By Rounding off this evening’s Briggs Equipment Northwest 200 races plethora, was the Amici Ristorante Superstock clash.
At nigh-on 7:45 PM, machines vaulted away from the start-line.
Opening race stages saw Davey Todd get the hammer down, open as lap two beckoned a lead of 2.143 seconds over a rejuvenated Ian Hutchinson (MLav Racing BMW), with Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK), Michael Dunlop (MD Racing BMW) in close vicinity.
Previous race winner Dunlop, soon struck the sweet spot again, eating into Todd’s lead throughout lap two.
By the time lap three arose, Dunlop now second, had moved to within 0.579 of Monster Energy 8TEN Racing BMW’s Todd.
Todd’s grip on race proceedings ended by University Corner on lap three, running straight on, having just been passed by Dunlop.
Towards lap three’s end Dunlop lapping in the low 4:20’s, had opened a near 0.9 of a second advantage over new second place carrier, Harrison, following Todd’s misfortune at university.
For Harrison, runner-up in the opening Superbike race, it was ultimately another NW200 victory near miss, having to settle for second as Dunlop controlled in textbook fashion the fourth, final lap.
At the finishing line, Dunlop clenching his fist, nearing record-breaking Superstock pace, made it seven NW200 wins in total.
For many though, the ride of the race, given all he’s been through over the past eight years was from third place finisher Ian Hutchinson. Visibly emotional, you could tell how much it meant to him post-race.
Todd regrouped to finish fourth ahead of team-mate Peter Hickman, who lost time at Magherabuoy Chicane on lap one.
Josh Brookes claimed his best finish of the evening, scoring sixth, Conor Cummins pocketed seventh whilst fellow IOM rider, Dafabet Racing’s Michael Evans impressed in beating to eighth, John McGuinness MBE and Paul Jordan.
Amici Ristorante Superstock Race Result:
1st – Michael Dunlop
2nd – Dean Harrison
3rd – Ian Hutchinson
4th – Davey Todd
5th – Peter Hickman
6th – Josh Brookes
7th – Conor Cummins
8th – Michael Evans
9th – John McGuinness MBE
10th – Paul Jordan
11th – Michael Sweeney
12th – Erno Kostamo
13th – Marcus Simpson
14th – Sam West
15th – David Johnson
16th – Maurizio Bottalico
17th – Amalric Blanc
18th – Phil Crowe
19th – Laurent Hoffmann
20th – Jonathan Goetschy
21st – Luca Gottardi
22nd – Ryan Gibson
23rd – Jonathan Perry
24th – Aaron Spence
25th – Ryan Whitehall
26th – Barry Furber
27th – Dean McMaster
28th – Andrea Majola
29th – Marty Lennon
30th – Eddy Ferre
31st – Graham McAleese
32nd – Sean McTaggart
33rd – Martin Morris
34th – Stephane Bednarek
35th – David Brook
36th – Darryl Anderson
37th – Liam Chawke
38th – Jean Pierre Polet
39th – Michael Gahan
40th – Tiziano Rosati
41st – Emil Krchnavy
42nd – Wayne Bourgeais
43rd – Stephen Degnan
44th – Brad Clarke
Photo credit: Derek Wilson
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
