By Just one race to go, the one they all want to win, the feature, Merrow Hotel & Spa Superbike race.
The anticipated main challengers, all looked fairly-calm on the grid as the minutes ticked down towards race lift-off.
Making up for a below par start, pre-race favourite for many, Michael Dunlop was up to third on lap two behind Dean Harrison and Davey Todd.
By the time it was lap three, roughly two seconds covered the lead group.
The race lead battle, continued to intensify, Harrison gained P1, Todd got it back, Dunlop ominously was closing in.
With three laps still to take place, under half a second separated Todd, Dunlop now into second and Harrison.
Then drama on lap four as Dunlop post gaining the race-lead, retired at Mather’s Chicane.
This left Todd (8TEN Racing BMW) and Harrison (Honda Racing UK) to duke it out for one of pure road racing’s biggest prizes.
Dunlop’s retirement, upped Alastair Seeley to third with Ian Hutchinson, Josh Brookes, John McGuinness MBE fourth, fifth, sixth as the sixth, final lap beckoned.
As we neared the race’s conclusion, the race was red flagged, following a Quarry Hill located incident.
Results went back to the end of lap five, meaning second for Harrison, NW200 victory no.9 for Todd and a first feature SBK success.
Seeley (44th NW200 podium finish), Hutchinson, Brookes, McGuinness MBE completed the top six with Erno Kostamo, Michael Rutter, Conor Cummins, top Kawasaki pilot David Johnson seventh to tenth.
Merrow Hotel & Spa Superbike Race Result:
1st – Davey Todd
2nd – Dean Harrison
3rd – Alastair Seeley
4th – Ian Hutchinson
5th – Josh Brookes
6th – John McGuinness MBE
7th – Erno Kostamo
8th – Michael Rutter
9th – Conor Cummins
10th – David Johnson
11th – Mitch Rees
12th – Sam West
13th – Amalric Blanc
14th – Laurent Hoffmann
15th – Jonathan Perry
16th – Eddy Ferre
17th – Ryan Whitehall
18th – Aaron Spence
19th – Marty Lennon
20th – Don Gilbert
21st – Stephane Bednarek
22nd – Darryl Anderson
23rd – Jean Pierre Polet
24th – Dermot Cleary
25th – Wayne Bourgeais
26th – Liam Chawke
27th – Craig Kennelly
Photo credit: Derek Wilson
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
