59 replies to this topic

[milestone 11]

Welcome to old hands and newcomers alike to the NW 200, the second best motorcycling meeting of the year. A precursor to the fantastic Isle of Man TT.
Run on the road course between Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart. Warning. Absolutely not for the faint hearted.
 
Circuit 8.970 mi (14.436 km)

North West 200 - Lap records

Superbikes   - Michael Dunlop (BMW) 4m.22.095. 123.207mph (2016 Superbike Race 1)
Superstocks - Alastair Seeley (BMW) 4m.23.175. 122.898 (2017 Superstock Race 1)
Supersports - Alastair Seeley (Kawasaki) 4m.35.045.  117.835 (2016 Supersport Race 1)
Supertwins  - Martin Jessopp (Kawasaki) 4m.55.434. 110.423 (2017 Supertwin Race 1)

Fastest speed trap Bruce Anstey 209.8mph

 

 

A little idea of what it's all about,

 
You can view all sessions, including practice, worldwide on BBC Northern Ireland here.

 

Twitter

 

BBC NI Sport Twitter

 

And the schedule,

 

Tuesday !5th May Practice 9.15am-3.00pm

 

Thursday 17th May Practice 9.15am-3.00pm

 

Thursday 17th May Evening Racing 5.00pm-9.00pm

Race 1 - Supersport Race 1 - 6 laps

Race 2 - Superstock Race 1 - 6 laps

 

Race 3 - Supertwin Race 1 - 4 laps

 

Saturday 19th May Race Day 9.15am-7.00pm

Race 1 - Supersport Race 1 - 6 laps

Race 2 - Superbike Race 1 - 7 laps

Race 3 - Supertwin Race 1 - 4 laps

 

Race 4 - Superstock Race 2 - 6 laps

Race 5 - NW200 Superbike Race 2 - 7 laps

 

All times subject to change dependent on weather.

Edited by milestone 11, 17 May 2018 - 10:36.

[Pete_f1]

These racers are crazy and have balls that make steel look like blu tac

[milestone 11]

Currently red flagged due to patchy damp surface, more rain expected after lunch time but rest of week looks fair.

[milestone 11]

Current times,

 

[Risil]

I don't think I've heard of James Cowton before. Is he new? He seems fast!

[Risil]

p.s. I really love how this track is a survivor of the old standard way of making a race track by picking the public roads that link together two or three points on a map.

[milestone 11]

I don't think I've heard of James Cowton before. Is he new? He seems fast!

He's a Yorkshireman Risil. He's been around the roads since around 2012. Had moderate success at TT, generally teens finishes though he has won a classic TT. He's seen as something of a specialist at the post TT meet in the south of IOM on the Billown circuit, He's won there 5-6 times. Does most of the Irish road meetings, TT, Scarborough etc. Best on the smaller bikes, supertwins especially. Here's a great pic of James on a road racer's line.

[Risil]

I love the Billown circuit. The high stone walls are super picturesque.

 

Alastair Seeley's going to be taking part this week too!

[milestone 11]

I love the Billown circuit. The high stone walls are super picturesque.
 
Alastair Seeley's going to be taking part this week too!

Senna/Prost, Lewis/Nico were but mere pussycats compared to Alastair/Michael. Michael just can't accept Seeleys success at the NW. 21 wins from memory. Philip and Hector Neill must either be crazy or masochistic to have signed Michael this year for Tyco in the Superbike class. There will be fireworks, inevitable.
Love the IOM, quite beautiful in parts, just too cold.

Edited by milestone 11, 17 May 2018 - 10:34.

[paulb]

[milestone 11]

Glorious day today in NI and set fair, a little breezy though. We'll see the times drop dramatically today to determine grid positions for the races.

Of course, these kick off at 5.00pm this afternoon, three races, Supersport, Superstock and finally the Supertwins.

Supertwins, for those that don't follow Road Racing are four stroke twin cylinder machines originally sold for road use with a water cooled engine of up to 650cc. A number of changes and modifications are permitted to the frame, swing arm, suspension, exhaust, brakes etc.

[Risil]

Practice and qualifying is currently live on the Beeb here: https://www.bbc.co.u...reland/43801716
 
Perfect for the deskbound.

(Edit: if you go to that link there's radio as well! I wish the BBC promoted this more. It's one of the more extraordinary events on the British (well, Irish) sporting calendar.)

[Risil]

I am loving all these Northern Irish accents.

[milestone 11]

Practice and qualifying is currently live on the Beeb here: https://www.bbc.co.u...reland/43801716

 

Perfect for the deskbound.

Yep, perfect stream too. I thought I'd mentioned that the practices were live too but I hadn't. Thanks Risil, hope you enjoy.

[milestone 11]

There are limited cameras for practice, when the choppers go up this evening for the races and film the slip-streaming, wow, just wow!

[PayasYouRace]

I am loving all these Northern Irish accents.

My avatar approves!

[milestone 11]

Chopper's up for superbike practice.

[milestone 11]

Red flagged due to oil between chicanes. Peter Hickman getting quite animated.

[milestone 11]

Qualy times,

[milestone 11]

We are live! Supersports up first.

Edited by milestone 11, 17 May 2018 - 16:34.

[milestone 11]

Wow, what a race,

Alastair Seeley

James Hillier

Lee Johnston

Dean Harrison

[Risil]

Hell of a scary moment with Seeley brushing the kerb starting the final lap. He seems to be the only guy who can ride the Northwest 200 course like it's a short circuit.

[milestone 11]

He's very fast. Probably why he utterly refuses to consider the IOM.

[NorthEast]

Great thread milestone 11.
Not a biker, but went to the TT 2016 and back again this year. Never seen anything like it in my life. I ended up chatting to Toto Wolff and he was as buzzing and in total disbelief as I was about the whole thing.
Love watching the NW as the build up.
Really feel this year that Dunlop will get some serious challenges from Hickman and Harrison at the TT and that’s not even taking Hutchy into account.

Edited by NorthEast, 17 May 2018 - 18:28.

[milestone 11]

Pure adrenalin rush in the Superstock.

Peter Hickman

Alastair Seeley

Michael Dunlop

Michael Rutter

Could have covered them with a blanket.

[Risil]

Jeremy McWilliams is racing?? Wow!

[Risil]

This Supertwins race is bizarre! Steve Parrish clearly believes he could do a better job round the corners than the poor guy on the extremely-fast-in-a-straight-line Paton bike.

[milestone 11]

Yep, what a great race with the supertwins. The Paton seemed to have 30% more power, the time it was making up drafting on the straights was crazy,  just as well that Joey Thompson doesn't have a lot of experience round here, he'd have checked out. What can I say, Gee whiz, Jeremy McWilliams at 54 hasn't lost any speed.

Result,

Martin Jessop

Jeremy McWilliams

Joey Thompson

Adam McLean

Jamie Cowton 

Edited by milestone 11, 19 May 2018 - 11:34.

[milestone 11]

I'm not sure whether you've watched this before Risil, what's your verdict?

[Risil]

I used to watch them back in the glory days of bike racing being live on the BBC Red Button, in the days of Robert Dunlop, Ryan Farquhar, Keith Amor, Bruce Anstie etc. I miss the really fast corners but it's still a real man's event.

 

As for this time, the TV production could be improved (identifying bikes you've never seen before that are constantly swapping positions is hard) but it's competitive and scary in equal measure. To borrow an axiom from Bobby Jones, the decision to push for the last drops of extra speed should be a momentous one. And so it is.

[garoidb]

Pure adrenalin rush in the Superstock.

Peter Hickman

Alastair Seeley

Michael Dunlop

Michael Rutter

Could have covered them with a blanket.

 

... that would have given them a shock   .

[Sheepmachine]

North west 200 some of the best racing if not the best racing of the year. Always look forward to but also always slightly nervous as well. Here’s hoping for some safe exciting racing tomorrow!

[milestone 11]

North west 200 some of the best racing if not the best racing of the year. Always look forward to but also always slightly nervous as well. Here’s hoping for some safe exciting racing tomorrow!

Hi Sheep, guessed we'd see you today, also a warm welcome to P123 if he/she is checking in for a day's racing.

Beautiful in Portrush this morning. Perfect weather for a great day's racing. Jonathan Rea on circuit today with a lap for him later this morning. 

Edited by milestone 11, 19 May 2018 - 09:00.

[milestone 11]

They don't refer to him as "The wee wizard" for nothing, the last lap he was supreme. A 4.33 lowers his own lap record again. Quite extraordinary.

[Sheepmachine]

Tuned in just in time for the super bike race. Irwin is on a rocket ship. Seeley is going to struggle to catch him

[Sheepmachine]

Jump start penalty for Seeley. He’s not going to win this one now

[Sheepmachine]

Superb ride from Irwin. Good job for Rutter to get a podium.

[milestone 11]

Tuned in just in time for the super bike race. Irwin is on a rocket ship. Seeley is going to struggle to catch him

You missed a great drafting battle in the Supersport. I thought Irwin had a problem, just a false neutral thankfully, so a one lap problem.

Edited by milestone 11, 19 May 2018 - 11:10.

[milestone 11]

The Kwacker that Jonny is riding is 300bhp

[Sheepmachine]

You missed a great drafting battle in the Superstocks. I thought Irwin had a problem, just a false neutral thankfully, so a one lap problem.

Oh hopefully I’ll get a chance to catch the second race later. That race was decent but I was really hoping we’d get a nice battle at the front. Hopefully race 2 we will have that. I presume the schedule is on time at the moment. Good for them to have great weather for once.

[milestone 11]

Yep, Supertwins off now, they could be finished by 4.00. Just the 2nd Superstock and the 2nd Superbike after this.

[Sheepmachine]

Holy mackerel! Cowton’s move on the last lap was incredible!

[Sheepmachine]

Superstock race about to go off

[Sheepmachine]

This race is fantastic. At least 7 riders fighting for the lead!

[paulb]

What a spectacular race! Seeleys bike looked like a real handful at high speeds, yet...

[Sheepmachine]

That was a cracking race! Great job by Seeley. Only one race to go now.

[Sheepmachine]

Red flag. Hope everyone is ok.

[milestone 11]

Red flag!

[Risil]

Yeah, hopefully it's nothing too serious

 

Early reports coming out that the track is blocked at the Ballysally roundabout. Not necessarily a medical emergency.

[milestone 11]

Red flag. Hope everyone is ok.

Looks alright, just debris from a crash at Ballysally