Robert Dunlop was one of road-racing's most successful competitors with numerous TT and NW 200 victories.
Motorcycle racing lost one of its most iconic figures yesterday. Robert Dunlop, 47, died in hospital shortly after crashing during practice for the North West 200 road race in Northern Ireland. Dunlop, from Ballymoney, was one of the world’s most successful road racers, with a record number of victories at the North West event. His death comes eight years after his brother Joey died in a racing accident.
Speaking on the BBC website, Liam Beckett, a mechanic of Dunlop’s, expressed the sense of loss felt:
“I am just numb. People will be waking up to the news that Ballymoney has lost another of its favourite sons. It is a dagger in the heart for us all.”
After cutting his teeth on short circuits Dunlop made his first foray into road racing in 1979. His ability soon became evident and he soon became a regular winner, including a victory on his first visit to the Manx Grand Prix in 1983.
Throughout the eighties Dunlop raced a wide variety of bikes, both on short circuits and in road races. Among his achievements was an unprecedented eight victories at the Cookstown 100. Demonstrating his adaptability he also claimed victory in the famous Macau Grand Prix.
Like all road racers, Dunlop’s ultimate goal was to win at the Isle of Man TT. He achieved this in 1989 and went on to record a further four victories on the island. It was there in 1994 that Dunlop suffered a life-threatening accident. Despite extensive injuries and a long rehabilitation he returned to racing in 1996, but with certain restrictions. He would only be allowed to compete on 125cc machines.
Undaunted, Dunlop went on to take several Irish 125cc titles and continued to compete in road racing. He suffered a set back in 2000 when his older brother Joey was killed at a minor race in Estonia. Joey Dunlop had established himself as the undisputed master of the Isle of Man, taking a remarkable 26 TT victories on the mountain circuit.
For the 2008 North West 200 Dunlop was finally back on a 250cc bike. The machine appears to have seized at approximately 160 mph. Another rider, Darren Burns, was also involved in the accident. He is currently in a stable condition in hospital.
Dunlop’s death comes less than two weeks after Martin Finnegan’s fatal accident at the Tandragee 100. Motorcycle road racing is an inherently dangerous occupation but the close-knit community will be shocked after losing two of its best riders in quick succession. Robert Dunlop leaves his wife Louise and sons Michael, William and Daniel.
