The 2024 North West 200 takes place this week, and in the Supersport class the absence of Alastair Seeley means the class is especially unpredictable this year.

Race 2

Davey Todd claimed his second win at this year’s North West 200 when the Powertoolmate Ducati rider came out on top in a thrilling six lap Supersport race, Richard Cooper (BPE/Russell Racing) and Michael Dunlop (MD Racing Triumph) crossing the line close behind in second and third.

It was Cooper’s team-mate Mike Browne who made the early running only for Todd to nip ahead at University, and they had Cooper and Dunlop for close company with the four riders opening up a small gap over fifth placed Peter Hickman (Trooper Triumph by PHR Performance). Paul Jordan (Jackson Racing Honda) was sixth initially, but he overshot the Mather’s Cross chicane.

Browne was back in front at Mather’s but at the end of the first lap, the running order was Todd, Browne, Cooper and Dunlop, the quartet covered by just over a second as Todd edged away along the coast road. Hickman remained in fifth with Conor Cummins (Milenco by Padgetts Honda) right in his wheeltracks as Craig Neve, Jeremy McWilliams, Ian Hutchinson and Gary MoCoy rounded out the top ten.

Lap two saw Dunlop drop off the pace slightly, but Todd was continuing to edge ahead as team-mates Browne and Cooper disputed second. However, it didn’t take long for Cooper to close back in and halfway round the lap, he took over the lead from Todd.

He ran wide at Metropole though which gifted the lead back to Todd and his advantage after two laps stood at 0.351s, Browne and Dunlop close behind in third and fourth respectively. Cummins was now fifth from Neve (Bathams Racing Triumph) and they were five seconds clear of the five-rider battle for seventh which was now headed by McCoy. Hickman retired for the second successive race with Jordan regrouping in tenth.

Todd and Cooper continued to battle at the front as they kept just out of reach of Browne and Dunlop and the Ducati rider’s lead was 0.4s at half race distance although there was still only 1.6s covering the top four. Cummins was continuing to hold off Neve for fifth.

Lap four and Cooper was back in the lead only for Todd to reclaim first place at the Mather’s Cross chicane and it now looked like they’d broken the challenges of both Browne and Dunlop, the latter two now a second adrift with Dunlop taking third at the start of lap five.

Cooper and Todd continued to exchange the lead over the final two laps as Browne and Dunlop tried their utmost to get back with them over the closing nine miles. A good run through Station allowed Todd to get back into the lead but Cooper was back in front at Mather’s, the same spot seeing Dunlop reclaim third.

Todd led again at the Metropole and strong along the coast road once more, he got the verdict from Cooper by 0.462s with Dunlop just three tenths of a second further back in third once more. Browne missed the podium in fourth with Cummins taking fifth and with Neve retiring at the end of lap five, Jordan came through for sixth ahead of Michael Evans, Jeremy McWilliams, Ian Hutchinson and Michael Sweeney.

Race 1

Richard Cooper took his first victory of the 2024 North West 200 in the opening Supersport race, ahead of Peter Hickman and Michael Rutter.

Cooper would make the race an exhibition for himself and the #47 BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha R6, controlling a significant lead he held from the opening lap to take his fifth NW200 win.

Cooper inherited that lead when Davey Todd, who made the holeshot convincingly on the Powertoolmate Ducati Panigale V2, was taken out at York Corner in a multi-rider incident.

Although there was no real battle for the lead, the fight for second place was decided on the last lap.

It was Triumph versus Triumph, with Michael Dunlop’s MD Racing machine against Peter Hickman’s PHR Performance bike. Dunlop led the battle most of the way, but Hickman passed him at the Metropole on the last lap, and covered off any potential response at the Juniper Chicane.

Behind the podium battle, Mike Browne secured fourth place, ahead of Paul Jordan, Conor Cummins, Michael Evans, Jeremy McWilliams, Gary McCoy, and Craig Neve.

Practice 2

Richard Cooper was fastest yet again in the second Supesport practice at the North West 200, which was disrupted and shortened by a red flag.

Davey Todd was second again on the Powertoolmate Ducati, ahead of Mike Browne in third on the second of the Russell Racing Yamahas. Michael Dunlop was fourth on his own Triumph Street Triple 765 RS, ahead of Adam McLean in fifth, Paul Jordan sixth, Michael Sweeney seventh, Conor Cummins eighth, Christian Elkin ninth, and Ian Hutchinson in 10th place.

A few big names had their sessions hampered by the red flag: Peter Hickman was 42nd, Jeremy McWilliams 46th, and Dom Herbertson was 56th.

Full Supersport Practice 2 results from the North West 200 are below.

Practice 1

Richard Cooper topped the first session of the weekend ahead of Davey Todd by just under a second.

Todd was also second-fastest in the opening Superbike practice, and once again it was Michael Dunlop behind him in third place, albeit five seconds off Cooper's pace.

Mike Browne was fourth, ahead of Peter Hickman, Paul Jordan, Adam McLean, Michael Evans, Conor Cummins, and Michael Sweeney who completed the top 10.

Full North West 200 results from Supersport Practice 1 are below.