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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

North West 200 results: Alastair Seeley and Davey Todd impress on opening night

Alastair Seeley extended his North West 200 record to 28 wins with a commanding victory in Thursday night's Superstock race.

The Wee Wizard shattered the lap record on his Synetiq BMW, and was over 10 seconds clear of Davey Todd when a red flag ended the race on the final lap.

It was a welcome win for the Carrickfergus rider after narrowly missing out in a thrilling opening Supersport race won by Todd.

Read more: Thursday's North West 200 racing as it happened

"It is nice to rattle another one out," Seeley said of win number 28.

"The Supersport was a bit of a ding-dong, and in the Superstocks I was on the money with the pace.

"This is the bike we ride in the British Championship so it's the one I am most comfortable with, and the times were impressive."

English rider Todd claimed his second win at the North West 200 with a thrilling victory in the Supersports.

He finished 0.108 seconds ahead of Seeley with Richard Cooper a further 0.2 seconds back in third.

"I am over the moon. That is a dream," Todd said.

"You can't have a strategy in races like that. You don't know what's going to happen from corner to corner.

"I am not sure how I came out on top, but I gave it my all. I wanted that top step for me and all the boys.

"This means a lot. I have won here in the wet but I want to be a rider who can win in all weather."

There was some controversy on the opening night, with the FHO Racing Team withdrawing from the North West 200 due to a wheel infringement.

FHO and their riders Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman were ready to race but found out at the eleventh hour that their bikes' carbon fibre wheels went against rules.

There was also late disappointment when the final Supertwins race was postponed due to fading light after there were two red flags on the night.

Five more races are scheduled for Saturday, with the Supertwins expected to be staged as well.

Supersport results

  1. Davey Todd (Eng) Honda
  2. Alastair Seeley (NI) Ducati
  3. Richard Cooper (Eng) Yamaha
  4. Michael Dunlop (NI) Yamaha
  5. Dean Harrison (Eng) Yamaha
  6. Peter Hickman (Eng) Triumph

Fastest lap and new lap record: Alastair Seeley 118.066mph on lap five

Superstock results

  1. Alastair Seeley (NI) BMW
  2. Davey Todd (Eng) Honda
  3. Michael Dunlop (NI) Honda
  4. Dean Harrison (Eng) Kawasaki
  5. Michael Rutter (Eng) BMW
  6. James Hillier (Eng) Yamaha

Fastest lap and new lap record: Alastair Seeley 124.427mph on lap three

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