NW200: Seeley obliterates field in shortened Superbike race

Alastair Seeley continued to increase his winning record at the Vauxhall International North West 200 after taking victory in a severely delayed opening Superbike race.

A heavy downpour at the end of this morning’s supersport race left riders in a quandary ahead of the opening big bike encounter. Riders were given two sighting laps to assess the track but a technical problem for Michael Dunlop saw the local man’s Bennetts Suzuki deposit oil on the coast road.

When the oil was cleared up, the rain came down once again. Riders set off on another sighting lap but many would criticise conditions upon their return to the grid, with some, including polesitter Michael Rutter, wheeling their bikes off the grid.

Race organisers allowed an hour to pass before making the decision to race as the sun tried to burst through the clouds.

Polesitter Michael Rutter led the way into York but the Tyco BMW machines of Hutchinson and Seeley drafted past the Bathams SMT BMW on the run to University.

Seeley took the lead, with Glenn Irwin also joining the battle however, trying to out brake one another into Mather’s chicane, Irwin and the second Tyco BMW of Hutchinson ran straight through the slip road.

This gave Seeley and Rutter breathing space at the front, with Seeley eeking out more of a gap each 8.9 miles completed.

At the end of the shortened four lap race, the Ulsterman had stretched a whopping 21.6 second gap over North West veteran Rutter, with Lee Johnston completing the podium for Jackson Racing.

Vauxhall North West 200 – Superbike Race 1 – Result

1. Alastair Seeley – Tyco BMW
2. Michael Rutter – Bathams SMT BMW +21.610
3. Lee Johnston – Jackson Racing Honda +28.077
4. Glenn Irwin – Be Wiser PBM Ducati +31.220
5. Peter Hickman – Smiths BMW +32.132
6. Derek Sheils – Cookstown BE Suzuki +32.678
7. Dean Harrison – Silicone Engineering Kawasaki +49.833
8. James Hillier – JG Speedfit Kawasaki +50.042
9. Horst Saiger – Saiger Racing +50.186
10. Ian Hutchinson – Tyco BMW +1:01.295

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