Seeley breaks Dunlop record with supersport victory

Alastair Seeley became the most successful rider in North West 200 history this evening after taking victory in an action-packed supersport race.

Martin Jessopp took an early lead from Seeley but it became clear this was not a two-horse race as riders hit station road with six bikes all jostling for the top spot. James Hillier put himself in the mix as did Lee Johnston, with the duo making ground on the leading three by the end of the straight.

Seeley had established the lead by the end of lap one from Jessopp and Hillier but the man on the move was William Dunlop, who used the strong acceleration of his Yamaha R6 to take the lead on lap three.

At the half way point, Ian Hutchinson threw himself into the mix with the leading trio of Seeley, Jessopp and Hutchinson jostling for position with the lead changing three times in 20 seconds at one point.

As they came into the final lap, it appeared Seeley had something left in reserve as he pulled the pin to build enough of a gap on Hutchinson to comfortably take the win and record by 1.290 sec.

Hutchinson crossed the line second ahead of Jessopp, with William Dunlop taking fourth. Dean Harrison finished fifth on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki with Johnston, clearly in pain from that injured groin, rounding out the top sixth.

James Hillier finished up seventh despite having fought for the lead on the opening lap. John McGuinness took a strong eighth place after a fight with Michael Rutter who crossed the line ninth, ahead of the Padgetts Honda of Bruce Anstey.

Michael Dunlop didn’t start the race on his MD Racing Yamaha.

Supersport Results

1. Alastair Seeley – Briggs Equipment BMW 
2. Ian Hutchinson – BPT Came Yamaha +1.290
3. Martin Jessopp – Riders Motorcycles Triumph +2.200
4. William Dunlop – WD Yamaha +5.995
5. Dean Harrison – Silicone Engineering Kawasaki +6.581
6. Lee Johnston – East Coast Racing Triumph +10.000
7. James Hillier – Quattro Plant Muc-Off Kawasaki +10.473
8. John McGuinness – Jackson Honda +10.865
9. Michael Rutter – Bathams SMT Triumph +21.819
10. Bruce Anstey – Padgetts Honda +26.557