Dunlop stuns Guy Martin with Gold Cup triumph
Michael Dunlop had the final say in his season-long rivalry with Guy Martin after the Northern Ireland star lifted the coveted Gold Cup at Scarborough on Sunday.
Dunlop breezed home to clinch the blue riband race by over 11 seconds on his MD Racing Honda from Lincolnshire's Martin on the factory Tyco Suzuki, winning the prestigious silverware for the first time.
The seven-time Isle of Man TT winner also became the first member of his famous racing family to win the Gold Cup, capping a memorable season for the 24-year-old.
Dunlop told the Belfast News Letter the victory at one of Martin's favourite venues had given him a great deal of satisfaction after the English rider had stolen the show at the Ulster Grand Prix in August with a treble.
"There was talk from Guy and TAS about how they beat me in my backyard at the Ulster Grand Prix, so I just went over there and returned the favour," he said.
"That was the big one and I won it, so that's really all that mattered. It's a big thing to be involved in and it's good for me to have my name on there because I'm the only Dunlop ever to have managed it."
John McGuinness had led the race on the Padgett's HM Plant Honda until he was caught out on the exit of the Mere hairpin in the wet conditions, crashing out of contention unhurt.
Dunlop went on to win comfortably with Martin missing out on the chance to lift the Gold Cup for the ninth time.
Ryan Farquhar is the only other rider from Northern Ireland to triumph in the English showpiece, taking victory in 2011.
Dunlop can reflect on a stunning year during which he won four Isle of Man TT races in a week, including a dream Superbike victory on the Honda TT Legends Fireblade.
He also claimed victory in the Supersport class as the weather-hit North West 200 and stood on the top step in the Superstock class at the Ulster Grand Prix.
The young Ballymoney man was also successful at the Southern 100 and finished the Irish road racing season unbeaten in the Superbike class.
Dunlop's final event this year will be this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours Endurance World Championship race in France, when he re-joins the Honda TT Legends team for the iconic race.
