Hickman snatches Superbike pole at North West 200

Image source, Pacemaker

Andy Gray

BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North West 200

Peter Hickman beat 8TEN Racing team-mate Davey Todd to pole position for the three Superbike races at the North West 200.

Hickman powered to the fastest time with a late lap to round out Thursday’s qualifying action.

Todd did claim top spot in Superstock qualifying, while Michael Dunlop had a late crash in that session.

Richard Cooper claimed pole position for the Supertwins, but the English rider was pipped to the fastest time in Supersport qualifying by the in-form Dean Harrison.

The first three races at this year’s North West 200 will take place on Thursday evening, with the opening Superbike, Supersport and Superstock races around the 8.9-mile Triangle circuit.

You can watch all the racing on the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer, and listen on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Foyle.

Hickman led an 8TEN Racing one-two as he beat team-mate Todd in Superbike qualifying at the North West 200.

BMW powered Hickman, who has never won a Superbike race at the international road race, set a blistering final lap of 4:19.168 to take pole for the three Superbike races.

Todd was 1.106 seconds behind Hickman, will Harrison had to settle for third after leading most of the session.

Alastair Seeley was fourth and Dunlop, who was back on track after his crash in the Superstock session, rounded out the top five.

Todd, Harrison and Seeley were split by one tenth of a second over an 8.9 mile lap.

Jamie Coward was an impressive sixth, while Ian Hutchinson, Erno Kostamo, John McGuinness and Paul Jordan completed the top 10.

Image source, Pacemaker

Honda’s Harrison pipped Cooper to pole position in Supersport qualifying at the North West 200.

Harrison, who has never won at the North West 200, claimed top spot with his final lap to beat Cooper, who took pole in the Supertwins, by just 0.104 seconds.

Todd was third, Dunlop was fourth on his Ducati and Hickman was fifth.

Jordan and McLean continued their strong performances in qualifying in sixth and seventh, while Coward was another strong contender in eighth.

Browne was ninth, but Seeley, who has more victories in than any other rider at the North West 200, was only 10th in qualifying.

The first Supersport race takes place on Thursday evening in the second of three races around the Triangle circuit.

Image source, Pacemaker

Todd battled through mechanical issues to set the fastest time in Superstock qualifying.

Todd missed the opening half of the hour-long session with an issue on his BMW, but posted the fastest time on his final flying lap around the 8.9 mile Triangle Circuit.

Seeley, returning to the event after missing 2024, was half a second off Todd in second after leading the majority of the session.

Hickman was third, while Harrison and home favourite Dunlop rounded out the top five.

Just like in the Supertwins, which opened Thursday’s running, the Superstocks had one session to qualify after the disrupted day of action due to red flags on Wednesday.

Todd will lead the gird away for the opening Superstock race on Thursday evening and the second race on Saturday.

Image source, Pacemaker

Cooper qualified on pole position for Saturday’s two Supertwin races at the North West 200.

KMR Kawasaki rider Cooper, who has four wins in the class to his name, was fastest ahead of home riders McLean and ordan.

Hickman, who won both races last year, was fourth while former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams rounded out the top five.

England’s Cooper and Yamaha rider McLean traded fastest times in the early stages of the session.

Cooper eventually pulled clear with a lap of 4:48.326, which was 0.754 seconds faster than McLean.

They will be joined on the front row for the two races on Saturday by Jordan, who has had an impressive start to his North West 200.

Hickman, McWilliams and Michael Sweeney will start on the second row, while the returning Coward and Michael Rutter rounded out the top eight.

Superbike qualifying results

Supersport qualifying results

Superstock qualifying results

Supertwins qualifying results

Thursday – racing from 17:30 BST

Race one: Superbike

Race two: Supersport

Race three: Superstock

Saturday – Racing from 10:00 BST

Race one: Supertwin

Race two: Superbike

Race three: Supersport

Race four: Superstock

Race five: Supertwin

Race six: North West 200 Superbike race

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