Seeley is on pole for the Superstock races at the North West 200 on his Briggs BMW.

Carrick’s Alastair Seeley set a new unofficial lap record to take pole for the Superstock races at the Vauxhall International North West 200 on Thursday.

Seeley clocked a time of 4m 24.240s (122.114mph) on the Briggs BMW in perfect conditions on the north coast to bag the top spot from Michael Rutter by 1.984 seconds, who had topped Tuesday’s times on his Bathams SMT BMW.

Peter Hickman was ominously fast in third on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki as he makes his second appearance at the North West after missing out last year through injury.

“We’ve done what we think we can do but it’s not the be-all and end-all to be on pole,” Seeley said.

“I prefer a clear road around here and that’s what I got on my first [flying] lap so I’m happy.”

Tyco BMW contender Ian Hutchinson was fourth fastest from Ballymoney’s Michael Dunlop on his MD Racing BMW, while last year’s race winner Lee Johnston from Fermanagh was sixth quickest on the East Coast/Burdens BMW.

Bradford rider Dean Harrison (Silicone Engineering Kawasaki) and James Hillier (Quattro Plant Muc-off Kawasaki) were the top eight, with William Dunlop (MSS Kawasaki) and Lincolnshire’s Gary Johnson on the Penz13.com BMW completing the top ten.

In the Supertwins class, Stroud’s Dan Cooper clinched pole on his SB Tuning/Cooper Racing Kawasaki by 1.8 seconds from Ryan Farquhar, who won the opening 650cc race in 2015 on his SGS KMR Kawasaki.

Ivan Lintin had set the pace on the Devitt RC Express Kawasaki until he was knocked by two places by Cooper and Farquhar at the end,.

Martin Jessopp, fastest on Tuesday, was fourth overall ahead of Peter Hickman, who is making his debut in the class on the Cookstown B.E. Kawasaki.

James Hillier completed the top six (Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki).

Roads close for the first Supersport, Supertwins and Superstock races on Thursday evening at 5.15pm following final qualifying.

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Kyle White

Alastair Seeley on the Gearlink Kawasaki at the North West 200.

Record-chaser Alastair Seeley topped the Supersport times on the Gearlink Kawasaki to make it a red-hot double in the glorious sunshine on Thursday at the Vauxhall International North West 200.

Seeley posted a time of 4m 36.064s, which put him one second ahead of Somerset’s Martin Jessopp, who has been strong all week on the Riders Motorcycles Triumph.

Also fastest in the Superstock class, Seeley was only one tenth ahead of Lee Johnston, who was right in the hunt on the East Coast/Burdens Triumph.

Former NW200 Supersport winner William Dunlop was fourth fastest on the IC Racing Caffrey Yamaha even though he missed the last 16 minutes of the session with a bike problem.

Isle of Man TT star John McGuinness jumped to fifth in the closing stages on the Jackson Racing Honda with Peter Hickman beginning to find his rhythm on the Trooper Beer Kawasaki in sixth, 4.4 seconds down on Seeley.

Michael Rutter (Bathams SMT Kawasaki) and Dean Harrison on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki were the first eight.

Ian Hutchinson failed to register a time after stopping on his Came BPT Yamaha early on while Michael Dunlop was down in 16th after making several pit stops, with his time from Tuesday standing as his best lap.

Kyle White

North West 2016 CP Hire / Spidi Qualifying Superstock Races

North West 2016 Vauxhall / John M Paterson Qualifying Supertwin Races

North West 2016 Vauxhall / Anchor Complex Qualifying Superbike Races

North West 2016 Actavo / BetMcClean Qualifying Supersport Races

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North West 200 2016 Race 2 - Vauxhall Supertwin Race - Update

Alastair Seeley (Briggs BMW) during Superbike qualifying for the North West 200.

Man of the moment Alastair Seeley was unstoppable as the Ulster rider topped the time sheets in the Superbike class to make it a hat-trick of pole positions.

Seeley, though, only completed his qualifying treble by the narrowest of margins, edging out a determined Michael Dunlop by only 0.017 seconds on his Briggs BMW.

Dunlop had hit the top on the Hawk Racing BMW with a lap of 122.335mph but had to settle for second place on the front row ahead of Saturday’s two Superbike races, with Seeley clocking 122.343mph to take pole by a whisker.

The session was halted due to a red-flag incident at Mill Round roundabout around 15 minutes from the end. The competitor involved was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast but did not sustain life threatening injuries.

Seeley and Dunlop were the only riders who broke into the 122mph bracket, with Michael Rutter maintaining his excellent form around the Triangle course in third place on the Bathams SMT BMW (121.648mph).

Lee Johnston heads up the second row as BMW S1000RR machines filled the top four places, lapping at 121.065mph on his East Coast/Burdens-backed machine.

Behind the Fermanagh rider, Peter Hickman from Burton-on-Trent slotted into fifth on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki (120.911mph) with Tyco BMW’s Ian Hutchinson sixth.

Hutchinson earlier broke the 200mph barrier through the speed trap on his Superstock-spec Tyco BMW, a first for a Superstock bike at the North West.

Lincolnshire’s Gary Johnson (Penz13.com BMW) was seventh fastest ahead of John McGuinness, who lost time with a hold radiator on his factory Honda Fireblade.

James Hillier (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) and Ryan Farquhar (Tyco BMW) completed the top ten.

Veteran racer Jeremy McWilliams qualified a very respectable 14th on the Mar-Train Yamaha R1 as he acts as stand-in for the injured Dan Kneen, finishing ahead of North West Superbike regulars Martin Jessopp (Riders BMW) and David Johnson (Ice Valley BMW).

Kyle White

Fire causes delay to Thursday racing

A fire has led to a delay at the Vauxhall International North West 200 on Thursday evening, bringing out the red flags in the Supertwins race.

A statement from the oragnisers said: 


“A fire at a property in the vicinity of Station Corner [in Portstewart] has led to the Supertwins race being red flagged on the second lap. Fire appliances are on their way to the scene.”

One race has been held of the planned three-race programme, with Alastair Seeley taking a record 16th win in the Supersport event.

Two riders, Ryan Farquhar (KMR/SGS Kawasaki) and Dan Cooper (Dan Cooper Racing Kawasaki), crashed at Black Hill on the third lap of the Supertwins race.

As a result the race was red flagged.

Neither rider has suffered life threatening injuries.

Dan Cooper will be taken to Causeway hospital, Coleraine.

Ryan Farquhar will be taken to hospital in Belfast.

The scene of the accident near Dhu Varren in Portrush on Thursday evening

Racing halted after crash in Supertwins race

The opening night of action at the Vauxhall International North West 200 was overshadowed by a crash in the Supertwins race involving Ryan Farquhar and Dan Cooper.

The incident happened on the approach to Black Hill at the blind right-hander on the run uphill from Dhu Varren bridge.

Neither rider is believed to have sustained life-threatening injuries.

Farquhar sustained chest and pelvic injuries and was taken to the Royal Victoriaa Hospital in Belfast by PSNI helicopter.

It is understood that Ryan was talking at the scene and asked for this positive news to be conveyed to his wife Karen through Event Director, Mervyn Whyte.

Cooper was taken to Coleraine Hospital by ambulance with shoulder injuries.

The Supertwins race had been re-started following a delay due to a fire at a house at Station Corner in Portstewart.

A statement issued by the organisers said: 

“Dan Cooper, one of the two riders involved in the crash during the Supertwins race at the Vauxhall International North West 200 tonight, has been take to Causeway hospital, Coleraine by ambulance.

“Cooper (28), from Stroud, has sustained shoulder injuries.

“Ryan Farquhar (40) from Dungannon is being taken by PSNI helicopter to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast with chest and pelvic injuries.

“Both riders are in a stable condition and neither has life threatening injuries.”

Three races were planned on Thursday evening, including the first Supersport and Superstock events, but only the Supersport race was fully completed.

The Superstock race may now be carried over to Saturday’s programme.

Ivan Lintin was declared the winner of the shortened Supertwins race from James Hillier and Jeremy McWilliams.

Kyle White