Bathams BMW’s Michael Rutter has set the early pace in Vauxhall North West 200 qualifying one today and is less than two seconds off Alastair Seeley’s lap record at the nine-mile triangle after only five flying laps.
The 40-something rider, who has won 13 races at the Northern Ireland circuit, went round in 4’26.643 compared to Seeley’s 4’24.960 set in 2010 with the Wee Wizard hismelf 1.601s behind on the Mar-Train Kawasaki ZX-10R.
Tyco Suzuki’s Guy Martin ended in third place, half a second behind Seeley with William Dunlop and Martin Jessopp rounding out the top five. Dunlop, on the second Tyco bike, is three seconds off the pace, while Riders BMW man Jessopp, who holds the top speed record here, is another two seconds behind.
MCE British Superbike title contender Josh Brookes is in sixth place despite running out of petrol at the Metropole, and two-tenths behind Jessopp. He heads veteran Kiwi Bruce Anstey, Michael Dunlop - who is making his debut on the Buildbase BMW - and Simon Andrews on the Penz13.com S1000RR. Little Irishman Lee Johnston completes the top ten.
Honda’s John McGuinness, who is still suffering with his broken scaphoid, is 11th with James Hillier 12th. Conor Cummins, Horst Saiger and Gary Johnson round out the top 15.
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Speed trap
W Dunlop 180
Martin 179
Rutter 179
Cummins 179
Harrison 179
Hillier 179
Hutchinson 178
Anstey 178
Johnson 178
Saiger 178
