Davey Todd takes the plaudits as he claims top billing with North West 200 Superbike glory

Belfast Telegraph

10-05-2025

The race was stopped by a red flag when leaders Todd and Harrison were on their sixth and final lap.
A rider crashed at Quarry Hill and was taken to hospital by air ambulance, although their injuries were not understood to be life-threatening.
A result was declared based on positions at the end of lap five, giving 29-year-old Todd the win by 0.398s from Harrison, who finished as the runner-up for the Honda Racing team.
Todd won his maiden Superbike race at the North West 200 on Thursday after previously finishing second behind Glenn Irwin five times.
Alastair Seeley returned to the podium for the first time since 2023, taking third on the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW, 3.4s adrift.
Michael Dunlop – who clocked the fastest lap of the race at 125.480mph – went out of the lead on his factory BMW machine on the fourth lap.
Dunlop had caught and passed Todd and was a few tenths ahead when he pulled out at Mathers chicane.
Another key contender, pole-sitter Peter Hickman, retired on the first lap with an issue on his 8TEN Racing BMW at University.
Josh Brookes made amends for some disappointing results by taking fifth on the Jackson Racing Honda with the evergreen John McGuinness in sixth (Honda Racing UK).
The event ended on a slightly disappointing note with the red flag crash, but eight-time NW200 Steve Plater said the drama, controversy and excitement yesterday had been a 'great day for the sport'.
'It's an incredible day's racing, a lot of drama, a lot of things going on in the paddock and parc ferme afterwards, but what a great day for the sport, it really is,' said Plater.
'The crowds have been fantastic and certainly there was some massive cheering for that local man (Michael Dunlop).
'In the Thursday night Superbike race he rode really well and he rode really well in the first Superbike race today.'
Assessing Todd's performance, Plater said the Saltburn man would have been 'very happy' with his big victory in the finale.
'He had a problem, lost power when he had his eight-second lead and dropped back (in the first Superbike race), so he'll be very happy with the result in the last race.
'Dean Harrison was the bridesmaid again and he's riding so well in the British Championship and of course on the roads, but his day will come, it really will.'
Plater was also impressed by Michael Dunlop, whose treble has moved him onto eight wins.
The Ulsterman's Supersport and Superstock victories on Thursday were his first since 2016 at his home race.
'When he comes to the North West, Michael's usually getting ready for the TT and using it as a little bit of a test, and never really shows that much aggression,' said Plater.
"But this year he's had the bit between his teeth and that boy is riding well – he's certainly going to have a good season.'
With the start of the Isle of Man TT coming up later this month, legendary Irish road racer Phillip McCallen believes the main protagonists will be confident of their prospects at the iconic Mountain Course meeting.
'Michael Dunlop will certainly leave here happy with his bikes, the 8TEN team have got to be happy because those bikes were put together as they arrived here – they were testing stuff every day – so they're going to be happy,' McCallen said.
'I think Dean Harrison will definitely be going to the TT ten times happier than he was last year and in previous years when he was on the Kawasaki, which was 10 or 15mph down on Peter Hickman.
'Michael's triple has to be (the highlight) because he hadn't won here for nine years, so he was cool and calm – mentally he's very strong and physically when he got off those bikes there was no problem.'