North West 200 Practice Day 2 Round-up
By Aaron O’Neill
Last updated 17th May 2018
Conditions for Thursday’s second practice session were much improved compared to what the riders experienced earlier in the week.
The Supertwins were the first machines to take to the 8.9 mile circuit on a sunbaked North Coast. Last year’s winner Martin Jessopp topped the timing sheets allowing him to secure pole position for the first Supertwin race. McAdoo Kawasaki duo Adam McLean and James Cowton rounded out the top 3 with McLean slipping off at Juniper Hill chicane in the closing stages.
In the Superstock class it was Alastair Seeley who set the fastest lap. The Carrickfergus man holds the record for the most number of wins at the North West and will be hoping to add to his 21 wins when racing gets underway.
Dean Harrison came in second on board his Silicone Engineering Kawasaki whilst Michael Dunlop and veteran Michael Rutter completed the top 4 on the BMW’s.
Seeley was again the man to beat in the Supersport class as his EHA Yamaha Racing R6 proved the machine to beat. Martin Jessopp wasn’t far off the pace with Dean Harrison rounding out the top 3.
Both Michael and William Dunlop were on the pace in the 600cc timing screens with Lee Johnston coming in to complete the top 6 onboard the Clive Padgett backed Honda.
The Superbike practice session was delayed due to an oil spill at the Magherabuoy chicane. Many of the riders remarked in the lack of adhesion at the Magherabuoy forcing event organisers to postpone the schedule until the track was deemed to be fit for purpose.
Michael Rutter and Glenn Irwin were the early pace setters before the session was halted however it is expected that the Tyco BMW’s of Dan Kneen, Alastair Seeley and Michael Dunlop will be up with the front runners.
Peter Hickman has endured a mixed back at the North West 200 to date and will be hoping for more success later in the week. The Lincolnshire rider has proved his worth on the roads however the Smith’s BMW mounted rider has struggled to get to grips with his machines so far.
With that in mind, attentions now turn to this evenings racing with Supersport, Supertwin and Superstock races on the calendar. Weather conditions are almost perfect and fans wait in anticipation to see if lap records will tumble and who can write their name in the history books at the 2018 event.