Following an action-packed Open Superbike race, won by Erno Kostamo, it was IRRC Supersport Race 1 time at Finland’s Northwest 200, Southern 100 equivalent, Imatranajo.
A breathless, record-breaking middleweight class encounter saw Niko Lehtiranta pip Performance Racing Achterhoek’s Adam McLean (0.868 – race winning margin) to race spoils after the pair between them, broke Pauli Pekkanen’s previous existing lap-record across laps four to eight.
Whilst the race win went to Lehtiranta, the new outright Supersport lap-record crown went to Tobermore’s McLean, lapping post lap eights’ optimisation, at 1 minute 55.283 seconds.
The 2022 Steve Henshaw Gold Cup winner also took full points in terms of IRRC series competitors with above-showcased race winner Lehtiranta, ineligible for points, due to being an event wildcard.
Niko Tanskanen completed the rostrum, having overhauled long-term P3 holder, twice TT winner Gary Johnson.
Petr Najman attained fifth behind ‘AKA Driver’, Marek Cerveny bagged sixth.
Romain Cleaz Savoyen edged Ilja Caljouw for eighth as Mauro Poncini, Sebastian Frotscher wrapped up the top ten finishers.
Remaining finishers from the ten-lap race, were as follows:
Karel Brandtner (11th), Thomas Wendel (12th), Never Be Clever Racing’s Rhys Hardisty (13th), Juho Kantola (14th), Nicolas Therouin (15th), Jyri Kuosa (16th).
Peter Lionel (17th), Miika Viiperi (18th), Wesley Ankersmid (19th), Erik Kjuus (20th), Erno Kivimaki (21st), Olli Konttinen (22nd).
Osvaldas Lazdauskas (23rd), Mike Mace (24th), Brian Fuidge (25th), Roman Bocek (26th).
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou