By Post this afternoon’s protracted qualifying sessions, the FonaCAB & Nicholl Oils North West 200 race opener, the Strain Engineering Supersport race officially sped into fruition at 6:03 PM.
Best off the start-line was Alastair Seeley and the exotic Powertoolmate/Milwaukee Ducati.
Seeley didn’t hold P1 for long though as Milenco by Padgetts Davey Todd, slotted into first.
Todd continued to lead at the Mill Road Roundabout but then the race was red-flagged following a two-rider incident.
Once racing re-started over the full-six lap distance, 27 times NW200 winner Seeley again got the hole-shot.
At York Corner, 2022 ‘King of The Roads’ winner Todd had eased into first.
Next it was Boyce Precision Engineering/Russell Racing’s Richard Cooper to take to the front.
By Black Hill Todd was back to P1, which he only maintained briefly, with Cooper quick to reassert his authority.
As lap one concluded, the top six was Cooper, Todd, Hickman, Dunlop, Seeley, Harrison.
Overtakes, overtakes and overtakes arose on lap two but out-front Cooper was efficiently holding sway.
Cooper held a narrow respective 0.110, 0.157 advantage over Dunlop, Hickman as lap two came to its’ conclusion.
Onto lap three and the battle royal for class spoils continued in earnest.
1.363 separated the top six as lap four beckoned with newly fourth placed Seeley, setting the quickest lap, 4 minutes 36.483 seconds.
Nottingham’s Cooper maintained P1 across lap four whilst reigning ‘King of The Roads’ Champion Todd by Portstewart had regained second.
At York Corner, changes a plenty arrived with Dunlop getting the better of Cooper for first, which he maintained towards the opening of the fifth and penultimate lap.
This truly was anyone’s race, Cooper, Dunlop, Todd, Seeley, Harrison, Hickman, nothing in it across lap five.
Lap five ended with Ducati exponent Seeley striking P1 in front of Cooper, Todd and Supersport TT lap record holder Dunlop.
Had Seeley unlocked the magic potion to enable a 28th NW200 success? Answers to this and tens of more questions would soon be known.
Todd led then Cooper led, then Todd led again as Magherabuoy Chicane dawned.
Onto York corner and had Todd timed his push for glory, perfectly?
The answer was yes despite a new Supersport lap record from Seeley.
After all those near misses last year, Davey Todd had at last secured a second North West 200 race win.
Joining Todd, Seeley on the podium was long term race leader Cooper with six plate holder Dunlop placing fourth.
Harrison, Hickman took fifth, sixth, JMcC Roofing Racing’s Adam McLean bagged seventh whilst positions eighth to tenth were swooped by Paul Jordan, 2021 IRRC Supersport Champion Pierre Yves Bian and Manx hero Conor Cummins.
NW200 – Strain Engineering Supersport Race Result:
1st – Davey Todd
2nd – Alastair Seeley
3rd – Richard Cooper
4th – Michael Dunlop
5th – Dean Harrison
6th – Peter Hickman
7th – Adam McLean
8th – Paul Jordan
9th – Pierre Yves Bian
10th – Conor Cummins
11th – Jeremy McWilliams
12th – Craig Neve
13th – Christian Elkin
14th – Gary McCoy
15th – Michael Sweeney
16th – Darryl Tweed
17th – Stefano Bonetti
18th – Jamie Williams
19th – Brian McCormack
20th – James Chawke
21st – Julian Trummer
22nd – Kris Duncan
23rd – Don Gilbert
24th – Toby Shann
25th – Mark Conlin
26th – Neil Kernohan
27th – Dennis Booth
28th – Patricia Fernandez West
29th – Rad Hughes
30th – Brian Fuidge
Photo credit: Tommy Vennard
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
