North West 200: Momentous Super Twins Triumph For ‘Bonny’

North West 200: Momentous Super Twins Triumph For ‘Bonny’

A quite brilliant evening of race action at the 90th anniversary North West 200, culminated in a quite tumultuous way as Stefano Bonetti secured MCL Insure Tech Super Twin race honours, in the process becoming the first racer from Italy to have emerged victorious on the fabled Triangle course.

Piloting his privateer VAS Engine Racing Paton, ‘Bonny’ who’s featured strongly in the Lightweight TT’s of recent times, voyage to class honours, began with him providing stiff opposition to early pace setter Jeremy McWilliams.

McWilliams who was given special dispensation to compete, having completed just two laps in the Twins qualifying sessions, quickly opened up a plus half second advantage, which grew to just over 0.9 of a second at the end of lap 1.

Lap two saw the multi NW200 race winner, keeping at bay Italian star Bonetti, prior to crashing out of the race lead at Mathers Chicane.

This elevated Bonetti into the race lead, who at the time was closely followed by Duke Road Race Rankings leader Derek McGee.

By lap three though, the leading duo of Bonetti and McGee, were been reeled in quickly by KTS Racing’s in form Jamie Coward.

Photo by Rod Neill

Whilst Bonetti maintained the race lead on lap three, it was all change for second, as Coward with a bold move at Mathers Chicane slotted into second.

McGee now down to third, by the end of lap three was a retirement, with a sudden technical problem afflicting his KMR Kawasaki steed.

Onto the fourth and final lap, and after the drama, drama and more drama before hand, you just knew a compelling, momentous finish was in prospect, as Bonetti and Coward battled it out for what would be for either, maiden International Road Race, North West 200 victories.

Photo by Road Racing Daily

Both giving it everything in pursuit of race victory, it was European hill climb front runner Bonetti who found the pace when needed, to ultimately claim class spoils by just under 0.6 of a second.

Race runner up Coward, was gracious in defeat, and heaped praise a plenty on suitors KTS Racing, who have provided him with a quite potent ER6 Kawasaki.

Michael Rutter finalised the podium finishers, whilst lead newcomer James Chawke, Horst Saiger and another Italian star Francesco Curinga, all enjoyed impressive rides on route to respective fourth, fifth, sixth place finishes.

Rounding out the top ten finishers were Victor Lopez Santos, Team ILR’s Carl Phillips, Preston’s Darren Cooper and Welshman Matt Rees.

Others to secure very creditable finishes included Joe Loughlin (11th), Garth Woods (14th), Bruce Birnie (16th), William Hara (17th) and NW200 stalwart Sandy Berwick (18th).

North West 200: MCL Insure Tech Super Twins race results, are as follows:

1 Stefano Bonetti
2 Jamie Coward
3 Michael Rutter
4 James Chawke
5 Horst Saiger
6 Francesco Curinga
7 Victor Lopez Santos
8 Carl Phillips
9 Darren Cooper
10 Matt Rees
11 Joe Loughlin
12 Matt Sadowski
13 Maria Costello MBE
14 Garth Woods
15 Michael Rees
16 Bruce Birnie
17 William Hara
18 Sandy Berwick
19 Mark Shields

Words by Stevie Rial

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