TAS Suzuki rider Alastair Seeley set the pace in Tuesday qualifying at the
2011 North West 200. The winner of a Superbike and Supersport race in last year’s North West lapped the 8.97-mile circuit at 119.094 mph aboard his GSX-R1000 Superbike. Seeley also topped the timesheet in Superstock, with Cameron Donald just nicking the Irishman in Supersport qualifying aboard his Wilson Craig Honda.
A two-time winner in 2010, Suzuki’s Alastair Seeley set the pace as action got underway in the 2011 North West 200.
Said Seeley in Suzuki PR: "I kept my powder dry as I was towing Cameron Donald round in the Supersport session, but I'm happy to be at the top of the timesheets at this stage in the Superbike and Superstock classes. Everything is working really well and the bikes are very stable, which is so important round here. Thursday is a longer session and we've a few more things to try with the bike and also with Pirelli, but so far I'm very happy."
The Tuesday evening sessions, run on the public roads between the Northern Ireland towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine, had Seeley leading the Superbike times ahead of Michael Rutter, one of the winningest riders in NW200 history. Rutter’s Ducati teammate Martin Jessop was third. Seeley’s teammate, Guy Martin, was sixth-fastest. Expected contenders Michael Dunlop and Ryan Farquhar did not run enough laps to officially qualify in Superbike, though the duo are certain to nab first wave grid positions on Thursday with the Kawasaki riders having split wins in the preceding
Tandragee 100 and
Cookstown 100 Irish road races.
Donald led the 600s by a slim margin. The Australian and Seeley were the sole Supersport riders to turn 114 mph laps. Michael Dunlop was third-fastest, competing aboard a Yamaha R6 in the 600 class.
Seeley and Michael Dunlop were neck and neck in the Superstock times, both running 118 mph paces. Rutter finished third-fastest in the 116’s, the Englishman followed by Dunlop’s elder sibling, William. NW/IOMTT institution Ian Lougher was fifth-fastest, the 47-year-old looking for his tenth victory at the North West on Saturday.
Notable absences from the paddock include Ian Hutchison and John McGuinness. The former will miss both the NW and upcoming Isle of Man TT due to injury, the English rider having won the second Supersport race at the 2010 NW before sweeping all five TT races at the IOM. McGuinness, winner of one of the Superbike races in last year’s NW, is competing in an 8 Hours endurance race at Albacete for the Honda TT Legends Team. The World Endurance squad also employs the services of NW regulars Steve Plater and Keith Amor, both absent from this year’s timesheets.
The North West 200 action resumes Thursday morning, races slated for Saturday.
2011 North West 200 Superbike Tuesday Qualifying Results:
1. Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) 119.094 mph
2. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 118.679 mph
3. Martin Jessopp (Ducati) 116.949 mph
4. Gary Johnson (Honda) 116.436 mph
5. Stephen Thompson (BMW)115.293 mph
6. Guy Martin (Suzuki) 115.214 mph
7. William Dunlop (Honda) 115.154 mph
8. Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) 114.611 mph
9. Adrian Archibald (BMW) 114.453 mph
10. Bruce Anstey (Honda) 113.906 mph
DNQ Michael Dunlop (Kawasaki) 115.038 mph
DNQ Ryan Farquhar (Kawasaki) 109.285 mph
2011 North West 200 Supersport Tuesday Qualifying Results:
1. Cameron Donald (Honda) 114.295 mph
2. Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) 114.252 mph
3. Michael Dunlop (Yamaha) 112.639 mph
4. Gary Johnson (Honda) 112.095 mph
5. Bruce Anstey (Honda) 111.222 mph
6. Guy Martin (Suzuki) 110.278 mph
7. Ian Lougher (Kawasaki) 109.310 mph
8. Ryan Farquhar (Kawasaki) 108.382 mph
9. Lee Johnston (Honda) 108.196 mph
10. Luis Carriera (Yamaha) 107.835 mph
2011 North West 200 Superstock Tuesday Qualifying Results:
1. Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) 118.420 mph
2. Michael Dunlop (Kawasaki) 118.401 mph
3. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 116.736 mph
4. William Dunlop (Honda) 116.325 mph
5. Ian Lougher (Kawasaki) 116.286 mph
6. Adrian Archibald (BMW) 116.145 mph
7. Cameron Donald (Honda) 116.120 mph
8. Ryan Farquhar (Kawasaki) 116.099 mph
9. Guy Martin (Suzuki) 115.727 mph
10. Stefano Bonetti (Kawasaki) 115.482 mph
