:00:09. > :00:16.The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The
:00:17. > :00:39.fastest point between three points is here. This is a road racing.
:00:40. > :01:03.The idea for the North West 200 started with a simple beach race
:01:04. > :01:09.almost a century ago. It soon progressed onto the public roads on
:01:10. > :01:13.the North Coast. Those early pioneers could hardly have imagined
:01:14. > :01:22.the global sporting extravaganza that is staged today. But the
:01:23. > :01:27.history and the heritage of the North West is never too far away.
:01:28. > :01:32.This is one of Northern Ireland's oldest and most famous sporting
:01:33. > :01:36.events. Legends have been born here, heroes produced, barrier smashed,
:01:37. > :02:01.and many records broken. It is all about the emotion. The
:02:02. > :02:11.excitement. And the electricity. The power. The passion. And, of course,
:02:12. > :02:28.the high-speed passing. This year, one man is on the verge
:02:29. > :02:41.of making history and could become the North West's most accessible
:02:42. > :02:55.ever rider. But whatever happens, there is bendy drama guaranteed. --
:02:56. > :03:01.plenty of drama guaranteed. Welcome to the Vauxhall international North
:03:02. > :03:04.West 200, this is the first of three macro special highlights programmes
:03:05. > :03:17.on the BBC and this is what is coming up on the show. We have got
:03:18. > :03:20.to macro thrilling races, the Supersport race is going
:03:21. > :03:27.side-by-side and then the Supertwins battle it out. We meet a rider
:03:28. > :03:33.trying to take his career to new heights, and is putting his own spin
:03:34. > :03:37.on things. All of the sport's top riders are here to contest what many
:03:38. > :03:45.regard as the world's best road race will stop here are some of the stars
:03:46. > :03:54.to look out for. John McGuinness is regarded as Road racing royalty. Ian
:03:55. > :04:01.Hutchinson is back to his best after a career threatening injury. Peter
:04:02. > :04:05.Hickman is a star from the Superbike championship, looking for his first
:04:06. > :04:11.win, as is James Hillier, he has been on the podium before. Martin
:04:12. > :04:21.Jessop is the fastest ever rider, clock through the speed trap at over
:04:22. > :04:26.200 miles per row. Michael Rutter is a 13 times North West winner. Lee
:04:27. > :04:33.Johnson is amongst those leading the local challenge, as is Jeremy
:04:34. > :04:44.McWilliams, now 52, but still very competitive. One rider has managed
:04:45. > :04:50.the North West since his debut in 2008, he has had one race win every
:04:51. > :04:55.year. Alastair Seeley has a tally of 15 victories, equal with the great
:04:56. > :04:57.Robert Dunlop. We caught up with Alastair Seeley at one of the area's
:04:58. > :05:16.most famous landmarks. First first time at the rope bridge, what
:05:17. > :05:19.are your impressions? I was very impressed, I've lived here for 36
:05:20. > :05:25.years and it was nice to get across here eventually. How excited are you
:05:26. > :05:31.about the North West 200? This year is very special. Very important, as
:05:32. > :05:35.well, we are knocking on the door, taking the record of 16 wins, if we
:05:36. > :05:42.can get another one. Preparation has been going well. We have gelled
:05:43. > :05:54.quite quickly. Do you remember your first North West 200? The first win,
:05:55. > :06:04.yes. 2008. I was in a ding-dong battle and it all came down to the
:06:05. > :06:13.usual spot on the last lap. COMMENTATOR: Bruce Anstey has got
:06:14. > :06:25.over the lap. Alastair Seeley takes the winner. It is a fine win. Of
:06:26. > :06:39.those 15 wins, is there one which jumps out? Probably 2010.
:06:40. > :06:48.COMMENTATOR: Just what Alastair Seeley needed. It was 13 years
:06:49. > :06:55.previous to that, and to be the guy after that, that was pretty special.
:06:56. > :06:59.When you look back at the footage, it got a bit exciting after that,
:07:00. > :07:05.and I threw my gloves into the crowd. You used to watch Robert
:07:06. > :07:14.Dunlop, you can now beat his record, what will that mean to you? It will
:07:15. > :07:19.be eight Amanda 's achievement. -- it will be a great achievement.
:07:20. > :07:25.Robert was one of the best on all kinds of machinery. We are now on
:07:26. > :07:36.the verge. It will not be easy to make 16. It's about trying to win
:07:37. > :07:47.races, and with that will, record. -- will come a record. Alastair
:07:48. > :07:51.Seeley is in pole position for the first race to the North West 200,
:07:52. > :08:00.the Supersport class and I'm joined by 11 times North West 200 winner
:08:01. > :08:07.Philip. Can Alastair Seeley break his record? He is also on and he
:08:08. > :08:11.should be able to win it tonight. He has won in this class since 2010,
:08:12. > :08:20.and he is favourite to win tonight, but he has got to macro problems and
:08:21. > :08:30.they are both called Dunlop. Ash two problems. To hobby record he has, 15
:08:31. > :08:35.wins, that is a great thing, and if Alastair Seeley beats the record, he
:08:36. > :08:45.will be even greater. Thank you. The circuit is run on closed public
:08:46. > :08:51.roads. The route that many people use to go to work turns into one of
:08:52. > :08:58.the fastest tracks on the planet. It goes to Coleraine and Portrush.
:08:59. > :09:05.Between the bushes, frighteningly close to the kerbs, even under a
:09:06. > :09:11.railway bridge. Bikes can reach speeds of over 200 mph around the
:09:12. > :09:19.circuit which is just under nine miles long. It is time to join our
:09:20. > :09:23.commentary team, Steve Parish and Richard Nichols.
:09:24. > :09:34.COMMENTATOR: I'm looking forward to this, Alastair Seeley on pole
:09:35. > :09:44.position. Lee Johnston on the other Triumph out there. Michael Rutter,
:09:45. > :09:51.Dean Harrison, James Hillier, it goes on and on. He had a few
:09:52. > :09:59.problems at the end of the back ten. This is Michael Dunlop with
:10:00. > :10:08.problems. Alastair Seeley, waiting for the go. That is a drama, Michael
:10:09. > :10:11.Dunlop out of the 600 race. That is disappointing, he was going to be
:10:12. > :10:20.one of the front runners. But one less format lap. Dean Harrison, he
:10:21. > :10:28.is there. Who is it going to be? Alastair Seeley, looking for his
:10:29. > :10:36.60th win. Heads down and away he goes, that was a lovely clean start.
:10:37. > :10:41.Look at that. That is James Hillier. Martin Jessop, he was sat there on
:10:42. > :10:48.the second position. He now has the lead, how about that? Alastair
:10:49. > :10:57.Seeley second. Tipping in for the first time. Trying to get through as
:10:58. > :11:01.quickly as he can. He has got to fight his way through, Ian
:11:02. > :11:14.Hutchinson. On board with Alastair Seeley. The riders Triumph gets a
:11:15. > :11:21.look at. Number 45. 25 is the Welsh gentleman. We go around and away to
:11:22. > :11:26.the long straight, and this is where the slipstream comes into play, and
:11:27. > :11:34.we should be in for a drafting treat. Look at that. They are doing
:11:35. > :11:40.it flat out. Alastair Seeley has got room to pass. Lovely to see blue sky
:11:41. > :11:45.in front of him and great to see no other motorcycles in front of him at
:11:46. > :11:49.this moment. The slipstream, you drag yourself forward and then you
:11:50. > :11:56.get dragged back again and this is Ian Hutchinson. He says it is like
:11:57. > :12:04.drafting a truck. The Yamaha goes charging through. Paul Jordan is
:12:05. > :12:10.getting passed in the braking zone. Late on the brakes, back into first
:12:11. > :12:16.gear. Alastair Seeley and Martin Jessop, right in the mix. John
:12:17. > :12:21.McGuinness's view, that is, well, it would be, if he turned round.
:12:22. > :12:27.Michael Rutter, right behind. Number eight. On board with Paul Jordan,
:12:28. > :12:35.they go round slowly around the roundabout. Bruce Anstey just in
:12:36. > :12:41.front. It is all happening. Lee Johnston, out of the slipstream.
:12:42. > :12:47.Trying to go alongside. Jessop on Alastair Seeley, Hillier around the
:12:48. > :12:57.outside. All over the place, aren't they? Yes, they are not all cow was
:12:58. > :13:09.a stream of screaming six cc machines. This is Alastair Seeley.
:13:10. > :13:16.He grabs another gear and now down the inside, so good on the brakes.
:13:17. > :13:22.He is the man that you decide, if you are going to break later than
:13:23. > :13:26.him, you will be in trouble. They come towards the chicane on the
:13:27. > :13:32.left-hand side. McAvoy, Alastair Seeley, Johnson. This is a look back
:13:33. > :13:44.at Michael Rutter, coming out of the truck. Slipstream. Williams, in
:13:45. > :13:52.their again. Hutchinson has nipped under Jessop. Around the outside.
:13:53. > :13:59.Impressive stuff. From the back row of the grid, that is good. I did not
:14:00. > :14:08.see who that was. Someone else coming around the left-hander.
:14:09. > :14:17.Alastair Seeley, fabulous corner. Plenty of room for him. He grabs a
:14:18. > :14:25.gear, you can hear the bike screaming, stretched to the limit,
:14:26. > :14:35.these 600 Supersport machines. Lee Johnston, on the East Coast racing
:14:36. > :14:38.Triumph. Still hurting from Scarborough, this is his best chance
:14:39. > :14:46.or we and no wonder he is trying hard to do this. -- all week. Look
:14:47. > :14:56.at that. He is trying hard, they are all trying hard. William Dunlop and
:14:57. > :15:00.Michael Rutter. The top seven or within -- or within .1 of a second.
:15:01. > :15:06.Alastair Seeley wants to get away. So he's not dragging Dunlop and the
:15:07. > :15:14.others behind him, but that can happen. You can feel someone for
:15:15. > :15:17.you, that ruffle short feathers. It on saddles the dynamics of the bike
:15:18. > :15:23.when someone is that close behind. Ash it on saddles.
:15:24. > :15:30.John McGuinness nailed it on the line. Hillier, Rutter behind, taking
:15:31. > :15:36.the inside line, Hillier looking for the big, wide sweep through
:15:37. > :15:41.Millbank. Michael Rutter looking at the clocks on John McGuinness'
:15:42. > :15:45.Honda. Jordan was my view, got slightly mugged at the start. The
:15:46. > :15:49.gearing sounds so high, he revved it and as soon as the clutch came out,
:15:50. > :15:53.it killed it, took it off the power band, you have to be careful on the
:15:54. > :16:02.start line with the clutch on Bees bikes because first year will pull
:16:03. > :16:06.at about 90 mph. 190 mph, 160, 100 70. William Dunlop has done 182, I
:16:07. > :16:11.been the fastest we have seen on the speed trap here but he had to change
:16:12. > :16:15.engines afterwards. I think he overstretched it. Did you see that?
:16:16. > :16:20.Robbing the paint off each other. What they want quartet in the
:16:21. > :16:24.sunshine. A quintet, here comes another one. I'm not surprised Lee
:16:25. > :16:32.Johnston sat up a bit, that was close and this is close. Look at
:16:33. > :16:37.Hutchy, going for the lead. Four abreast at 180 mph. Hutchy into
:16:38. > :16:42.second place now, Seen Lee, Jessopp, Hutchy looking forwards. You get the
:16:43. > :16:45.feeling that CD is weighing up the opposition, weighing up the plan
:16:46. > :16:51.with James Cowton on the Radcliffe machine. William Dunlop leads it
:16:52. > :16:58.round the Mill Road, the Ballysally Rutherford out. -- roundabout. James
:16:59. > :17:03.Cowton, a good way behind the leading group has gone now. This is
:17:04. > :17:06.the battle for the lead and these are the podium finishers, perhaps,
:17:07. > :17:13.as Alastair Seeley tries to find room beside Ian Hutchinson. It is
:17:14. > :17:16.not Alastair Seeley, he's fourth! It is Jessopp. Seeley is taking a
:17:17. > :17:21.breath to check out the opposition. We know he's fast over the closure,
:17:22. > :17:25.so Hutchinson up in front. Alastair Seeley, not where he wanted to be,
:17:26. > :17:30.his 16th win on the cards, don't forget but he's got to be up there
:17:31. > :17:34.and he seems to be losing touch. Somewhere, Alastair Seeley dropped
:17:35. > :17:39.right back and he's dropping even further back now. It seems that he
:17:40. > :17:43.is. Martin Jessopp, stalking William Dunlop and Hutchy in the lead, they
:17:44. > :17:49.changed places in the draft yet again and will always go back that?
:17:50. > :17:53.Yes, but William Dunlop has a vast Yamaha and I've been told by a
:17:54. > :17:56.number of teams that have run him, he's very aerodynamic, can get his
:17:57. > :18:01.body in a position to keep high speed and is fastest through the
:18:02. > :18:04.speed traps, normally. William Dunlop is out there, trying to
:18:05. > :18:08.protect his father's record. Alastair Seeley and Robert Dunlop
:18:09. > :18:12.both have 15 wins but what Willie and Michael don't want is this man
:18:13. > :18:23.to get his 16th win and he has closed up, hasn't he? He has, and
:18:24. > :18:25.Hutchy in four will get into the Metropole first, then William,
:18:26. > :18:28.Jessopp, Johnston and Seeley, the man looking for his 16th win. Bruce
:18:29. > :18:36.Anstey, number five, on the Padgett Honda. Through Church, underneath
:18:37. > :18:39.the bridge. Beautiful conditions all around the circuit. Forgive us for
:18:40. > :18:43.going on about that a little bit but it has been tenuous since we have
:18:44. > :18:50.seen whether like this at the North West 200. -- ten years since.
:18:51. > :18:54.Looking back to Bruce, John. He's been on the podium here, every year
:18:55. > :18:59.he has come and written. There goes the slipstream along the coast road,
:19:00. > :19:03.Hutchy with his head down, William, Martin Jessopp, Lee Johnston,
:19:04. > :19:08.Alastair Seeley, you can't say the name is fast enough. You can see the
:19:09. > :19:11.bikes compressed, the starches squashed up inside as John
:19:12. > :19:17.McGuinness and Michael Rutter having a good tussle, two the elder
:19:18. > :19:21.statesman although experience is probably the world. Again, look at
:19:22. > :19:26.Lee Johnston, trying to get the Triumph to turn, slithering across
:19:27. > :19:30.the road. Hutchy looks fearsome though. He's very controlled, isn't
:19:31. > :19:34.he, and his body language is always very aggressive. This is raising
:19:35. > :19:38.that we love to see, like you said, breeze behind them as they head out
:19:39. > :19:42.towards the Mill Road roundabout and then going to the fastest part of
:19:43. > :19:48.the course. That is also something you don't get at the North West 200
:19:49. > :19:52.very of, flies on the camera. Hutchy went to deep and fast going into the
:19:53. > :19:58.corner and lost some ground. We are riding with Seeley and we have a fly
:19:59. > :20:02.on the screen at the moment. That little mistake from Hutchy has
:20:03. > :20:06.allowed Seeley to close right up. He did not get the driver of the corner
:20:07. > :20:12.but he's rude groups and got back. Oh, they tried to get through that
:20:13. > :20:19.side-by-side but they couldn't. Just the speed... Seeley got past and
:20:20. > :20:22.Hutchy gets back. They are touching one another. Jessopp is in the mix
:20:23. > :20:29.and the bikes start to weave around, when you get beside another by, the
:20:30. > :20:34.air gives you turbulence. It drags you across the road. Dean Harrison
:20:35. > :20:40.now. Right in the middle, looking for the front! It psyches weaving
:20:41. > :20:47.his array -- it is like he's weaving his way around the M25 but he's
:20:48. > :20:52.doing a 180 mph. They go over the link road. This is the mistake from
:20:53. > :20:59.Hutchy, isn't it? Way to deep, virtually had to stop and turn back.
:21:00. > :21:02.Bruce Anstey went through there, I wonder what happened to him but he
:21:03. > :21:07.rejoined and as long as he does not make up any ground, it will be OK
:21:08. > :21:10.and he will not get a penalty. That will Seeley going past Harrison on
:21:11. > :21:17.the on-board and this is the battle for the lead between these two,
:21:18. > :21:24.Hutchy and Jessopp. It is advantage, Hutchy. Look at Seeley, slotting
:21:25. > :21:27.into second place. Alastair Seeley from Carrickfergus, the wee wizard,
:21:28. > :21:31.as I said, you would break all the history books if he could win this
:21:32. > :21:37.race, giving him 16 wins, more than anyone else on the course. He's only
:21:38. > :21:39.got Hutchy to pass now on the run to Metropole, comes out of the slip
:21:40. > :21:43.stream and goes down the right of the road, good work from Seeley,
:21:44. > :21:54.what he wants, make the break along the coast road and it is all his and
:21:55. > :21:57.buttoned up. Seeley just trying to keep it all together, you have to be
:21:58. > :22:00.careful when you go over the crown of the road at Metropole, the camber
:22:01. > :22:02.drops away and it gives you a couple of degrees extra angle of lean. What
:22:03. > :22:05.is Seeley's game plan? Is probably the most experienced around here,
:22:06. > :22:08.certainly has the most wins of anyone in the race. Seeley, now,
:22:09. > :22:13.stretching out an advantage. Is he going to get it? He's pulled away.
:22:14. > :22:17.They are clapping already, Steve, if you go through this chicane in the
:22:18. > :22:22.lead, he always says you have won the race. He's got to keep it
:22:23. > :22:31.together, nice and tidy, won't know how far Hutchy is behind but it
:22:32. > :22:34.looks like he's getting his 16th win at the North West 200, breaking all
:22:35. > :22:36.records which will not please the Dunlop family but he deserves it,
:22:37. > :22:39.he's been a brilliant ride around here. He's worked for that one, his
:22:40. > :22:42.16th checker flag, Hutchy won't be happy but that's a good finish from
:22:43. > :22:45.where he started right at the back of the first wave. Confirmation of
:22:46. > :23:02.it, history being made by Alastair Seeley. That is tremendous.
:23:03. > :23:08.It is a very special day for you. I felt comfortable in qualifying and I
:23:09. > :23:14.felt towards the end, if I could get a bit of clear track, I could maybe
:23:15. > :23:20.hit all my markers that I was doing. In the qualifying today. I felt like
:23:21. > :23:24.I did that on the last lap. It just seems to be, 2016, 16 wins, the
:23:25. > :23:30.weather, everything has added up-to-date. It is just, I'm not
:23:31. > :23:39.going to forget this one. -- added up today. It is nice to be up there
:23:40. > :23:42.with the Dunlop name. So an unforgettable moment for the
:23:43. > :23:48.record-breaker, Alastair Seeley. Now, there's a debut here this year
:23:49. > :23:51.who is creating quite a stir. Malachi Mitchell Thomas from England
:23:52. > :23:55.is relatively new to the sport but he's made a good impression very
:23:56. > :23:59.quickly and as Gavin Andrews found out, he is also pretty handy on four
:24:00. > :24:07.wheels, as he took our old fellow for a spin in his car.
:24:08. > :24:10.That's a wee bit oily, so it is a touch of oil and then it will spark
:24:11. > :24:19.back and stuff. I think we will go and try it.
:24:20. > :24:37.Brilliant, brilliant. To me, it's a bit of a hobby, like. I've been
:24:38. > :24:41.around bikes all my life so cars are a different thing and I get to learn
:24:42. > :24:47.how they work as I go. I'm building this myself with the help of my
:24:48. > :24:52.other mates. It is a Nissan 180 SX from Japan, import. It is good fun,
:24:53. > :24:56.Sunday afternoons, getting down and getting her up on the axle stands
:24:57. > :24:59.and doing a bit of work. I like driving and going sideways and
:25:00. > :25:04.burning rubber smells nice! And he brings that their beauty as under
:25:05. > :25:09.his bike racing. At just 20 years of age, he's already made his mark on
:25:10. > :25:13.the roads. I can learn tracks quick, I've got two good people showing me
:25:14. > :25:17.around the track, John Burroughs and Jamie Hamilton. I can trust them and
:25:18. > :25:22.when they have shown me around, I know that if they say I can brake
:25:23. > :25:26.there, I can brake there. Now I know I can get on with bikes, I really
:25:27. > :25:30.joy it and we work well as a team. I've got some decent race craft so
:25:31. > :25:35.I'm hoping for a win or a podium. And away from the track, he's been a
:25:36. > :25:39.hit with the fans. I've loved it, I never want for nothing when I'm over
:25:40. > :25:43.here, people bring me live to the airport, places to stay and my tea
:25:44. > :25:54.at night. You never need anything. I love it, really.
:25:55. > :26:00.How much did you enjoy your experience with Malachi, who is
:26:01. > :26:06.quite a character? Yeah, I mean, I was stunned to start off with, that
:26:07. > :26:10.lad can drive a car really well. Then I started to talk to him and he
:26:11. > :26:14.actually understands the car pretty well as well. He showed me a lot of
:26:15. > :26:18.tricks. But you know what? I was even more surprised when he started
:26:19. > :26:23.talking about motorcycles. He is impressive but can he win on his
:26:24. > :26:26.debut? I think he definitely got potential comedy has won national
:26:27. > :26:29.road races so far this year and has had a good practice and is well
:26:30. > :26:33.placed on the grid and he definitely fit to be on the rostrum. Let's hope
:26:34. > :26:37.he has a good ride for the first time at the North West 200. Malachi
:26:38. > :26:41.starts on the fourth row of the grid. The front row is made up of
:26:42. > :26:46.two Englishmen and in Northern Ireland. Dan Kruger, a surprise
:26:47. > :26:49.package to many, in pole position alongside the home-grown talent who
:26:50. > :26:54.has dominated this class, Ryan Farquhar of Dungannon. Ivan Lintin,
:26:55. > :26:56.who has been second here before, is looking for his first North West 200
:26:57. > :27:10.win. COMMENTATOR: Race tee and what a
:27:11. > :27:13.lovely day or should I say evening for it? Conditions are perfect. They
:27:14. > :27:17.most certainly are. None of these riders have been in the Supersport
:27:18. > :27:20.race and this is one we have seen, Ivan Lintin and Martin Jessopp,
:27:21. > :27:27.also, going to be ringing the neck of these bikes. Peter Hickman giving
:27:28. > :27:29.us a thumbs up. Everybody likes the Supertwin, Ryan Farquhar more or
:27:30. > :27:33.less invented this category and has been the master Robert but he was
:27:34. > :27:37.not the master of qualifying. Certainly not, Darren Cooper on
:27:38. > :27:41.pole, Ryan Farquhar second and Ivan Lintin is the front row, Martin
:27:42. > :27:45.Jessopp and then James Hillier. Jeremy McWilliams, bringing up the
:27:46. > :27:55.row and then it is Paul Jordan and Danny Webb. This great after-hours
:27:56. > :27:58.acts, 650 cc twins and they power off the line, about 100 brake
:27:59. > :28:01.horsepower, quite heavy but number one, Ryan Farquhar getting a
:28:02. > :28:05.standing start, and on the inside was Hillier and we saw that Jessopp
:28:06. > :28:10.was in there as well. James Hillier right alongside him and Jessopp
:28:11. > :28:13.coming to the fore now, as they go left, down towards York Road corner
:28:14. > :28:18.but the first time. It is Ryan Farquhar who got the best start and
:28:19. > :28:23.he's back out in front, where he has been since this class, more or
:28:24. > :28:27.less... Dan Kruger from pole position is locked into second,
:28:28. > :28:31.Jeremy McWilliams gets weird -- squeezed out and we are on board
:28:32. > :28:34.with Sweeney. Back of the grid, looking for a way through and
:28:35. > :28:37.finding lots of space on the run down towards Millbank Avenue but
:28:38. > :28:43.then going back again, getting shuffled back as they look for open
:28:44. > :28:47.road. Still cold tyres, too early to be a hero. That was so close, nearly
:28:48. > :28:55.got put overly kerb but fortunately, we are still on board. A red flag.
:28:56. > :29:00.What is that about? On fire, someone's barbecue got completely
:29:01. > :29:05.out of hand. I've never had a barbecue that begin my life! Burn
:29:06. > :29:11.your sausages. The evening sun is lower in the sky now but conditions
:29:12. > :29:15.are still lovely on the Causeway Coast as we wait for the second
:29:16. > :29:19.start of the evening. Ivan Lintin, Ryan Farquhar and Martin Jessopp,
:29:20. > :29:27.here we go again. This is Dan Cooper on number 20. Again, Ryan Farquhar,
:29:28. > :29:31.bedevilled with a clutch because it is easy to burn it out, particularly
:29:32. > :29:34.second time around. He gets away, Ryan Farquhar and we are on board
:29:35. > :29:38.with Hillier who will very much be in the hunt, here we go. Once again,
:29:39. > :29:44.Hillier slotting into second this time around and there is Jessopp,
:29:45. > :29:47.number 40. Looking back from Peter Hickman's machine as Ryan Farquhar
:29:48. > :29:52.lead them down to York Road corner for the second time, Hillier in
:29:53. > :30:01.second place. Michael Sweeney, in the mix. I can hear those twin
:30:02. > :30:04.cylinder machines, a lot of work as the second wave gets away and it is
:30:05. > :30:08.Martin Lennon from Banbridge, number 15, getting a perfect start, and
:30:09. > :30:09.Maria Costello, number ten on the inside, squeezes her way through
:30:10. > :30:20.nicely. And now the slipstream is starting
:30:21. > :30:35.to come into play, as it closes on Ryan Farquhar. He goes past him.
:30:36. > :30:42.These bikes, 95 rate and they do about 200 mph, normally, these guys.
:30:43. > :30:51.-- 95 horsepower. He taps himself in nicely, there. Into first place, Dan
:30:52. > :31:00.Cooper, looking for the opportunity to capitalise on what was a surprise
:31:01. > :31:10.pole position. James Hillier. How late was Ryan Farquhar on the
:31:11. > :31:14.brakes. Different lines as they head into this, they go the wrong way
:31:15. > :31:16.around. You have got to be a bit careful, you cannot win the race
:31:17. > :31:24.around this corner of but you can lose it. It drops away. The bumpy
:31:25. > :31:35.part of the cause, over the top of the hill. Watch this. They head on
:31:36. > :31:39.down, what a shot that is. They are much closer on the second start, it
:31:40. > :31:45.will get much more exciting before the evening is over. James Hillier,
:31:46. > :31:54.looking for a opportunity. Different lines, it is smooth, you can be
:31:55. > :32:00.careful. The lines do not offer the same grip as the black stuff. They
:32:01. > :32:07.are fairly rudimentary, as we go towards church corner. Straight into
:32:08. > :32:18.the evening sunshine, that is what everybody was worried about. Ryan
:32:19. > :32:21.Farquhar, alongside Dan Cooper. For Ryan Farquhar is in the lead again,
:32:22. > :32:31.with number two, James Hillier in third place. That seems to be the
:32:32. > :32:37.breakaway group. Farquhar and Cooper started ice. They are pushing on.
:32:38. > :32:48.Gash start They go out on the Coast Road,
:32:49. > :32:54.heading towards Millbank Avenue, we are with James Hillier, in third
:32:55. > :33:00.place. The battle between Cooper and Farquhar. I can see this going down
:33:01. > :33:14.to the chicane again, no one seems able to get away. Jeremy Phillips
:33:15. > :33:25.has dropped back as they climb up the hill. Anyone of those is in for
:33:26. > :33:29.the win. Farquhar at the front. We joined Mitchell Thomas, he has had a
:33:30. > :33:36.troubled practice session. It is starting to look like it, that he is
:33:37. > :33:40.having a better right now, than he has all week on the Supertwin. It is
:33:41. > :33:49.really these two, they have the faster bikes, James Hillier and Dan
:33:50. > :33:57.Cooper. James Hillier, he powered his way by. Plenty of modifications
:33:58. > :34:05.on these bikes, they end up as a follow-on race machine. If you wait
:34:06. > :34:11.five seconds and you look at a huge slingshot, and they are now dicing
:34:12. > :34:15.with position. So late on the brakes, coming to University Corner.
:34:16. > :34:21.Dan Cooper is the man. He slides up the inside. Setting you up for
:34:22. > :34:28.braking is so important around this course. You don't want to compromise
:34:29. > :34:36.too much. Generally into the Juniper when you are this close. Dan Cooper,
:34:37. > :34:45.short circuit racing at the start. James Hillier sliding past. He is
:34:46. > :34:50.tucked down behind the bubble. Outwardly slipstream, make yourself
:34:51. > :34:57.small. You can see him flapping away in the wind. He will get it. Dust is
:34:58. > :35:08.flying everywhere. Not much of a breeze. Absolutely neck and neck.
:35:09. > :35:14.And there it goes. Farquhar weaving away, gets into the front, very
:35:15. > :35:20.important, that gives you the chance to stay in front down the coast
:35:21. > :35:25.road. Dan Cooper right behind. He was later and harder on the brakes,
:35:26. > :35:31.Dan Cooper, but now Dan Cooper is going past. Into the chicane, back
:35:32. > :35:38.into the lead, Farquhar, this is just like the Supersport race.
:35:39. > :35:46.Absolutely. Dan Farber while, many wins in this race. We ride with Ivan
:35:47. > :35:53.Lintin -- done for quark. Cooper out in front. These are bikes which were
:35:54. > :36:01.just built for this week and have not returned a wheel. Dan Cooper, on
:36:02. > :36:09.pole on Thursday, and now leading Ryan Farquhar. I spoke too soon.
:36:10. > :36:15.Ivan Lintin, he was popping and banging. Looks like he still has the
:36:16. > :36:23.issue, but no issues at the front. Dan Cooper, great ride, doing a
:36:24. > :36:27.great job. Ivan Lintin is flustered. When you have a few problems, you
:36:28. > :36:34.think about that. He is now dropping away. Your mind is on other things.
:36:35. > :36:37.That is why, you are wondering whether there is something seriously
:36:38. > :36:48.wrong with the bright or it is a linkage. James Hillier. -- the bike.
:36:49. > :36:53.You cannot see how bumpy it is. A normal road, normal traffic road,
:36:54. > :36:59.but at the moment they are using it, the dust curves, as well. Dan Cooper
:37:00. > :37:09.was first, he is now third, that is all slipstream. It will change. He
:37:10. > :37:14.pumps in front of James Hillier. James Hillier, coming straight back
:37:15. > :37:20.at him before the chicane. He is too late to try a hero move. Dan Cooper,
:37:21. > :37:34.very late on the brakes, he is now right at the back. That is the great
:37:35. > :37:40.shot of Michael Sweeney. Dan Cooper, very close into that. He takes a
:37:41. > :37:50.tighter line. James Hillier has got the bird's eye view.
:37:51. > :38:03.Oh! That is a huge one. Dan Cooper. He hit the debris, there will be a
:38:04. > :38:09.stoppage, almost certainly. We ride with James Hillier now. He is out in
:38:10. > :38:21.front. There must be a red flag very shortly. We knew it would have to
:38:22. > :38:25.happen, we hope they are sorted out. There are procedures which are to be
:38:26. > :38:29.followed in a procedure like this, this is the official result and that
:38:30. > :38:37.is the winner of the first of the Supertwin races this week. As a
:38:38. > :38:43.result of the crash, Ryan Farquhar and Dan Cooper were taken to
:38:44. > :38:48.hospital. Farquhar was airlifted to Belfast and he underwent surgery and
:38:49. > :38:51.he remains in serious conditions. Dan Cooper was released and he
:38:52. > :39:00.returns to the paddock to sign autographs. A very unfortunate end
:39:01. > :39:06.to the evening, on a night when Alastair Seeley made history at the
:39:07. > :39:11.North West 200. He has 16 wins and he has taken the Dunlop record and I
:39:12. > :39:18.think he deserves to be caught king of the Northwest 200. It will be a
:39:19. > :39:24.very busy Saturday. Can he call your record, five victories in a single
:39:25. > :39:30.day? Yes, he could equal that record but there are many other people that
:39:31. > :39:33.want those wins, as well. We will be on the grid tomorrow morning and you
:39:34. > :39:41.won't miss a single thing on the BBC. All of the racing is streamed
:39:42. > :39:44.live on the BBC sports website. We have got two more highlights
:39:45. > :39:58.programmes for you. We have the hour-long highlights
:39:59. > :40:01.programme for you on Monday morning. If you are coming to the north-west
:40:02. > :40:04.tomorrow, get here tomorrow, because the roads close at 930. From
:40:05. > :40:13.everyone here, goodbye.