Michael Dunlop took his first win at the 2014 North West 200 meeting on Saturday afternoon when he took the Superstock race which was red flagged on the fourth lap after Simon Andrews crashed heavily on the high-speed run to Metropole corner.

Conditions on the Causeway Coast were arguably the best they've been all day when the race, scheduled for six laps, got underway and it was Michael Rutter who took the early lead as Guy Martin dropped out with a broken fairing and Gary Johnson ran straight on at Mathers Cross.

At the end of the lap, Rutter led fellow BMW rider Dunlop by 0.3s with Alastair Seeley, back in action after his Supersport crash, in third ahead of Martin Jessopp, Dean Harrison and lap record holder Horst Saiger. Second time around and Dunlop and Rutter were side by side on the run down to University and at Metropole Dunlop took the lead for the first time although it was short lived as he drifted wide on the exit allowing the Bathams-backed rider to go back in the lead.

Further back, Jessopp was now in third with Saiger fourth and Seeley fifth although Jessopp and Saiger were lucky to stay on track after a coming together exiting Primrose Hill corner. Dunlop again took the lead at Metropole on the third lap, eeking out a 0.9s lead as they crossed the start and finish at the end of the third lap.

Johnson had regrouped well after his first lap misdemeanour and was now up to third with Saiger, Seeley, Lee Johnston and Dean Harrison in hot pursuit.

The battle for the lead looked like it was going to go all the way but with the red flag coming out, the result was declared at three laps with Dunlop, Rutter and Johnson making up the podium. No details of how Andrews is have been confirmed but he has been flown to hospital.