John McGuinness got a rain-delayed Yoko superbike race off to the perfect start for the HM Plant Honda Team by winning his fifth North West 200.

Conor Cummins led the field through at the end of lap one from McGuinness, Keith Amor, Bruce Anstey, Alastair Seeley and Stuart Easton.

On lap two Easton went through the speed trap at 202mph as McGuinness hit the front from Cummins and Amor as they opened a gap on Seeley.

Seeley was the fastest man on track closing in on the front trio and on the fourth and final lap overhauled Amor, who dropped off the pace into fourth.

On the last lap McGuinness held off the McAdoo Kawasaki of Cummins by two-tenths of a second with Seeley setting the fastest lap of the race, a new record given the new Mathers Cross chicane, at 120.985mph a bike length behind the tall Manxman.

McGuinness said afterwards, “That was a real sweet victory. The delay at the start worked, as conditions were perfect in the end. I had cut slicks front and rear and had a few slides, but nothing to worry about.”


You can view/download the full race result HERE