Davey Todd & Alistair Seeley were the outstanding winners from Thursdays two races in a topsy turvy day which was marred by red flags & Lee Johnston taking to hospital in the morning qualifying session.
Johnston came off at the Church Corner section of the circuit during a qualifying session for the Supersport class on Thursday afternoon.
The Supersport practice was red-flagged and was not restarted. The 34-year-old was transported to York Corner by ambulance and then taken to hospital in the air ambulance.
He was airlifted to Belfast City hospital with “non-critical injuries”
The first attempt to stage the Supersport race was halted by an incident involving two riders at the Mill Road roundabout which brought out the red flags.
The lead changed throughout as the middleweight class lived up to its reputation for close exciting racing but it was Nottingham rider Richard Cooper who led across the line on each of the first three laps.
Behind him, Todd, Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison, Alastair Seeley and Adam McLean were lined up waiting to take advantage of any slip-up.
Todd saw off an array of challengers to come out on top after a scintillating six laps to secure his second NW200 win on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda.
Alastair Seeley extended his record number of North West 200 wins to 28 by taking a Superstock victory.
Before the start of the Superstock race, the bombshell news was revealed by FHO Racing rider Josh Brookes that his team, which also includes Hickman, had withdrawn from the meeting after the carbon wheels they were using on their BMW machines was deemed by organisers not be within the meeting’s regulations.
As the race had progressed beyond two-thirds distance, Seeley was declared the winner on a lap countback, following another red flag scenario. Runner-up was Todd, followed by Dunlop, Dean Harrison, Michael Rutter and James Hillier.
The Supertwin race was postponed from poor visibility. The race will be push back to Saturday.
