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Robert Dunlop
Stephen Robert Dunlop (25 November 1960 – 15 May 2008) was a Northern Irish motorcycle racer. He was the younger brother of fellow road racer Joey Dunlop and the father of racers William Dunlop and Michael Dunlop. Like his brother, Dunlop died after a crash, suffering fatal chest injuries during practice for the North West 200 in May 2008. His son William also died in a crash during practice at the Skerries 100 in Dublin in July 2018.
After an apprenticeship on short circuits, the teenage Dunlop made his road race debut at the 1979 Temple 100. His first appearance at the Cookstown 100 came in 1980, riding a 347 cm3 Yamaha. His first professional race, where he was fully sponsored was at Aghadowey in 1981.
Dunlop then began a record-breaking run at the Cookstown 100, where his first win came in the 1985 250 cm3 race. Riding an ECM, he averaged 88.57 mph to take the chequered flag ahead of Gary Cowan (EMC) and Noel Hudson (Rotax). His most successful year was 1987 when he scooped the prestigious "Man of the Meeting", winning 125 cm3, 350 cm3 and 1000 cm3 races. Four more 125 cm3 victories followed in 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1993; a total of eight victories in the event.
He won the Macau Grand Prix in 1989 on a Honda 500, beating Phillip McCallen and Steve Hislop, both on Honda 750's.
In 1990 he joined the JPS Norton racing team on the RCW588, which was powered by a Wankel engine. On short circuits Dunlop notched one of the three MCN Supercup wins, the other two by Terry Rymer. Dunlop notched a double in Ireland's North West 200 and finished third in the F1 Isle of Man TT.
In 1994, Dunlop suffered a major accident on the Isle of Man Formula One TT, when the back wheel of his 750 cm3 Honda RC45 collapsed in a long left turn, just after he took the jump over Ballaugh Bridge. Dunlop suffered multiple injuries and was lucky to have survived the high-speed crash. A long stay in hospital, followed by protracted recuperation, meant Dunlop was out of action for the remainder of 1994 and all of 1995.
Many believed that Dunlop's racing career was over, and he was left with severe tendon damage which restricted movement, and a shortened leg from the accident. Afterwards accepting his injuries and resultantly restricting his competition entries from then on to the 125 cm3 class, Dunlop was determined to return. Dunlop chose the Cookstown 100 on 20 April 1996, and although still not fully fit, took ninth place in the 125 cm3 race won by brother Joey. He was never to win the main Cookstown 100 race again, but returned every year in the 125 cm3 class: 3rd in 1997, 4th in 1998, 3rd in 2002 and 2nd in 2004.
Subject to severe insurance restrictions and costs due to his continual pain and deteriorating condition of his leg, and even questions in the Northern Ireland Assembly, on 16 December 2003 Dunlop announced that he would quit motorcycle racing after the 2004 season. Dunlop announced that he was hoping to win the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 before he quit, and that he intended to focus on his sons, William and Michael, and pass his motorcycling experience to them. Robert continued racing until his retirement at the 2004 Isle of Man TT races.
Robert Dunlop
Stephen Robert Dunlop (25 November 1960 – 15 May 2008) was a Northern Irish motorcycle racer. He was the younger brother of fellow road racer Joey Dunlop and the father of racers William Dunlop and Michael Dunlop. Like his brother, Dunlop died after a crash, suffering fatal chest injuries during practice for the North West 200 in May 2008. His son William also died in a crash during practice at the Skerries 100 in Dublin in July 2018.
After an apprenticeship on short circuits, the teenage Dunlop made his road race debut at the 1979 Temple 100. His first appearance at the Cookstown 100 came in 1980, riding a 347 cm3 Yamaha. His first professional race, where he was fully sponsored was at Aghadowey in 1981.
Dunlop then began a record-breaking run at the Cookstown 100, where his first win came in the 1985 250 cm3 race. Riding an ECM, he averaged 88.57 mph to take the chequered flag ahead of Gary Cowan (EMC) and Noel Hudson (Rotax). His most successful year was 1987 when he scooped the prestigious "Man of the Meeting", winning 125 cm3, 350 cm3 and 1000 cm3 races. Four more 125 cm3 victories followed in 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1993; a total of eight victories in the event.
He won the Macau Grand Prix in 1989 on a Honda 500, beating Phillip McCallen and Steve Hislop, both on Honda 750's.
In 1990 he joined the JPS Norton racing team on the RCW588, which was powered by a Wankel engine. On short circuits Dunlop notched one of the three MCN Supercup wins, the other two by Terry Rymer. Dunlop notched a double in Ireland's North West 200 and finished third in the F1 Isle of Man TT.
In 1994, Dunlop suffered a major accident on the Isle of Man Formula One TT, when the back wheel of his 750 cm3 Honda RC45 collapsed in a long left turn, just after he took the jump over Ballaugh Bridge. Dunlop suffered multiple injuries and was lucky to have survived the high-speed crash. A long stay in hospital, followed by protracted recuperation, meant Dunlop was out of action for the remainder of 1994 and all of 1995.
Many believed that Dunlop's racing career was over, and he was left with severe tendon damage which restricted movement, and a shortened leg from the accident. Afterwards accepting his injuries and resultantly restricting his competition entries from then on to the 125 cm3 class, Dunlop was determined to return. Dunlop chose the Cookstown 100 on 20 April 1996, and although still not fully fit, took ninth place in the 125 cm3 race won by brother Joey. He was never to win the main Cookstown 100 race again, but returned every year in the 125 cm3 class: 3rd in 1997, 4th in 1998, 3rd in 2002 and 2nd in 2004.
Subject to severe insurance restrictions and costs due to his continual pain and deteriorating condition of his leg, and even questions in the Northern Ireland Assembly, on 16 December 2003 Dunlop announced that he would quit motorcycle racing after the 2004 season. Dunlop announced that he was hoping to win the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 before he quit, and that he intended to focus on his sons, William and Michael, and pass his motorcycling experience to them. Robert continued racing until his retirement at the 2004 Isle of Man TT races.