Round number two of the Bike Road Racing Series is the North West 200. Here are the highlights of that race as it happened. This is Ireland's largest motorsports event and Northern Ireland's largest sporting event.
Rider Stuart Easton was injured in a crash at the race last year in a big way. He does not remember the crash. He had a lot of injuries and considered retiring from racing, but, he watched some motorcycle races on TV and said, "I can't give this up." This track is nine miles in length and is near the sea. Some of it's complexities include the Mill Road roundabout, Station corner, University, Mather's Cross, and, Black Hill.
Super Stock is the first class to run in the race. This race will be six laps, 54 miles. At the start, every bike and rider is on full wet tires and they scramble for position. The bikes approach York Road corner for the first time in this event. Rider Ian Lougher really gets close to another bike through a curve. Remember, these races start with waves of bikes. The second wave is taking off now. Alistair Seeley leads Ryan Farquhar and Bruce Anstey right now. Anstey rides the Padgett's team Honda. Anstey closes on Farquhar. Seeley is a regular contender in the British Super Bike championship.
With standing water on the track, the bikes head to the McAlloy chicane. There's a long blast down a straight to a corner called Metropol. These bikes fly towards the Metropol at 180 miles an hour! Bruce Anstey makes a pass as Michael Dunlop runs wide into the corner. Ian Lougher loses another spot on his Kawasaki. Seeley continues to lead around the coast road. The Wilson Craig team mates (William Dunlop and Cameron Donald), battle each other for position. Ryan Farquhar passes Bruce Anstey who runs wide into a corner. Anstey almosts loses it again! Hang on tight to the bike, cowboy! Yikes! The bikes are starting to run in big packs now.
Ryan Farquhar is in hot pursuit of Alistair Seeley. Michael Dunlop may be in trouble. Not sure. Coming from the second wave, Michael Rutter has made his way into seventh position. Cameron Donald looks for a way by, but bike #4 of John McGuinness is a pick that they'll have to deal with. Lee Johnson gets loose on his Ducati because he's still trying to find traction on his rain tires. Johnson rides bike #18. Bruce Anstey has cut a corner and has to slow down as he approaches one of the marshals holding a stop sign. Actually, no. He's in pit lane. His race is over.
Ryan Farquhar leads the top three with Lee Johnson in third, braking late into a corner at a roundabout. Lee Johnston has an advantage over #86 ridden by Donald. But, Johnston almost crashes again at the Metropol. But, he stays on the bike. The riders return back to the coast road on this lap. Alistair Seeley is dominating this race. He won in this class at the North West 200 last year. Seeley does win this race, too. He had a 22 second gap over everyone else. It's the battle for the further positions that will be heating up now. The riders all come to the flag.
So, Seeley wins it followed home by Lee Johnston, Cameron Donald, Ryan Farquhar, and Italian rider Stefano Bonetti.
#34 Alastair Seeley Suzuki
This is the sixth win for Alastair Seeley in the North West 200.
The next race is on Thursday evening with the Super Twin class.
Adrian Archibald is on pole for this race. At the start, Ryan Farquhar wastes no time trying to pass Archibald down into the first corner in this evening race. These are the 650cc bikes. John Burrows makes his way through the field. Ian Lougher is in this race as well on bike #2, a Kawasaki. It's a three way fight for the lead between Jeremy McWilliams, Ryan Farquhar, and Adrian Archibald. Michael Rutter is also moving up through this field quickly as the track begins drying out.
Depending on what tire you're using, braking into University corner is going to be treacherous. James Hillier follows behind the Farquhar and McWilliams battle. Some riders are using two wet tires, others are using combinations of full wets and intermediates, full wets and drys, or intermediates all around. Slipstreaming is very important in this class as these 650cc machines push out only 85 to 90 horsepower. The top three make the run down the long straightaway and are slipping and sliding all over the track. Riders turn under a railroad bridge, and then onto the coast road.
This is Jeremy McWilliams' first start in the North West 200. Farquhar still leads with Archibald and McWilliams chasing as a gap opens between the top three. John Burrows is a retirement from this race on bike #16. Archibald is right beside McWilliams now. Who will successfully make a pass here? Farquhar keeps right on extending his lead. Michael Rutter still has James Hillier glued to his tail in a battle for third and fourth place. All the riders are trying to maintain traction through the Metropol. The top five riders are all on Kawasaki's. But the racing is absolutely spectacular.
Ian Lougher is gaining places after starting pretty much caboose on the field. McWilliams slides through, taking a position away. Ryan Farquhar actually builds some of these bikes which are modified versions of a Kawasaki called a KMR Kawasaki. Michael Rutter and James Hillier blow by Adrian Archibald. This is still a definitely scrap between Farquhar and McWilliams. The problem is that the conditions are in-between and not necessarily fully wet or dry. Ryan Farquhar wins this four lap race for Super Twins.
#77 Ryan Farquhar Kawasaki
Race one is now up for the Supersport class. On the pole will be Alastair Seeley. At the start, Seeley has a good getaway, but so does John McGuinness. He's right in the thick of it from the get go. Guy Martin sweeps into the lead having just rocketed off the line! Cameron Donald and Gary Johnson also move up quickly. Johnson will have to negotiate Ian Hutchinson up ahead. McGuinness and Martin are side by side into the hairpin. The second wave of riders sets off.
Ollie Linsdell is one of the major riders in this second group, aboard the #33 Yamaha. Linsdell had a huge accident along with Michael Dunlop at the Manx Grand Prix last year. This is a four way draft for the lead positions on a quick yet bumpy section of road. These 600cc Supersport bikes are flying right now. Gary Johnson runs onto an escape road. Fortunately, he will continue without gaining an advantage which is against the rules. The important thing on this track is to carry speed well out of the slower corners. John McGuinness is closing on Seeley and Dunlop into Metropol.
On the coast road, Linsdell is anxious to pass William Dunlop. McGuinness rode on a 600 Super Sport bike in World Superbike competition back in 2000 or so. There's a lot of dust on one part of the road. Weather conditions are good, but the track surface is not up to temperature just yet. The bikes appraoch the Millroad Roundabout another time. The bikes run flat out through Station corner which is considered the scariest corner in the Bike Road Racing Championship. William Dunlop is now pulling a gap on Alastair Seeley. Meanwhile, Bruce Anstey is trying to pass Cameron Donald.
Gary Johnson is looking for a piece of this action, too. William Dunlop is doing well on a 600 and has also been a superb rider on the large 1000cc bikes. Seeley is still pushing as some bikes approach an empty road. The bikes come to the McAlloy chicane. Coming back to Metropol, this is where the race can really start, coming to the front half of the track again. William Dunlop is opening up a gap on the rest of this field. The 600 bikes are pretty evenly matched, but William Dunlop's Wilson Craig Honda is in a class of it's own at least during this race.
Adrian Archibald is slowing on his Yamaha. His race appears to be run and he's a retirement from the North West 200. John McGuinness is starting to lose ground to Alastair Seeley. The race is halfway complete with three of six laps done. Actually, the riders are working the third lap. The riders make their way around the roundabout section. Seeley is still second into Mather's Cross. Gary Johnson closes on Cameron Donald and is closing fast. William Dunlop is running well, but he's never won at the North West 200 on a four stroke motorcycle. His success has only come riding two stroke machines.
Seeley cannot catch Dunlop. Johnson also is continually having a difficult time with chasing Cameron Donald. Laps are winding down coming back to the Mill Road roundabout. Gary Johnson continues to close. As for Alastair Seeley, he's used to doing just two races in a day. But at the North West 200, he is entered in five events. So, it could surely be a fatiguing race for him. Seeley flies once more through McElroy chicane. Gary Johnson could still close in on Cameron Donald. They are not in the lead battle by any means. But, it's still hard fought racing.
Seeley is right on top of Dunlop now. He closes in and Dunlop runs a little wide. Well, the commentators are wondering, "where the heck did he come from?!" Seeley takes the spot away. The red flag is out. This race is stopped. Well, this race is over. William Dunlop wins.
#6 William Dunlop Honda
Day two begins with the Super Bikes. Guy Martin won't start. It's a six lap race, but with nearly fifty bikes on the grid! Yikes!
At the start, John McGuinness gets the jump over everyone else on bike #4. There's jostling for position all over as the bikes sweep into the first corner for day two of the North West 200 going down Rose Hill into York. McGuinness is indeed the race leader. Bruce Anstey seems to be going well after starting from fifth. The second wave of riders is on the grid now, preparing for a start. Simon Andrews on bike #17 and John Burrows on #16 are ahead of this pack. Ollie Linsdell is passed by Welshman Paul Owen. Ian Lougher is right in the mix, too. Connor Cummins on the Tyco Suzuki is running well down the straightaway at 200 miles an hour in the lead draft.
At this point, the top three are Seeley, McGuinness, and Michael Rutter. Also, Ryan Farquhar has carved his way through this field like a hot knife through butter! He's in fifth after absolute being buried in the pack at the start. Michael Dunlop can get a tow from the bikes in front of him. On these long straights the motorcycles behave exactly like a race car would on an oval track or on a road course with a very long straight like here at the North West 200 or on the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans for example. They come into Mather's Cross for the first time. Riders want to be set up for braking at the 300 meter board and be able to apply the brakes at the 200 meter marker.
The bikes hit Macroboy checkpoint and come straight out of it. James Hillier battles with Cameron Donald. James Hillier and Gary Johnson are also in this fight. McGuinness and Seely battle for P1. They are pulling away from Rutter and Farquhar in third and fourth already. Seeley is running on settings dictated by British Superbike rules which means traction control has to be dialed back from it's full potential to keep costs down. Ryan Farquhar is catching Michael Rutter now. Onto lap two, it's a two way battle for the lead, a two way battle for third and fourth, and then, from fifth to about fifteenth, there's a huge scrum.
Rutter tries to outbrake Farquhar as they go down the fastest straight, side by side, crossing over the dotted line in the center of the road! Wow! Connor Cummins is running down Guy Martin. Into Mather's Cross again, Gary Johnson has passed Ian Hutchinson. Martin Jessopp is also ahead of Johnson. Farquhar is still working on Rutter. Through Metropol and Church, these guys are still going at it hammer and tongs. Paul Owen is going well on the 1000cc bike, despite the fact he's a 250cc Grand Prix bike specialist. Alastair Seeley has fallen behind somehow.
"The wee wizard" as he is called, Seeley has no chance of winning this race now, mired down in 14th place. John McGuinness has clear sailing in front of him. Seeley passes Cummins. Seeley is trying to pass William Dunlop through University corner. Seeley is a demon on the brakes and outbrakes Dunlop into the corner. But, that exuberance is short lived as Dunlop ditches his bike in a huge crash! Dunlop is OK. But it appears he's out of the race.
Cameron Donald is gaining positions. Michael Dunlop is in a serious battle with three other riders including Cameron Donald, Bruce Anstey, and others. A rider can take either of two lines into Metropol, but, one is easier to drive through and the other requires a bit more finesse. Rutter and Farquhar remain nose to tail. Seeley has made his way up to fourth now and could challenge for a podium spot. Dunlop and Donald are in a scrap for position, too. They were practically nose to nose for a short time. Donald and Dunlop still battle into York hairpin. Alastair Seeley passes Ryan Farquhar.
Farquhar wants to pass Seeley. Not sure if that'll work or not. Farquhar tries passing Seeley but can't as he goes too deep into the corner. Just a couple laps remain in this race. Connor Cummins is in fifth spot. He'll get a good finish in this one. Seeley is not going to get the record for most wins in a day at the North West 200. He'll finish well. But he isn't going to win the race. Michael Dunlop is too quick on approach to a chicane and straightlines it. Ryan Farquhar almost slides into the curb and gets away with it, stayin on the bike! Jeepers!
Farquhar is still being hounded by the green bike of Michael Rutter. Rutter manages to pass, taking the third spot away. Seeley has a big gap over Farquhar and Rutter while McGuinness has disappeared into the distance. Cameron Donald is now battling Ryan Farquhar into Mather's Cross. McGuinness looks like he's going to win this race with Seeley second. But the scrap for third is on with Chris Cummins and possibly Cameron Donald. McGuinness is going to win his sixth North West 200 trophy though. Cameron Donald does pass Michael Rutter for the last spot on the podium.
#4 John McGuinness Honda
The next race is the second Super Stock class event.
Farquhar has pole and most of the riders from Superbike will also ride this second Super Stock event. There will be a 30 second penalty assessed to one of the riders. Guy Martin and William Dunlop will not start this race because of earlier crashes. At the start, the battle is on immediately. Bruce Anstey gets a good start, but it's Ryan Farquhar who gets the jump and leads the field. The bikes race through York hairpin for the first time. The second wave gets a green light with John Burroughs fastest. Michael Rutter is also in that group.
Bruce Anstey holds down the third spot. Anstey wants to draft by Seeley. Will he let that happen? There's a three way battle for the lead and Farquhar somehow gets by both Seeley and Anstey as they were challenging him! Yikes! James Hillier is at the front of a group that has just gone up the coast road. Anstey has run off the road! Not good. He rejoins. But, there's no chance of him being able to win it now. Paul Owen is slowing on bike #98. It's Farquhar, Seeley, and Hillier who will battle it out for a victory in this race more than likely. Hillier leads Farquhar. Paul Owen is slowing. McGuinness and Donald are also back there.
Michael Rutter is now leading this event with Hillier and Farquhar battling it out for second. Rutter is ahead while Seeley and Farquhar are at war with each other. Rutter can afford to stay on cruise control. Now, James Hillier has somehow taken over the lead. Where's Rutter? Farquhar nearly touches Hillier! Oh boy! Farquhar motions at James Hillier for some reason or another. Seeley tries passing Farquhar but thinks better of it going into Metropol. Well, forget my previous question. Rutter still leads by a country mile. This battle of bikes is like a runaway express train. Farquhar almost chops Seeley into a chicane! Whoa!
Farquhar says to Seeley in essence, "alright sunshine, I've seen what you're doing. You're not going to get that by me." Farquhar wiggles the bike into York and holds on. Meanwhile, Rutter continues serenely in the lead. Alastair Seeley thinks he's passing Farquhar for the lead, but that isn't so. Seeley and Farquhar are racing, but Hillier passes both of them on the straight like they're standing still! Farquhar nearly smashes into Hillier! Eek! Seeley gets clear, but there's a crosswind on the circuit, upsetting the handling of these motorcycles. Hillier continues to thrash his bike for all it's worth.
Seeley takes the line into the corner that is smoother pavement. It was thought Alistair Seeley was going to win every race of the weekend. That won't happen. Michael Rutter is clearly the class of the field in this one. Michael Rutter gets the win!
#1 Michael Rutter Kawasaki
Rutter is now the second winningest rider at the North West 200 to the late, great, Joey Dunlop. Unfortunately, this race must end on a sad note. The red flag at the start of one of the races on the Saturday was for a crash involving rider Mark Buckley who was killed in the crash. He will be missed. Rest In Peace, Mark Buckley.
The riders move on next to the greatest road race of them all. It's the Isle of Man TT. Look for a race report here, in the near future.
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