SEELEY MAKES HISTORY AT NORTH WEST 200

2010-05-17 02:54
Relentless by TAS Suzuki and their in-form British Superbike rider Alastair Seeley made history at the Relentless-sponsored International North West 200, winning the feature Superbike event - a first for an Irish rider in 13 years.

The 30-year-old reigning British Superstock champion also took the opening Supersport race victory, a Superbike race one podium and two other fourth-placed finishes - on a day when Relentless by TAS Suzuki posted four podiums from five races, including two tops steps.

The team started their day with third place in the opening Superbike event, again heralded by that man Seeley, who fought his way from the third row of the grid to stand on the podium. On the opening lap it was Bruce Anstey who led the Relentless Suzuki effort, coming from his row five grid slot up to fourth place, but he was soon overhauled by his diminutive team-mate, who closed down a five second gap to the leaders for his opening podium of the day.

Such was Seeley's pace; he set a new lap record for the 8.9-mile circuit at 120.985mph [4mins 26.909sec]. Anstey eventually finished fifth with Cameron Donald eighth, just ahead of Adrian Archibald, also on a GSX-R1000 Superbike.

In the opening Supersport race, Anstey led the Relentless Suzuki charge on the opening lap in sixth, with Seeley two places further behind in eighth on his GSX-R600. But Seeley was hungry for a debut middleweight division victory at the NW200, forcing his way into the leading group of four on lap three, with some aggressive but safe passing manoeuvres.

On the final lap into the penultimate chicane at Juniper Hill, Seeley produced one of the best moves ever witnessed at the North West 200 'triangle', sliding in between Ian Hutchinson and Keith Amor - and after leaving his braking later than his rivals, Seeley dropped his GSX-R600 into the chicane ahead of both Hondas, and from there he was never headed to the flag, giving TAS Racing their fifth victory in the Supersport class at the North West 200.

Cameron Donald was the next Relentless Suzuki home in seventh with Anstey 14th. Seeley again set a new class lap record at 115.582mph [4mins 39.386sec]

Bruce Anstey and Alastair Seeley had shared the last four Superstock wins at the NW200, but Anstey opted out of yesterday's race due to a difficult grid position after qualifying, preferring to keep his powder dry for the final Supersport race.

In true Superstock style it took three laps before the leading contenders could shake off the pretenders to the crown, with Seeley soon in the mix with the front four. Unfortunately on the final lap, he just could not find the grip required to drive hard out of the slower turns with his rivals and settled for fourth place, albeit only 0.9sec behind eventual winner Keith Amor.

When the feature NW200 Superbike event was cut from six laps to four, the odds were stacked against all three Relentless by TAS Suzuki riders, positioned on rows three, four and five.

Anstey again got the better start of the trio but Seeley, holding the expectations of an 100,000-strong local crowd, forced his way through, and onto the back of Honda duo Easton and McGuinness at mid distance, guaranteeing a grandstand finish.

Seeley led onto the final nine-mile lap but Easton took up the initiative on the brakes into Metropole with only the two-mile Coast Road section to conquer. Seeley, as we have come to expect, wasn't prepared to settle for second place, putting the nose of his GSX-R1000 Suzuki under the Scotsman at the very next turn before demonstrating his pure road racing prowess to take a very famous victory.

In pursuit of the Honda pair, the Relentless by TAS Suzuki rider also upped the lap record to a staggering 121.875mmmph [4mins 24.960sec] on lap three.

In the final race of the day - the second Supersport 600 encounter - Seeley followed team-mate Bruce Anstey across the line in fourth place; the Kiwi justifying his decision to sit-out the Superstock race with a fine third place on his Relentless by TAS Suzuki GSX-R600. Cameron Donald was eighth.

Alastair Seeley:

"I suppose it hasn't really sunk in yet that I've broken Phillip McCallen's 13-year-old record, but I came here for wins this week and the NW200 Superbike race is the one every rider wants to take home; now it's mine! I really enjoyed the celebrations with the team and it was great to see what it meant to the fans at the end - they were cheering like a football crowd in the grandstands.

"It's been a great day and I'm also delighted to have proven the strength and quality of Suzuki's GSX-R600 in the Supersport class. It was cat-and-mouse and with those boys either side of me in race one into Juniper it was always going to be the bravest man that would win - and thankfully it was me.

"This is the place where I started to make a name for myself in racing even though I'm known as a circuit racer, so I'm delighted to be back winning, but I couldn't have done it without the support of everyone in the Relentless by TAS Suzuki team. My BSB team-mate Michael Laverty was even here today; now I have to get my head back into gear for next weekend's BSB round at Cadwell Park, but this is a nice wee boost for everyone involved."

Bruce Anstey:

"I'm obviously a little bit disappointed not to have won a race at the North West, but that third place in the final Supersport race means I've been on the podium ever year since my debut here in 2004. We had a tough time with the weather in qualifying and I was always left with a little bit of work to do in every race, but as a team we have a had a great weekend, and I'll now re-focus my attention to the Isle of Man TT which kicks off in a couple of weeks' time."

Cameron Donald:

"That really was a tough day at the office and of course I'm a bit disappointed with the results as we were about five places further back than we wanted to be. Because of the weather and other circumstances I was also further down the grid than I wanted to be, but the bikes were working very well and I got myself involved in some great dices and made some good passes. I struggled with traffic in all of the races, but overall I'm feeling confident after my first international race back and I'll be off to the Isle of Man now in a positive frame of mind."

Philip Neill - Team Manager:

"We are obviously very proud to have continued our winning streak at the NW200 and to win the feature race with Alastair was a phenomenal result. We have proved this weekend just how strong a range Suzuki has produced in their GSX-R machinery with our lowest result fourth over the five races.

"Alastair is obviously on a high and did a great job for us here at the North West, but Bruce and Cameron were also in the mix and we must remember this event is quite unique, producing at least 10 potential winners in almost every class.

"Alastair will now go back to his BSB duties and Bruce and Cameron are TT-bound. By all accounts they are more than happy with their machinery after the North West and we know what Cameron and Bruce are capable of at the TT.

"I'd like to thank Suzuki, Relentless and all our other loyal sponsors for supporting us this week, and I was equally delighted to see many of them here on the North Coast enjoying the local hospitality."

Superbike Race 1: 1 John McGuinness [Honda]; 2 Conor Cummins [Kawasaki]; 3 Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 4 KKeeith Amor [BMW]; 5 Stuart Easton [Honda]; 6 Bruce Anstey [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]. 8 Cameron Donald [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].

Lap Record - Alastair Seeley 120.985mph.

Supersport Race 1: 1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 2 Ian Hutchinson [Honda]; 3 Michael Dunlop [Honda]; 4 Keith Amor [Honda]; 5 John McGuinness [Honda]; 6 Ryan Farquhar [Kawasaki]; 7 Cameron Donald [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].14 Bruce Anstey [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].

Lap Record: Alastair Seeley 115.582mph.

Superstock Race: 1 Keith Amor [BMW]; 2 Ian Hutchinson [Honda]; 3 Ryan Farquhar [Kawasaki]; 4 Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]. 14 Cameron Donald [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].

NW200 Superbike Race: 1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 2 Stuart Easton [Honda]; 3 John McGuinness [Honda]; 4 Guy Martin [Honda]; 5 Ian Hutchinson [Honda]; 6 Keith Amor [BMW]. 10 Bruce Anstey [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].

Lap Record: Alastair Seeley 121.875mph [New Circuit Record].

Supersport Race 2: 1 Ian Hutchinson [Honda]; 2 Keith Amor [Honda]; 3 Bruce Anstey [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 4 Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 5 Michael Dunlop [Honda]; 6 John McGuinness [Honda]. 8 Cameron Donald [Relentless by TAS Suzuki].

Source: Team Suzuki Press Office

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