Briggs Equipment NW200: Runaway Supersport Win For Cooper

After a titanic Briggs Equipment Superbike race, more golden, engrossing racing looked a virtual guarantee as Supersport pilots took to the Triangle for their race opener.

Same as the SBK race, a four-lap distance was in prospect and making the sprightliest start was Davey Todd astride the Powertoolmate Ducati.

However, at York Corner, Adam McLean made an optimistic manoeuvre ending his and early race leader Todd’s race.

Pole sitter Richard Cooper jumped up to first followed by Michael Dunlop and Peter Hickman.

At lap one’s finalisation, Cooper enjoyed a 1.2 second lead over Dunlop who in turn was 0.453 in front of fellow Triumph pilot Hickman.

Michael Browne caught up in the York Corner incident, was back in fourteenth.

Lap two wise, nothing much altered between the top three with Cooper steadily opening-up a decent advantage.

As lap three dawned, Cooper headed Dunlop by a shade past three seconds.

Hickman occupied third with the great scrap for fourth led by three times Manx Grand Prix winner, Michael Evans.

Cooper’s stranglehold on P1 grew on lap three, moving almost 5.5 seconds clear of 119 times Irish road race victor Dunlop.

From here Nottingham’s Cooper produced a slick, professional, ice cool final lap to make it five Northwest 200 victories and give suitors Boyce Precision Engineering/Russell Racing their first Triangle course success.

Hickman via a well worked overtake at Church Corner placed second with Dunlop scoring another third-place finish.

Cork’s Browne fought his way back to fourth with fifth, sixth respectively attained by Jordan and Cummins.

Wrapping up the first ten finishers were Evans, Jeremy McWilliams, Gary McCoy, and Bathams Racing’s Craig Neve. Top newcomer, finishing a fine eleventh was Kevin Keyes.

NW200 – Fraser Homes Supersport Race Result:

1st – Richard Cooper

2nd – Peter Hickman

3rd – Michael Dunlop

4th – Michael Browne

5th – Paul Jordan

6th – Conor Cummins

7th – Michael Evans

8th – Jeremy McWilliams

9th – Gary McCoy

10th – Craig Neve

11th – Kevin Keyes

12th – Christian Elkin

13th – Dominic Herbertson

14th – Ian Hutchinson

15th – Barry Furber

16th – Marcus Simpson

17th – Emmet O’Grady

18th – Phil Stewart

19th – Brian McCormack

20th -Jacque Foley

21st – AJ Venter

22nd – Dan Ingham

23rd – Toby Shann

24th – Mauro Poncini

25th – Jonathan Goetschy

26th – Gareth Arnold

27th – Aaron Spence

28th – Sam Johnson

29th – Michael Gahan

30th – Paul Williams

31st – Dan Forbes

32nd – Josh Corner

33rd – Wayne Bourgeais

34th – Graham McAleese

35th – Adrian Harrison

36th – Yann Galli

37th – Craig Kennelly

38th – Gerald Dath

39th – Dennis Booth

40th – Darragh Trappe

41st – Sean McTaggart

42nd – Rad Hughes

43rd – Stephen Degnan

Photo credit: Derek Wilson

Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou