Guy Martin took a thrilling victory in the 7-lap Ulster GP Superbike race after Michael Dunlop crashed out at the hairpin on the penultimate lap. Martin overhauled Gary Johnson on the second lap before Dunlop reeled him in but after exchanging places on the sixth lap, Dunlop slid off to leave Martin clear in the lead for his eighth UGP victory.
It was Johnson on the Padgetts Honda that led the field round at the end of the first lap, his lead over Martin just 0.09s whilst Dunlop was a further second back in third and the same margin ahead of Ryan Farquhar. Martin and his Tyco Suzuki hit the front on the second lap but Dunlop was the fastest man on the circuit and there was just 0.9s between the trio at the end of the second lap. William Dunlop was an early retirement though, disappointment for the Wilson Craig Racing rider who'd qualified on the front row.
The front three closed to within 0.6s each other at half race distance as Conor Cummins overhauled Bruce Anstey for fourth but Dunlop moved up to second when he overtook Johnson at the end of the Flying Kilo, going on to take the fastest lap of the race at 133.263mph, and he repeated the move on lap six to take the lead for the first time. Martin returned the compliment at Wheeler's but just as it looked like we'd have a grandstand finish between the two, Dunlop slid off.
That allowed Martin to have a comfortable final lap and he eventually took the flag over five seconds clear of Johnson with Cummins a further eight seconds back in third. Anstey coasted over the line in fourth with Adrian Archibald having a great ride into fifth just ahead of fellow veterans Farquhar and Ian Lougher. Dan Kneen retired on the penultimate lap and that allowed Michael Pearson, none the worse for a spill in the Supersport race, to take eighth ahead of Dean Harrison and Rob Barber.
