FIRST GLIMPSE: Northern Irish racer Michael Dunlop got his first look at the Cemetery Circuit during a fleeting visit to Whanganui yesterday. PHOTO/Paul Brooks
FIRST GLIMPSE: Northern Irish racer Michael Dunlop got his first look at the Cemetery Circuit during a fleeting visit to Whanganui yesterday. PHOTO/Paul Brooks
Thirteen-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop gained his first taste of Whanganui and the notorious Cemetery Circuit during a fleeting visit yesterday.
The Northern Irish rider is widely regarded as the best street racer on the globe and at first glimpse Dunlop said while a tad tighter thanhe normally enjoys, the circuit should hold no fears.
Dunlop and his partner Stacey Hutchinson were immediately taken by the heat on arrival in New Zealand as they drove down the North Island on their way to his first race at Manfield this weekend where will make his Suzuki Series debut.
Dunlop "had a bit of a play" at Taupo during round one practice day last Saturday but was unable to get official clearance from his insurers to race on Sunday.
There will be no such obstacles to overcome this coming weekend, or at Whanganui on Boxing Day and Dunlop said he was extremely keen to get into the thick of the action.
"I'm really looking forward to it, although obviously the heat here is a big thing. We're not used to this sort of heat in Ireland," Dunlop laughed.
"This is like a heat-wave for me. At home we're more used to rain. "I'm under no illusion as to how quick these riders in New Zealand are. There's horses for courses and I don't do a lot of short circuit races. I don't think I'm going to come here and easily beat people.
"Hopefully I'm a fast learner. I much prefer the longer courses and I gather Whanganui has a 49 or 50-second lap time, so hopefully it won't take me too long to sort out where I'm going."
Dunlop also holds the Isle Of Man lap record clocking 16min 52sec.
"I've been in the country only a couple of days now and I've already driven a couple of thousand kilometres. I've been fortunate to get this opportunity to come out here, so I want to see as much of New Zealand as I can while I'm here."
He will ride a GSR1000 on loan from Suzuki New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Suzuki Series organiser Allan "Flea" Willacy said the discounted early bird tickets were selling for $25 now at the i-Site in Whangnaui right up until Boxing Day.
