UGP: Victory for Martin as Dunlop bites dust

Guy Martin seized his first major international victory of 2012 in a dramatic Superbike race after Michael Dunlop crashed on the penultimate lap.

Tyco Suzuki's Martin and Dunlop on his Honda Fireblade had been contesting the lead when the young Ulsterman lost the front end on lap six of seven at the hairpin.

That left Martin out on his own and he wrapped up victory in the main Ulster Grand Prix Superbike race by a significant margin over Gary Johnson on Clive Padgett's Honda.

Manx rider Conor Cummins took third to make it two Tyco Suzuki machines on the rostrum as he crossed the line in a comfortable third place from Bruce Anstey on the second of Padgett's Honda machines.

Martin, who was also a winner in the Superbike class at Dundrod in 2011, was toasting his eighth career triumph at the Ulster GP.

The popular Lincolnshire rider has a superb record at Dundrod, where he won four races in a day on the AIM Yamaha machines in 2006.

Martin was always prominent in the race, leading for most of the first five laps until Dunlop came through to put the English star under pressure.

Dunlop took the lead at the start of the sixth lap but Martin forced his way back to the front at Joey's Windmill.

As the flying duo approached the hairpin for the penultimate time, Dunlop appeared to tuck the front end of his Honda, leaving Martin in the clear.

Dunlop is nursing a sore back after suffering two slipped discs last month.

He passed a medical after his crash and will compete in the final two races of the day, the second Supersport and Superbike events.