By Seven times NW200 winner Richard Cooper, feels in a decent position to fight for Superstock race triumphs with SMS/Nicholl Oils team’s BMW (M1000RR model) post constructive Bishopscourt, Kirkistown based tests.
“Me and the team left Kirkistown very, very happy. The biggest thing was adapting to the speed of the BMW having not ridden a 1000cc bike since 2022.
It was a big shock to the system after racing the smaller bikes, but I felt comfortable.”
Already within his career hauling over 110 TT starts, John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing UK) is set to reach 100 NW200 starts this week.
Outlining his love for the traditional opening roads ‘Major’ of each season, which he has participated in for four decades, ‘JM130’ stated:
“It is an event that keeps on giving for me, one I still look forward to coming to, bang on top of the calendar.
The teammates I’ve had, the laughs we’ve had, the tears and the pain too. I’ve been in tons of ding-dong races where I could have won but I’ve ended up sixth.
I’ve won a few and arguably been in the hunt to win a few more that we didn’t. But to win six around here is hard work.”
62 years young, Jeremy McWilliams, deputising for 2024 IRRC Supersport Championship runner-up Adam McLean on both the Flitwick Motorcycles-SMV R7 Yamaha, CD Racing-MSS Performance 636 Kawasaki, openly stated recently the reason why he continues to tackle the NW200:
“It is because I am still competitive. That’s really it. We come with friends and have a good week up on the coast and there is nowhere like it when the sun is shining.
The atmosphere around the Northwest is unlike anywhere else in the world. It is a really- special place but if I wasn’t competitive, I would go and do something else because I would hate to be here and not be racing.”
2025 Senior Manx Grand Prix winner Caomhan Canny is a confirmed non-starter, due to sustaining shoulder issues after an incident within the Open Invitational race at Cookstown.
Another confirmed non-starter is nine-times NW200 winner Davey Todd, declared unfit following a medical check-up via the NW200 Chief Medical Officer.
Todd was hoping to make his racing return, having been on the sidelines since a major incident at the Daytona 200.
Quotes courtesy of Stephen Davison.
Photo credit: Tommy Vennard
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
