By Jumping up a level on the Triangle course, Kilham’s James Cowton on Saturday at the North West 200 joined a select group that he’s been tipped to join for multiple years, that of becoming an international road race winner.
The groundbreaking feat for the McAdoo Kawasaki racer was accomplished within a quite dramatic J M Paterson Super Twins race, which saw former Duke Road Race Rankings champion Cowton make a last gasp pass at Juniper Chicane on fellow Yorkshireman Joe Thompson, which proved the crucial factor in taking him to a first NW200, International roads success.
Speaking after the race, you could tell how much it meant to him and McAdoo Kawasaki team owner Winston McAdoo, who couldn’t praise James enough after his momentous performance.
Photo by Rod Neill
Outside of Super Twins race 2 honours, plus contending throughout for victory in the opening twins race, additional highlights of his sixth North West 200 expedition included a brace of solid ninth place finishes in the six lap Supersport races.
1000cc encounters wise, it proved a challenging week of competition for the now three times event rostrum finisher with a best finish of 18th within the second Superstock encounter.
Despite the tough times endured in terms of 1000cc action, nothing could take away from the fact that this years North West 200 was unquestionably his most memorable international roads event to date, just simply due to the fact that he secured a long awaited first win at one of pure road racing’s premier meetings.
James doesn’t have long till he’s back in international roads action, as TT 2018 gets underway on Saturday with the opening Supersport, Lightweight practice sessions.
Words by Stevie Rial
