:00:52. > :00:57.The north coast is renowned for stunning scenery, and famous
:00:58. > :01:01.landmarks, but it's also home for one of Northern Ireland's most
:01:02. > :01:07.special and spectacular sporting events, the can International North
:01:08. > :01:12.West 200. The this rank will part of the world comes alive to the sound
:01:13. > :01:16.of motorcycle engines. Over the next few days we have every angle of this
:01:17. > :01:21.event covered on the BBC. Here's what is coming up on tonight's show.
:01:22. > :01:25.Michael Dunlop gets North West 200 training with the help of the Ulster
:01:26. > :01:31.Rugby Team. Ryan's return, why Northern Ireland's most successful
:01:32. > :01:38.rider is making a comeback. We catch up with Guy Martin. With highlights
:01:39. > :01:42.of the first three thrilling races. The North West attracts teams and
:01:43. > :01:48.riders from every corner of the globe. The best motorcycle road
:01:49. > :01:54.racers are here to compete on one of the fastest and spectacular circuit
:01:55. > :02:00.in the world. Here are some of the men to look out for. Ten-times North
:02:01. > :02:13.West winner, quick in practice, Alastair Seeley. Go William Dunlop
:02:14. > :02:24.is a quiet one. Mark Brooks did well in practice as well. Michael Rutter
:02:25. > :02:27.still hungry for wins. And The Boss, John McGuinness. Lee Johnston, on
:02:28. > :02:38.good machinery this year. Tomorrow is the main race day here,
:02:39. > :02:44.but it's not the only big sporting event happening because Ulster play
:02:45. > :02:47.their crunch Pro-12 play off against Leinster in Dublin. Fans will be
:02:48. > :02:53.able to watch the game on the big screens around the circuit. One
:02:54. > :02:55.rider has been following Ulster's preparations carefully. Michael
:02:56. > :03:00.Dunlop, who is recovering from an early season crash in England,
:03:01. > :03:07.popped along this week to watch the Ulster team train.
:03:08. > :03:24.COMMENTATOR: What a score! Oh, Michael Dunlop!
:03:25. > :03:34.A broken arm. Michael Dunlop, wins the Supersport 600. Good to see you.
:03:35. > :03:40.Keeping all right? How are you All right. I broke that arm, done all
:03:41. > :03:44.the nerves around the top of my arm. I'm fighting to get back into
:03:45. > :03:48.fitness. I don't feel too bad at the minute. I can move it, it's painful.
:03:49. > :03:53.At the end of the race I could feel my arm, I thought - forget that.
:03:54. > :03:55.Injury is grand if you leave it. You can't leave it, do you know what I
:03:56. > :04:18.mean? 200mph down here. Four or five of us
:04:19. > :04:23.touching together doing 170mph. If you go round the corners I would go
:04:24. > :04:27.the opposite way. Trying to keep balance. The boys can't get over the
:04:28. > :04:31.speed. They think the speed is fantastic. I would rather head to
:04:32. > :04:35.the link road than one of those men banging into the back of me. That is
:04:36. > :04:41.one thing I wouldn't like to be doing. Their sport is as risky as
:04:42. > :04:46.ours. You can see the training they are putting in there. They are all
:04:47. > :04:52.big lads. It's unreal, like. I thought you went to your local gym
:04:53. > :04:55.and did your own thing. We have a fantastic gym, fantastic facilities.
:04:56. > :05:03.Great stadium. They have the whole package here. A lot of work in here.
:05:04. > :05:09.Do you train all day? Yeah. Well... Some boys more so than others, you
:05:10. > :05:12.know. We are chit-chatting, training, the pressures of it and
:05:13. > :05:16.going away and being at home, stuff like that there. Yeah, it's funny
:05:17. > :05:21.how the two sports near enough link together. What about your injury,
:05:22. > :05:25.how are things? Coming on good now. Working hard at the minute. Doing
:05:26. > :05:29.gym work to get myself back into fitness again. I have all the
:05:30. > :05:36.movement back in my arm. Just painful now. Ulster rugby is on a
:05:37. > :05:40.real roll at the moment, what chances of Michael Dunlop being on a
:05:41. > :05:43.real roll at the North West 200? Well, you know, hoping that is the
:05:44. > :05:48.plan. We had a good enough year last year in the 600. If we can just have
:05:49. > :05:51.a good day, I think we will be good and bring some wins back. The main
:05:52. > :05:53.thing is keep the Dunlop going. We need to keep at it. See how we get
:05:54. > :06:06.on. Simple as that! Am I on the same
:06:07. > :06:11.wages? No. He is useful with the boots on. Michael Dunlop is much
:06:12. > :06:21.better on a bike. Thanks to everyone at Ulster rugby. Now, it's time for
:06:22. > :06:27.some racing. The first event is for the Supersport machines. Our expert
:06:28. > :06:30.is Philip McCaul lum. He has more podiums here at the North West 200
:06:31. > :06:33.than anybody else. What are you expecting from the racing this year?
:06:34. > :06:37.I'm expecting lap records. I'm expecting race records. After last
:06:38. > :06:42.year's washout, I'm expecting the best racing we've had for years at
:06:43. > :06:45.the North West 200. We have a strong line-up of Irish riders, we have
:06:46. > :06:51.European, world riders, we have winners from the BSB. What else
:06:52. > :06:57.could we want? Sunshine? It's absolutely glorious. Time for some
:06:58. > :07:02.action arounded this unique nine-mile triangle circuit on closed
:07:03. > :07:06.public roads between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine.
:07:07. > :07:09.Speeds of in excess of 200mph, it's one of the fastests and most unique
:07:10. > :07:21.road racing tracks in the world. COMMENTATOR: We start with Alastair
:07:22. > :07:24.Seeley on pole position in this race, alongside him Michael Rutter
:07:25. > :07:30.and Lee Johnston surprising everybody. There is a Yamaha
:07:31. > :07:38.Triumph. Heading up the second row is the Suzuki. Keith Amor, the
:07:39. > :07:44.comeback kid. Guy Martin and John McGuinness with an injured wrist.
:07:45. > :07:48.What a grid that is. Michael Dunlop not happy to be on the back of it.
:07:49. > :07:54.Alastair Seeley happy to be on pole as we wait for the start of this
:07:55. > :07:58.race. It's GO at the North West 200. Look at the climb to the front.
:07:59. > :08:06.Michael Rutter, what a start from him. Josh Brookes is riding as well.
:08:07. > :08:10.We are with Gary Johnson. He is weaving he every which way on the
:08:11. > :08:16.inside. A busy start from Gary Johnson. Josh Brookes is in there.
:08:17. > :08:20.Number 34. The bikes are snaking everywhere. Lee Johnston is in the
:08:21. > :08:25.inside. He has taken Seeley with him. Seeley had to turn right, he
:08:26. > :08:32.should have turned right. Poor old Alastair Seeley. Let us look at that
:08:33. > :08:36.again when we get the chance. The leaders - the leader, I should say,
:08:37. > :08:41.look at him, tucked in behind the bubble. That is Michael Rutter,
:08:42. > :08:46.first time out on the Triumph being chased by Josh Brookes. You can see
:08:47. > :08:50.the gap because of that incident. Lee Johnston slams into the side of
:08:51. > :09:00.Alastair Seeley. What an issue that was. You see number nine was held
:09:01. > :09:05.up. Keith Amor nearly ran him over. They have done Station Corner. That
:09:06. > :09:11.was flat out. Bruce Anstey behind the bubble making himself as small
:09:12. > :09:17.as possible. Josh Brookes, his second time here at the North West
:09:18. > :09:22.200. He is on the R6. Here we are on board with Alastair Seeley. That is
:09:23. > :09:27.where it gets fast. Up on the kerb. He will have to turn around. What a
:09:28. > :09:32.handicap for that man. Gary Johnson doesn't have to have a handicap at
:09:33. > :09:37.all doeshgs he? Is flat out now. He is. The Wee Wizard fighting his way
:09:38. > :09:40.through. He was in 16th position. He has an awful lot of ground to make
:09:41. > :09:48.up. If anyone is going to, it would be that man. He more or less owns
:09:49. > :09:52.this Supersport class. He has ownership of the North West 200,
:09:53. > :09:56.biggest winner of recent years, Alastair Seeley. This is the slow
:09:57. > :10:01.motion here. The number seven machine, Gary Johnson, as we come
:10:02. > :10:04.underneath the bridge up towards Black Hill as they flash through
:10:05. > :10:09.this area. The bikes are all over place. There is the number seven
:10:10. > :10:13.machine of Gary Johnson. Outbraking. Josh Brookes round the outside of
:10:14. > :10:16.Michael Rutter. He won't be impressed with that. Gary Johnson
:10:17. > :10:20.will be impressed to lead in this company. Josh Brookes running better
:10:21. > :10:24.in race trim than I was expecting. Michael Dunlop running worse than he
:10:25. > :10:33.was expecting. That is the end of his afternoon on the Soviet Unioner
:10:34. > :10:42.sort sport -- on the Supersport. Alastair Seeley fighting hi way back
:10:43. > :10:46.up to the front. Tucked down. It is still Gary Johnson through station
:10:47. > :10:49.corner. Look at this. Gary Johnson, Josh Brookes, Michael Rutter, that
:10:50. > :10:52.is Guy Martin, Guy Martin, Guy Martin will pass the lot of them. He
:10:53. > :10:59.is having a look. He pulled out of the slip stream. Nothing in the
:11:00. > :11:03.power of these bikes. Around about 140/14 brake horsepower. A pass
:11:04. > :11:10.there. Josh Brookes slams it down the inside. First time on this
:11:11. > :11:14.machine, first time racing the 600s for a long time. He has been
:11:15. > :11:17.qualifying. First time shoulder to shoulder with them in the pack.
:11:18. > :11:24.First time he has experienced the draft here. Think of all that time
:11:25. > :11:30.with the throttle open on-the-run to University. 15 seconds. There is
:11:31. > :11:34.Keith Amor. Gary Johnson takes the lead towards the Metro pole. Thrown
:11:35. > :11:40.out of the seat. The front of the bikes will dip and slam the brakes
:11:41. > :11:47.on. Trying to get it tipped in. Not running while here at the Metropole.
:11:48. > :11:51.Guy Martin looking good. Gary Johnson stronger than we expected.
:11:52. > :11:54.Alastair Seeley reeling them in from behind as the laps unfold. Has he
:11:55. > :11:59.enough time left in this race to do anything like the miracle that
:12:00. > :12:02.everybody wanted? Look at that number eight bike wobble from side
:12:03. > :12:09.to to side. Michael Rutter in the pack. Josh Brookes going past. Into
:12:10. > :12:12.the juniper chicane as they climb out of there. The Wee
:12:13. > :12:16.Wizard making up an awful lot of time. On the back end of this pack.
:12:17. > :12:22.William Dunlop is not really come on strong. We expected him to do well
:12:23. > :12:26.on that Suzuki 600. He expected to doo-doo really well, I think. No he,
:12:27. > :12:29.he ran wide now. He has lost ground there, number six, William Dunlop,
:12:30. > :12:33.didn't work for him. Got on the brakes too late. Couldn't squeeze it
:12:34. > :12:39.down enough. Here it is again. Who goes past? Back wheel. What is this?
:12:40. > :12:45.Thank you very much. That is Alastair Seeley. On his way. He is,
:12:46. > :12:55.oh, Gary Johnson has been passed by that, looks like, Guy Martin. It is
:12:56. > :13:00.Guy Martin. Guy Martin on it here. Look at the front wheel in the air,
:13:01. > :13:05.it is slithering. Gary Johnson trying to squeeze. You can see the
:13:06. > :13:16.black line he left. Writing that one to the limit. Alastair Seeley is at
:13:17. > :13:23.the limit. He has closed up. It is all change in the slipstream.
:13:24. > :13:29.Michael Rutter coming out of York Corner, it did not work for him.
:13:30. > :13:36.Keith Amor goes through. He has made up a lot of ground. Alastair
:13:37. > :13:44.Seeley, from 16th, he is now in the leading pack. We are four abreast.
:13:45. > :13:53.Everybody going for a handful of front brake. Guy Martin sneak
:13:54. > :13:58.through. That is the lead for Guy Martin, but Alastair Seeley in the
:13:59. > :14:05.mix. All over the place. Michael Rutter going out. Yes, letting the
:14:06. > :14:13.pack go by. Alastair Seeley does not have any problems. Gary Johnson
:14:14. > :14:19.watching him go past. This is the bid for the lead, he wants it badly.
:14:20. > :14:26.How about this for timing? He is going into first. That is so
:14:27. > :14:35.impressive. Look at that, all the way through to the front of the
:14:36. > :14:39.pack. Oh, no! Josh Brookes has rammed Gary Johnson out wide. He
:14:40. > :14:49.will not be impressed with that, Gary Johnson. He will be saying,
:14:50. > :15:03.bother! He has said the lap record, two seconds under the lap record,
:15:04. > :15:10.but it is now down to the last lap. This is where Alastair Seeley makes
:15:11. > :15:17.his experience payoff. They are side-by-side. Who will get on the
:15:18. > :15:21.brakes latest? It is Alastair Seeley, he has had more track miles
:15:22. > :15:29.this year. By Martin having a great ride. A beautiful line, he gets on
:15:30. > :15:35.the power, he will make the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha as wide as
:15:36. > :15:40.he can. It is an awkward place to get a back marker. He is held up
:15:41. > :15:45.under the bridge. Alastair Seeley wants to put the bike between him
:15:46. > :15:50.and Guy Martin. He shuts the door! He did not know he was there! Bad
:15:51. > :15:56.luck for Guy Martin. Fingers crossed, but it looks like Guy
:15:57. > :16:01.Martin got thwarted. Alastair Seeley, the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha,
:16:02. > :16:06.has got it done, his first victory of the weekend. That would have been
:16:07. > :16:10.a popular victory if he had one from flag to fly, or coming from
:16:11. > :16:17.potential disaster to do that, tremendous. You feel sorry for Guy
:16:18. > :16:21.Martin, and Josh Brookes got on the podium.
:16:22. > :16:28.I could see the pack, I'd caught them one by one, it was a good race
:16:29. > :16:37.to come from that far back, it is testament to the team and the boys
:16:38. > :16:41.around me. What a breathtaking, thrilling
:16:42. > :16:46.opening grace. The rider who has won more Irish road races than anyone
:16:47. > :16:53.else in history is Ryan Farquhar, he retired last year, on the number of
:16:54. > :16:54.199 victories, but he could not stay away. He decided to make a
:16:55. > :17:05.comeback. When Ryan Farquhar retired two years
:17:06. > :17:09.ago, everyone thought he had closed the book on 20 years but had made
:17:10. > :17:18.him the most successful Irish road race of all time, but two weeks ago,
:17:19. > :17:22.the maestro returned. Emotional! I said I would knock it on the head
:17:23. > :17:27.and spend more time with my family. I have said many times that anybody
:17:28. > :17:33.who races a motorbike, they are very selfish. I am more selfish than
:17:34. > :17:39.anybody else. I got involved in running the team on a bigger scale
:17:40. > :17:47.than I should have. I did not enjoy it. The decision that we came up
:17:48. > :17:55.with was to get back on a bike, just do a handful of races on smaller
:17:56. > :17:59.bikes that I enjoy riding. Keith Amor and others as part of my team,
:18:00. > :18:11.it is working like rock work, I am enjoying racing more than ever.
:18:12. > :18:16.Jeremy has a lot to learn from us road races. Keith was the biggest
:18:17. > :18:25.rival I have ever had, especially in my national career. Reduce to be
:18:26. > :18:30.fierce competitors, we were at each other for the whole of 2008/2009. He
:18:31. > :18:37.talked me out of retirement. Well, he said he would come out of
:18:38. > :18:42.retirement if I did. I hand-picked who I wanted to ride on the bikes.
:18:43. > :18:47.It has never been better. Now, the team are back at the Northwest 200,
:18:48. > :18:56.where they made history two years ago. In 2012, we filled the podium,
:18:57. > :19:05.probably the highlight of my team manager career. It was only last
:19:06. > :19:12.year watching Jeremy go on my bike, changing places every few seconds,
:19:13. > :19:16.the helicopter following them, I thought, I do miss the Northwest
:19:17. > :19:20.200. I cannot wait to get back this year with Jeremy and Keith and
:19:21. > :19:24.myself and Connor filling the podium, to give something special.
:19:25. > :19:32.There has already been another special landmark, featuring number
:19:33. > :19:36.200. When you have it in the bag, it is nice, quiet and the first person
:19:37. > :19:38.to win two Hundred Rd races, to get my 200th official victory, something
:19:39. > :19:57.very special. This is the next race, the
:19:58. > :20:01.Supertwins, he starts on the third row. All of his team-mates are in
:20:02. > :20:02.front of him, including Keith Amor, who is in the middle of the front
:20:03. > :20:19.row. What a front row it is. Michael
:20:20. > :20:20.Dunlop, his first time on a twin. Expecting great things from Jeremy
:20:21. > :20:36.McWilliams. Jamie Hamilton always goes well, the
:20:37. > :20:47.is not as happy on this vehicle, though. It is time to stop the
:20:48. > :20:51.talking and start the doing. Ivan Lintin gets away, 100 brake
:20:52. > :21:04.horsepower, relatively low powered. This is where the action usually
:21:05. > :21:12.takes place. A bit of bundling of they got off the line, not a good
:21:13. > :21:17.start from Michael Dunlop. He goes down, that has split the field up.
:21:18. > :21:21.He has been riding so well. What kind Jeremy McWilliams do? He
:21:22. > :21:28.misfired during practice. The second wave gets away, Paul Shoesmith goes
:21:29. > :21:39.first. That is the second time we have seen drama on the first corner.
:21:40. > :21:45.There were two separate incidents. Two of the riders had a little
:21:46. > :21:51.touch. Lee Johnston in the slipstream. Jamie Hamilton got
:21:52. > :22:00.caught up in that. These are the two machines, Ryan Farquhar and Jeremy
:22:01. > :22:08.McWilliams. There is nothing in it. Look at that! Look at the speed. I
:22:09. > :22:18.think that was James Cowton, a massive difference in speed.
:22:19. > :22:22.Late-breaking from James Hillier. Around the roundabout for the first
:22:23. > :22:31.time, Ivan Lintin has made the break, they have not caught him. He
:22:32. > :22:37.is the surprise race leader. An amazing start. We are dicing for the
:22:38. > :22:46.braking area, slamming it down the inside. Jeremy McWilliams. He won
:22:47. > :22:52.the race last year. We are lapping faster than last year. The Johnston
:22:53. > :22:57.came firing out of the chicane, he wants to make up ground. Look at the
:22:58. > :23:05.app that Ivan Lintin has already pulled out. We have not finished the
:23:06. > :23:08.opening lap, he is already that far ahead, and they are three abreast.
:23:09. > :23:13.Lee Johnston getting the best of that one. It is extraordinary, to
:23:14. > :23:19.get that kind of lead from the first lap. They have got that sorted out.
:23:20. > :23:26.All of these bikes are cul-de-sac is. Realistically, you need to be on
:23:27. > :23:30.a Kawasaki. That is because Ryan Farquhar has been chewing on them
:23:31. > :23:34.for so long, but he is not getting the best of this race. The
:23:35. > :23:41.struggling with this competitive pack. Michael Dunlop, his first time
:23:42. > :23:46.on a twin machine, he did not really like them, but he has decided to
:23:47. > :23:51.join the pack. James Hillier, the lap record holder from last year.
:23:52. > :23:56.The number 44 bike going really well, Jamie Hamilton. He had
:23:57. > :24:00.terrible times in practice, he was not happy with the bike. He has
:24:01. > :24:11.fixed it, and that got fixed as well. That was very close. All in
:24:12. > :24:15.the same team, comeback wizards. When you have the elbows in the
:24:16. > :24:22.corners, you need to cling onto the seat. We are down, that is Dean
:24:23. > :24:28.Harrison. He is out of the race. Keep a more asking a bit too much
:24:29. > :24:40.from the rear tyre. He got away with it. It looked a lot more comfortable
:24:41. > :24:46.on the seat of the bike. Flat out as they run up towards University.
:24:47. > :24:48.There is the boss. I still cannot believe he did not make his
:24:49. > :24:55.motorcycle faster than anybody else's. They are getting buffeted
:24:56. > :25:07.around. What a lead it is from Ivan Lintin. He has gone. I would not
:25:08. > :25:14.recommend that! His knee is firmly on the ground. What a race this has
:25:15. > :25:19.turned out to be in the battle for second, third, fourth, fifth and
:25:20. > :25:29.sixth. Lee Johnston and the others are sorting the slipstream out, and
:25:30. > :25:31.Ivan Lintin has long gone. They are really working each other for the
:25:32. > :25:40.slipstream, they have closed the gap down. Lee Johnston has decided he
:25:41. > :25:46.will not want to leave him. Ivan Lintin had a four second lead. Lee
:25:47. > :25:50.Johnston squeezing past, they are chasing the race leader together,
:25:51. > :25:57.but they are racing each other. Lee Johnston has caught him. He has got
:25:58. > :26:05.it, Ivan Lintin... The sparks flying. He nailed it through the
:26:06. > :26:11.final chicane. They have got back a four second lead, Ivan Lintin will
:26:12. > :26:16.be distraught. Maybe he had a moment or two and Lee Johnston did a bit of
:26:17. > :26:23.gardening through the chicane. He takes a chequered flag. Two in a row
:26:24. > :26:31.for Northern Ireland, the first-ever Northwest 200 victory for Lee
:26:32. > :26:36.Johnston, a very popular victory. Keith Amor's bike let him down.
:26:37. > :26:44.I have always complained not enjoying riding, so they have worked
:26:45. > :26:50.hard to get it working a treat. It makes up for that fumble earlier
:26:51. > :26:53.on. Two victories out of two for
:26:54. > :26:59.Northern Ireland. The Northwest 200 is the second massive two wheeled
:27:00. > :27:03.event to take place here in the last month. The jeer at Italia turned
:27:04. > :27:08.everything pink last week, and I found one rider who is a huge
:27:09. > :27:13.cycling fan. He is one of the most recognisable road racers around. You
:27:14. > :27:17.may have seen him building boats on the BBC or breaking world records in
:27:18. > :27:19.his television show, but I caught up with Guy Martin out for a ride on
:27:20. > :27:35.his bike. Welcome back to Northern Ireland, to
:27:36. > :27:43.the Northwest 200, how much do you enjoy road racing here? I love it, I
:27:44. > :27:55.love it. You have never won a Northwest 200, is this your year? I
:27:56. > :28:03.haven't, have I? I know! It is a hard one to answer. The question
:28:04. > :28:06.gets asked every year. I never finish a race thinking, I should
:28:07. > :28:14.have done this or that. I always give my all. I note you prefer it
:28:15. > :28:19.low-key, that how do you handle your new-found fame with the TV
:28:20. > :28:26.programmes, when you try to concentrate on what you do best? I
:28:27. > :28:31.struggle. Even in the pit lane, can you just signed this? I are not
:28:32. > :28:38.rude, I do not tell anybody to do one. I try to have time not for
:28:39. > :28:48.everyone, but I try to sign things and have a key words. I struggle
:28:49. > :28:55.with it, but I am the one who makes the TV programmes. Is it difficult
:28:56. > :28:59.for you to find time and concentrate solely on motorcycle racing? Can you
:29:00. > :29:13.find the time to give it your full commitment? There is no overlap.
:29:14. > :29:18.Tell me what more I can be doing. Than actually be here? It's not like
:29:19. > :29:23.I finish practicing, go to work and come back. I'm here for the week to
:29:24. > :29:32.concentrate on the North West 2 #0 #0. Cycling, not motor cycling,
:29:33. > :29:37.actual cycling. 200 mile a week, 300 mile a week. The more racing I have
:29:38. > :29:40.done, the more I get into it. I feel like you have stuff on your
:29:41. > :29:45.shoulder, pressure from work, pressure from racing. You go out on
:29:46. > :29:51.your pushbike, out of breath. A lot of sweating. You go home, have a cup
:29:52. > :30:02.of tea and think - ah. To purge the system. I love it. You should have
:30:03. > :30:05.turned up earlier for the Giro d'Italia. The weather wasn't so
:30:06. > :30:11.kind. You can say what you want about road races or MotoGP races.
:30:12. > :30:15.Cycling, that is the toughest sport of the world. Whether it's the Gi
:30:16. > :30:18.ro, Tour de France. They are the toughest boys. The mental and
:30:19. > :30:22.physical torture they put themselves through. As long as you are road
:30:23. > :30:27.racing we will see you here in Northern Ireland? Yeah. As long as
:30:28. > :30:35.I'm racing motorbikes, I will be racing over here. He is quite a
:30:36. > :30:39.character. Guy Martin starts well down the grid for this the next
:30:40. > :30:47.race, the Superstock. Michael Dunlop is in pole position.
:30:48. > :30:51.COMMENTATOR: This is the starting grid with Michael Dunlop pole
:30:52. > :31:06.position. Alastair Seeley alongside him.
:31:07. > :31:12.John McGuinness, he is still injured. What a line-up. Two great
:31:13. > :31:17.races already. The a superb grid as we get underway for the third and
:31:18. > :31:24.final time tonight. Again Michael Rutter, number nine, on the BMW, he
:31:25. > :31:28.sweeps into the lead as we go down through Millbank Avenue. He has the
:31:29. > :31:32.Superstock machine as near as you would get to road bikes here at the
:31:33. > :31:38.North West 2 #0 #0. Alastair Seeley just behind him. -- North West 200.
:31:39. > :31:43.Will they get through there cleanly this time around? Yes, they have. We
:31:44. > :31:47.got through the hair pin. We are on board with Alastair Seeley. Already
:31:48. > :31:53.racked up his 11th win here this weekend. This is going to be win
:31:54. > :31:59.number 12. As we about go on board with Gary Johnson, off the line. A
:32:00. > :32:02.lot of power going down there. Wide line for Gary. A brave line. You
:32:03. > :32:07.don't really want to be on the outside, you get run out. It worked
:32:08. > :32:10.out. Alastair Seeley already as we go past the gas station, he has
:32:11. > :32:13.Michael Rutter on the left hand side. It's the scariest corner on
:32:14. > :32:18.the circuit. Who will be the bravest? He got through. Six-gear
:32:19. > :32:21.through there. Rolling a tiny bit. Alastair Seeley, Michael Rutter,
:32:22. > :32:25.with his front wheel waving in the air. Back on board with Gary
:32:26. > :32:29.Johnson, the slip stream tugging him forward. That is Lee Johnston, he
:32:30. > :32:35.has gone past. Trying to keep your head under the screen is hard. Dean
:32:36. > :32:42.Harrison is all right at the moment. Having a good push at it at that
:32:43. > :32:46.point. That is Horst Saiger. Alastair Seeley hasn't dispensed
:32:47. > :32:53.with Michael Rutter yet, has he? , he hasn't. That is the BMW. They
:32:54. > :32:58.join the link road, that is firs-gear corner. Michael Rutter
:32:59. > :33:02.moves over. He uses the wide line. Using the hard shoulder, seal sigh
:33:03. > :33:07.doesn't. Who is into the corner first. Seeley, number 34, has the
:33:08. > :33:10.line through there. Not a great deal of time to be made up here, there is
:33:11. > :33:15.on the exit. Very important to get the drive out of this. Michael
:33:16. > :33:20.Rutter on the power earlier. Onto the bumpest part of the circle. You
:33:21. > :33:23.will see them thrown out of the seat. They get the power down
:33:24. > :33:28.together. That was Gary Johnson that got the speed and the slip stream.
:33:29. > :33:31.They are now heading up towards the Mather's chicane. Michael Rutter
:33:32. > :33:35.down into the inside. He has done it. First-gear corner. Foot out from
:33:36. > :33:41.Gary Johnson. Michael Dunlop slips into third there. Top four tied
:33:42. > :33:47.together with a short piece of string. There is a train going down
:33:48. > :33:50.towards Mather's Cross. This is the line around Ballysally. Alastair
:33:51. > :33:55.Seeley, Michael Rutter, right behind him. It's neck and neck between Gary
:33:56. > :34:00.Johnson. Rutter with the front wheel up in the air at about 180mph. Has
:34:01. > :34:05.been doing a lot of that on this bike. Back on board with Alastair
:34:06. > :34:09.Seeley, looking for the braking point now. Tip it in and turn it
:34:10. > :34:14.round. He got that nailed. Braking is one of his major features for
:34:15. > :34:19.Alastair Seeley. He really has got that sorted out as we look back from
:34:20. > :34:25.William Dunlop. That is Number Eleven, Stevie Thompson there.
:34:26. > :34:30.Racing in the pack towards Metropole. Looking for the braking
:34:31. > :34:34.point. We are looking down on the race leaders. Gary Johnson, just
:34:35. > :34:39.fending off Michael Rutter. Rutter, look at him trying to stay on that
:34:40. > :34:45.bike. He is really... Michael Dunlop, Michael Dunlop. Bye tow, up
:34:46. > :34:49.the inside of both of them. Has he got track position - no! Squeezed
:34:50. > :34:52.out. The road is not wide enough to get three down there. Look at
:34:53. > :34:57.Michael Dunlop doing everything he can. It was Rutter there, late on
:34:58. > :35:01.the brakes. Gary Johnson is out. Unfortunate for him. A shame after
:35:02. > :35:07.being so strong in the early laps. Now, it's time to be strong in the
:35:08. > :35:11.late lapse. Michael Dunlop on Martin Jessopp. Horst Saiger behind him. He
:35:12. > :35:17.is going well. Qualified well in the Superstock. He set a fast lap a 4.26
:35:18. > :35:22.a lap record. Dean Harrison, not having a good day. Not been his
:35:23. > :35:26.weekend. Look at this, Michael Rutter on Alastair Seeley. Michael
:35:27. > :35:34.Rutter has a big fly on his visor, he put his hand up and try and get
:35:35. > :35:36.the tear off. BMW wheeling. Rutter having to really - look at Michael
:35:37. > :35:39.having to really - look atMichael Michael Dunlop. Was tremendous
:35:40. > :35:41.drafting from Michael Dunlop. All the way from behind them through
:35:42. > :35:48.into the lead. We have had two Northern Ireland winners. Will it be
:35:49. > :35:51.three? Well, Michael Rutter, get back to him. Here is Dunlop. Look at
:35:52. > :35:57.his determination in his body language. Look at the backline. He
:35:58. > :36:01.slides it out of there. We are on the last lap. Who will it be? We are
:36:02. > :36:05.on board with William Dunlop looking back to Guy Martin. This is for
:36:06. > :36:10.seventh or eighth position. This is the battle for the lead. Up the
:36:11. > :36:14.inside goes the Wizard. Seeley, second. Dunlop is first. Can
:36:15. > :36:18.Alastair Seeley catch Michael Dunlop over the coast road or will we have
:36:19. > :36:21.a third winner from Northern Ireland here this evening What a popular win
:36:22. > :36:25.it would be, wouldn't it, for Michael Dunlop, brand new BMW for
:36:26. > :36:29.him. Four more corners to go. As they go under the railway line.
:36:30. > :36:35.Climbing up the hill. There we are, on board with him. Michael Dunlop
:36:36. > :36:40.has had a bit of a slide. At that point the Wizard is through. As he
:36:41. > :36:45.goes up Black Hill. They are battling this one out. Their bikes
:36:46. > :36:49.not the most modern on the grid? No, not the fastest either. It will be
:36:50. > :36:54.interesting to see who has this race. The Wizard is there. Down the
:36:55. > :36:59.inside. Got the line. Michael Rutter, round the outside of Michael
:37:00. > :37:04.Dunlop. This is it. The final corner before they climb Juniper Hill. The
:37:05. > :37:09.Wee Wizard Alastair Seeley will get his 12th win. What about Michael
:37:10. > :37:17.Rutter in second, flush of youth for him. The second win of the day for
:37:18. > :37:22.Alastair Seeley. Watch them rise their feet in the grand stands as he
:37:23. > :37:27.takes the chequered flag. What a last lap that was? Terrific. Michael
:37:28. > :37:34.Rutter one of his best races. Martin Jessopp in fourth. Horst Saiger,
:37:35. > :37:39.fifth. He got the lap record. Michael's bike was misbehaving a
:37:40. > :37:45.bit. We were solid. Put the pass on. From there on in I lay-down braking
:37:46. > :37:50.markers that week at that Juniper Hill chicane. Braked late, fired it
:37:51. > :37:54.out and got it home for another win. Two in a day for Alastair Seeley,
:37:55. > :37:57.three in the day for Northern Ireland. Let us not forget Lee
:37:58. > :38:02.Johnston. It's celebration time for the Wee Wizard. Alastair Seeley is
:38:03. > :38:08.the fourth most successful rider in the history of this event behind
:38:09. > :38:11.Robert Dunlop, Joey Dunlop and Michael Rutter. He did it in
:38:12. > :38:17.exciting fashion? You can't hold records forever. He did. He won fair
:38:18. > :38:21.and square. I think Alastair has this place sussed. He knows how to
:38:22. > :38:25.win here. Lee Johnston, superb win for him. Three Northern Ireland wins
:38:26. > :38:30.tonight. But there is more to come. Michael Dunlop wants to prove a
:38:31. > :38:36.point. OK. Philip, thank you very much. You can see all of tomorrow's
:38:37. > :38:40.racing live by locking on to the BBC sport website. We have live
:38:41. > :38:43.commentary right throughout the day on Radio Ulster. Our second
:38:44. > :38:51.highlights programme is on Sunday night on BBC One at .30pm. Our last
:38:52. > :38:56.show, Monday night 10.35pm on BBC One. On the first day of racing at
:38:57. > :38:56.the North West 200 it has been a hat-trick for Northern Ireland.
:38:57. > :39:29.Goodbye for now. Guy Martin just behind him.
:39:30. > :39:33.This is the run down to Metropole.