookstown 100 took place, a great Irish Road Racing classic that is nearing its centenary. The 2.1-mile Orritor Circuit (just over 3.3 km), winding through County Tyrone and tackling famed sections such as “Gortin Corner,” “McAdoo Bends,” “Mackney Corner,” and the legendary “Black’s Jump,” hosted several road racing stars, mainly present for a sort of test race just weeks before the season’s two main events. Preparing for the imminent North West 200 and the Tourist Trophy, Michael Dunlop stole the show in every race he entered.

The 33-time Isle of Man TT race winner even sampled Moto3 at the Cookstown 100, riding the Honda NSF250R prepared by John Burrows’ Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team. Needless to say, he also took victory in the race for 125cc and Moto3 machines, beating Dan Sayle and Chris Meyer.

MD brought his tally to four wins at the meeting, leading from Friday evening’s Open A Invitational Race, then continuing on Saturday with the Open A and the main event (Cookstown 100 Feature Race) aboard his BMW M 1000 RR Superstock. On the big bikes he finished ahead of Michael Sweeney, on the MJR BMW and again second, then secured the win in the Supertwins race and a third place in Supersport, which was won by Paul Jordan on the Ducati Panigale V2.

At Cookstown, with his MD Racing outfit, he raced the BMW M 1000 RR, while (as always with him) options remain open for the North West 200 and, above all, the TT. There’s a possibility we’ll see him on a Ducati in Superbike as well, in addition to the Panigale V2 in Supersport, considering he recently received a race-ready Panigale V4 RS.