By Wet conditions all-round remained for the six-lap Turkington Superstock race, which would not feature pole-sitter Glenn Irwin, who elected not to take part due to the course conditions.
Added notable non-starters were Irwin’s Honda Racing team-mate John McGuinness MBE and fellow countrymen, Ashcourt Racing’s Lee Johnston, 19 times TT victor Michael Dunlop.
Despite the high-profile absentees from the grid, the race action wasn’t any less spectacular, intriguing.
Fresh from taking a 25th NW200 triumph, IFS Global Logistics Yamaha mounted Alastair Seeley, jumped into the race lead at York Hairpin on lap one.
By the time racers reached University Corner, Milenco by Padgetts Davey Todd had taken the lead off Seeley.
Soon Seeley was back in front, overhauling the UK’s second IRRC Champion Todd.
As lap one concluded, the front three Seeley, Todd, Buildbase Suzuki’s Richard Cooper were almost ten seconds ahead of fourth placed Conor Cummins.
Lap two would see Seeley continuing to keep a grip on the race, keeping at bay the attentions of Todd.
Post lap two’s finalisation, Seeley was four seconds ahead of Todd, who in turn was only 0.27 clear of Cooper.
Seeley continued to extend his lead over Todd on lap three, with the advantage standing at mid race distance exceeding 5.1 seconds.
Seeley never looked back from here, enjoying as he took the chequered flag at the end of the sixth and final lap, a race winning advantage of almost thirteen seconds.
It’s his 26th NW200 victory, yes you read that right, another historic moment for the Carrickfergus racer.
Behind Seeley, Todd recorded his second successive 2nd place finish whilst top Suzuki pilot Cooper rounded out the podium finishers.
Manxman Cummins took fourth, Michael Rutter aboard the Bathams Racing BMW occupied fifth whilst Marty Lennon finished a fine sixth.
Wrapping up the top ten in an attrition filled race, with just 21 finishers in total were BSB points finisher Carl Phillips, Milwaukee BMW Motorrad’s Ian Hutchinson, Brough’s Michael Booth and Italian star Stefano Bonetti.
Turkington Superstock race result, reads as follows:
1st – Alastair Seeley
2nd – Davey Todd
3rd – Richard Cooper
4th – Conor Cummins
5th – Michael Rutter
6th – Marty Lennon
7th – Carl Phillips
8th – Ian Hutchinson
9th – Michael Booth
10th – Stefano Bonetti
11th – Sam West
12th – Lukas Maurer
13th – Mark Purslow
14th – Paul Williams
15th – Josh Daley
16th – Kris Duncan
17th – Ilja Caljouw
18th – Jean Pierre Polet
19th – Olivier Lupberger
20th – Brad Clarke
21st – Patricia Fernandez
Photo credit: Rod Neill
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
