By Thursday’s FonaCAB & Nicholl Oils North West 200 competition commenced at just past 10:00 AM, with focus on the second Super Twins qualifying session.
Overnight rain meant conditions weren’t 100 percent, for those hoping to make the most of the 45 minutes long session.
28 minutes into the session, pace setters were Lee Johnston, R7 Yamaha pilots Peter Hickman, Macau Motorcycle GP wins record holder Michael Rutter.
Johnson, Hickman, Rutter’s respective best lap speeds were (102.168), (102.123), (100.825).
Outright lap record holder Hickman, Ashcourt Racing’s Johnston would go onto record lap speeds exceeding 104 mph but had to soon give second, third best respectively to KMR Kawasaki’s Richard Cooper.
The Nottingham racer after only his second timed lap, lapped at 105.255 mph (5 minutes 06.797 seconds).
This proved enough for Cooper to top Q2 and thanks to his unofficial class lap record on Tuesday, take pole position for tonight’s Milltown Service Station Twins race opener.
With no one besting their leading times from Tuesday, the overall Super Twins qualifying top five sees Cooper followed by Jeremy McWilliams, Paul Jordan, Adam McLean and Michael Dunlop.
Super Twins second qualifying result, reads as follows:
1st – Richard Cooper – 5:06.797
2nd – Peter Hickman – 5:09.678
3rd – Lee Johnston – 5:09.837
4th – Christian Elkin – 5:17.170
5th – Michael Rutter – 5:18.395
6th – Barry Graham – 5:24.704
7th – Andy Hornby – 5:27.021
8th – Kris Duncan – 5:27.035
9th – Joe Loughlin – 5:27.638
10th – Gareth Arnold – 5:32.797
11th – Raul Torras Martinez – 5:33.328
12th – Dave Madsen Mygdal – 5:35.942
13th – Phil Stewart – 5:38.430
14th – Liam Chawke – 5:39.720
15th – Adam Child – 5:40.709
16th – Julian Trummer – 5:41.895
17th – Martin Morris – 5:42.110
18th – Dennis Booth – 5:42.788
19th – Francesco Curinga – 5:42.915
20th – Mark Johnson – 5:44.704
21st – RJ Woolsey – 5:47.905
22nd – Marc Colvin – 5:49.203
23rd – Ryan Whitehall – 6:02.087
24th – Brian Fuidge – 6:51.003
25th – Adam McLean – 7:24.100
26th – Gary McCoy – 7:54.285
27th – Jamie Williams – 11:24.003
28th – Brian McCormack – 16:29.442
29th – Cory West – 22:30.197
30th – Emmett O’Grady – 28:59.023
31st – Michael Sweeney – 29:07.932
32nd – Paul Jordan – 32:56.451
Photo credit: Tommy Vennard
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
