William Dunlop at Sunflower Trophy

William Dunlop described his first outing at the weekend on the Wilson Craig Superstock Honda as the best big bike that he had ever ridden.

Dunlop, who raced to 7th place in the second Superbike Race at Bishopscourt on Saturday, said the bike was like a 250 machine to ride, and he knows that with more time on it, he could battle up front at the big three Internationals in a Superstock Race.

William who opted not to compete in the main event for the Sunflower Trophy, managed to produce his best ever lap around Bishopscourt, breaking into the 1m8s bracket in race two, but Williams luck evaded him in the smaller two stroke class's where he was riding the Delaney 125 Honda, and the D&GW Racing 250cc Honda.

William Dunlop:  "I am very pleased with how things have panned out over the weekend.  The Wilson Craig Honda Superstock bike was simply awesome.....the best big bike that I have ever ridden.  It was just like riding a 250, and no matter what happens in 2011, I will be riding a Honda in the Senior class.    I am extremely grateful to Wilson Craig for giving me the chance to ride it at the Sunflower, and I hope that I have shown that with a competitive bike, that I can run with most out there.  People have no idea just how hard those lads are riding those big Superbikes....they are doing it week in week out, and the speed of the likes of Brian McCormick and Mark Johnston's bikes where really impressive.    I managed to take 11th in the first Superbike Race where I got into the 1m 10s bracket, so I was fairly happy even with that.    Unfortunately things did not go my way in the smaller class's.  My wee 125 just did not have the speed of the front runners who where lapping nearly two seconds quicker than me, but I managed to take 6th place in race one.   In race two, I was in such a hurry to get out that I cold seized the bike, which pitched me off, thankfully unhurt, but it was my own fault.   I looked on course to be in for a third place finish in the first 250cc race, only to run out of fuel on the last lap which was a bit of an embarrassment, and in race two I just pulled in as I didn't have the speed to sit with the likes of Mark Hanna and Paul Robinson.   All in all, I am really happy about how we got on, so hopefully I will be considered by Wilson Craig in 2011.

Pictures by Alan Armstrong.