Alastair Seeley got the North West 200 races underway in superb style on Thursday evening as fought his way through from 16th at the end of the first lap to take a stunning win in the opening Supersport race.
The Mar-Train Yamaha rider was forced to do a u-turn at York Corner on the first lap after Lee Johnston crashed out and pushed him wide but, aided by the fastest lap of the race – a new lap record of 116.606mph – he hit the front for the first time on the fifth lap and, after exchanging places with Guy Martin on the final lap, finally sealed victory on the final run up Black Hill.
Johnston’s crash also saw Keith Amor lose ground and when the riders flashed past the start and finish to complete the opening lap it was Josh Brookes who led from the Smiths Triumph pairing of Gary Johnson and Michael Rutter with William Dunlop nosing ahead of team-mate Martin.
The next four laps saw the front six nose to tail, with just two seconds separating them and the lead changed hands on numerous occasions although it was Brookes and Johnson who were ahead the most. The front three of Brookes, Johnson and Rutter were practically swapping paint at each corner and that allowed Martin, Dunlop and the second Mar-Train Yamaha of Dean Harrison to close up.
Seeley, meanwhile, was up to seventh by half race distance but still almost four seconds behind the pace setting Johnson.
A see-saw battle at the front continued with Johnson’s Triumph strongest on the flat out straights but Martin a demon on the brakes and he grabbed the lead for the first time on the fifth lap.
Bit by bit though Seeley was closing in and took the lead at the Juniper chicane on the penultimate lap. Rutter had dropped back to eighth though as the bike momentarily slowed at the beginning of the fifth lap.
Brookes braked late going into York Corner on the sixth and final lap pushing himself wide and Johnson even further wide and so it would be a straight fight between Seeley and Martin over the closing 8.9 miles.
Martin again grabbed the lead going into the Magherabuoy chicane only for Seeley to respond immediately into the Metropole and when backmarkers came into play through Dhu Varren and Black Hill, it gave Seeley the breathing space he needed and he came home 1.1s clear for his 11th North West 200 win.
Martin took a good second with Brookes claiming his first NW200 podium in third whilst Dunlop held onto fourth from a charging Amor. Johnson slipped back to sixth with Rutter, Bruce Anstey, Dan Cooper and James Hillier filling the remaining top ten positions.
Keith Amor and Gary Johnson were docked ten seconds for overshooting and not stopping at Mather's Cross chicane on the final lap - Amor didn't lose a place but Johnson dropped back to seventh with Michael Rutter promoted to sixth.
