Later years

Joey Dunlop’s total of 13 wins was eventually bettered by his brother Robert who took 15, although it’s now Seeley who is considered the course specialist with a commanding 24 victories.

Further course changes have taken place at Mill Road (the roundabout now is one of the slowest parts of the track) and in 1996, a third chicane was added at Magherabuoy, designed to slow riders on the high, and long, speed run from the roundabout to the Metropole.

The tragic death of Robert Dunlop in 2008 – which led to an emotionally charged victory for son Michael less than 48 hours later – and also of Markyoung the following year, led to the introduction of a fourth chicane in 2010 at Mather’s Cross, in order to reduce speeds at the corner.

The course now measures 8.97 miles and, despite the chicanes, the lap record still stands at an impressive 123.207mph with Bruce Anstey now the quickest through the speed trap on the high speed run to University at a colossal 209.2mph.

One of the ‘Bigthree’ International road races in the UK, one can only wonder what the lap record would be if the old course of the 1970s was still in use…