Preview North West 200

Good evening. Welcome to the North West 200. Will come alive to the

north coast. It is Northern Ireland's most exhilarating and

The North West 200 for 2011 is Alastair Seeley has got this one

Well, the North West 200 big race day is tomorrow, and to whet the

appetite, we have an action-packed 40 minutes for you here on BBC One.

I'll be live in team garages here in the paddock which are filled

with some of the most expensive racing machines in the world, and

I'll be talking to some priceless guests as well. Steve Parrish and

Philip McCallen. I will also be introducing you to some of the

North West's top contenders like Guy Martin. Now, he knows as much

about boats as he does about bikes, so we took him somewhere where we

thought he would feel at home. And find out who we took to check out

the golf course. With the best of last night's wheel-to-wheel action,

and a debut from one of our best- ever riders, and we will be talking

like to the multiple world Superbike champion, Carl Fogarty.

But first, the North West wouldn't be the North West without the most

famous name in motorcycle road racing, Dunlop. The late brothers

Joey and Robert won an amazing 28 times around the circuit. And now

Robert's two sons, Michael and William, are two of the main

attractions here. We know that they can ride bikes. But what about

riding the waves? We thought we would take Michael Dunlop to meet

BEACH BOYS: Surfin' USA. You must be getting some sort of drug from

it. Yes, once you are up on your feet, it is really enjoyable. It is

obviously not like the buzz of the North West 200? There is no buzz

like that, but they think it would be as good. I think it is

definitely on next sport to come Alastair, you are a world-class

surfer. Tell us little about it, and the buzz and the thrill. I am

lucky that I live in Portrush. You get good waves on the coast. We get

to serve on the biggest waves in the world. I told him how to do it

on the beach for five were 10 seconds, and he was out on his feet.

He is a natural. I have been riding a Fire blade. We have gone back to

the good old ZX 10 that we had last year. It is a change from the

Yamaha. But sometimes a change is different, and hopefully we can be

better than we had last year. Come North West, I'm ready. We'll see

how Alistair gets on on the back of a motorbike a little later. One of

the real characters of road racing is Englishman Guy Martin. Mr let's

talk to Mr John McGuinness. first time I came here was 1994,

and I really missed it. I got invited back, and we're here and

really enjoying the North West again. I know you were around today

where there is a fantastic exhibition opened by William Dunlop

earlier this week of Joey Dunlop memorabilia. It is fabulous. If you

ever get the chance to go to Gerry's Bar, and I pulled my own

pint of Guinness there. We have a little bit of banter down there.

The amount of people coming in and out was incredible. There are so

many people going into the Memorial Gardens, and people from Brazil and

people from Australia and all over the world. I went to see some of

jury's memorabilia. It brought back some great memories. He was my all-

time hero. Thank you very much. Good luck tomorrow, I know you'll

be as competitive as ever. One of the real characters of motorcycle

road racing is Englishman Guy Martin. You may have seen him on

his BBC TV series last year, The Boat That Guy Built. As well as a

top bike racer, he's a fan of all things engineering so we knew

exactly where to take him - Look at this! It looked like he was

right up your street in there. it was. The building, it did take

us long to build this as it took to build the Titanic. Three years. I

only found that out. It has the longest single span escalator in

the whole of Ireland. And you have re-enacted a whole lot of the bits

You have always got to offer a little incentive now, it can't be

done in monetary terms, it has to be summoning a stimulates them and

get them interested. They have thoroughly enjoyed their experience,

I think. This was the place to get your big ship built. And Hector

would have you believe he worked on the Titanic, probably. I thoroughly

enjoyed it. It was well worth taking a day off work. We always

get a good bit of fun out of A Would it be the biggest spectator

event in Northern Ireland? How do you fancy him? I think he'll be

good. I have lap records, but I have not won a race. It would be

nice. It would be nice if we could win it, and we can win it. I am not

going out there to be second. A win One of Guy Martin's teammates is

the red-hot North West 200 favourite. Alistair Seeley from

Carrickfergus believes he can win all five races tomorrow. He is a

big fan of his golf, and we thought that with the Irish Open taking

place, it would be the first -- the Alastair Seeley says he is going to

beat my record this weekend, but I am going to beat him here on the

golf course. He did say I could choose the course, and I have got a

Alastair, this is a big week for you. Definitely. I enjoy coming to

the North West every year. I have a bike I feel the most comfortable on.

It is so fast and enjoyable. We will go as fast as we can. What

about Saturday? Very going to tow them around, or will you just pull

the finger out? It will be nice to pull their finger out, so it is

going to be mentally fatiguing, but by the time it comes to the end

race, hopefully we can do the business. We have a game to finish.

Yes. We are now on the final hole, and Michael might equal my record

this year, but he won't beat me They are both useless at golf!

Philip McCallen, the only rider to win five races at one North West

200. Well, let's see how Alistair got on in the first race of this

year's North West 200, last night's Superstock class. On commentary,

Richard Nichols and Steve Parrish. Superstock on the grid, and we are

ready for six laps of the nine-mile course. And we are away! They are

scrambling for grip there. It is dry on this section. Everyone is on

wet tyres. And they sort of need to be, although the sun is shining at

the end of a rainy afternoon, you can see the damp patches on the

road. There will be problems for these riders all round this circuit.

You can see how quickly we go down to York Road corner. There is no

choice but to go for wet tyres, because around the back into the

circuit, it is going to be a lot Here comes the second wave now.

Some people didn't qualify it well on Tuesday. In that group, there is

Guy Martin and Michael Johnson, all starting in the second wave. 180

miles an hour in wet conditions. Look who his hit the front. Look at

the speed he is running at, that is very, very impressive. It is

Alastair Seeley out in front. He didn't quite get the start. There

are a lot of people betting on him. Look at that! Nice and easy,

slipping into the university. Look how dark those clouds are, they

could be some more rain about. It is Alastair Seeley, a number 34,

Ryan Farquhar, Bruce Anstey as they come round the roundabout. He Bruce

Anstey made a good start, you never know what to expect with him.

there in the pack at the moment. Look at the speed their! Alastair

Seeley was quick on that Suzuki. Alastair Seeley is very sharp, he

will be revelling in these conditions. It is fairly wet, they

didn't want in between weather. Standing water in a couple of

places there. You got to carry speed through here and get on with

it. That is exactly what we saw. We can also see that Alastair Seeley

has managed it. Check out the speed. Almost 180. That is Michael Dunlop

running a wide, he has gone a little bit too deep. Some place

swapping going on. It is Alastair Seeley's day. Swooping around the

coast road now. This part of the track is the dry section now. This

is Cameron Donald. Again, a look at the speed. That is very impressive.

Bruce Anstey is under all sorts of pressure there. He was almost out

of the seat. He needs all that traction control. Ryan Farquhar has

put his head down looking for Alastair Seeley. William McDonald

shaking his head there, he is not happy. Cameron Donald looking for

the slip streams. These are identical machines and they have

already caught number for her, John Guinness. I had my money on John

McGuinness, his body language is very aggressive. Look at Michael

Rutter. Look at the wiggle their, that is those treaded tyres. It is

all over the brisk and state. -- all over for Bruce Anstey. That is

Ryan Farquhar at the front of the bunch. One minute he is in the

needed this group, the next he is at the back. The track is trying

quite a bit. It is a Johnson. Oh, that was very impressive staff.

Slow in and fast out. It is hard to believe this circuit is so wet as

we see the shadows from the sun. Look at Lee Johnson! Very late on

the brakes. You can see him at getting it back but he has gathered

it all up, so nicely done from him. This man serenely sweeping around

the track. It is it? Alastair Seeley, the man who won the only

race last year. We haven't seen him a virtually since the beginning of

the race. Superb stuff, 22 seconds out in front. What is happening

behind him? Lee Johnson takes second place. Cameron Donald just.

That was close enough. There is the Number 34 it takes his six North

West went. Philip McCallen will be quaking in his boots.

This is the winning machine, complete with the winning the

laurels and of course with the winning rider. How satisfying it

was that victory? It was good and obviously I enjoyed it. It was good

to get a winner so early in the week. The race went to plan and I

managed to get to the fund pretty early and write my own race. I got

a bit of a gap and that got me far enough in front not to get any

slipstream so I just watched my boards and a mink is a good

improvement and I'll probably use it again tomorrow. Great

celebrations in the winner's enclosure, the question is, can you

go through tomorrow, can you win or five races? I will try my best, it

is a hard feet to do but if I roll- out of the right side of bed and

everything goes to plan, it is not impossible. I will try my best and

give it everything. Philip McCallen is missing, by the way? I will try

and he will be the first to congratulate me if I do but a lot

of things have to be right. I have great machinery underneath me, a

solid day on Tuesday. It is just a matter of getting a good sleep

tonight, a good breakfast in the morning and come out of the traps

with guns blazing. We will let you get to sleep for all the help you

need. It is 20 years since up McKellen won his five titles. A

year later, one of the most successful riders had a victory

here in the NatWest 200 after years of trying.

-- North West 200. With me is the man himself, back

after 19 years. Carl Fogarty, how good is it to be here? It is great,

I cannot believe it has been so long it. To get that when in 1993

was one of the highlights of my career. A special time to be racing

here. The two key a few years to get that elusive victory? Yes,

became the previous three years on the Honda and we had some problems,

usually fuel problems. I thought I will never get the win here and

then the year after we got the two winds and went on to short success.

You wore a lucky green vest then which means a lot to you in your

career now? Someone says, you need to wear a green vest or something

green so I wore a green vest and I won both races. I kept the best on

in Spain and one at the races there. It was cut from my body I had the

big crash in Philippi. How much are you looking forward to getting out

tomorrow on a bike again doing laps of the circuit? Really looking

forward to it, I just have to remember where the new chicanes are.

I've only done half a lap one way and have a lap the other but I am

looking forward to getting out there will stop it should be great

fun. Great to see you here, always a pleasure. One man that you know

very well, he decided to make his debut in the North West 200, former

motoGP starts Jeremy McWilliams, at the age of 48. We got multiple

Superbike winner St Peter to show him around.

-- Steve Plater. It's simple enough here, for the

first part anyway. Everybody seems to hit that curb on the way out.

You can pass on the inside. How do you work out every game marker?

the right-hand side, it is simple to see because it is quite narrow.

It is going to be a flat to it. looks really stop, start. Look how

negative it goes here. Can you see that Paul? Yes, then you in. It is

something quite new to me but I am looking forward to it, looking

forward to the technical section on the coast road. There is quite a

bit of learning. How did Jeremy the fair in his very

first of West 200 race, he was riding in these familiar colours

for the Ryan Farquhar KMR team. Here is the best of the action.

Adrian Archibald on a pole position. Head down, good start. Ryan

Farquhar closing in already. The course is still not perfect.

can see the damp patches of now as they headed down towards their hair

in. You can see the track is very wet on the inside. This is the

second wave of the grid. That was a journey McWilliams. This is Adrian

Archibald. Up through comes number five, Michael Rutter. Oh, Michael

butter is on the right hand side of him. It is a breakdown into the

You could see him going right the way down through the gears there,

right from flat-out down to walking pace, almost. Ryan Farquhar has an

intermediate front and a dry rear tyre. It is not a very dry here as

we ride With Jeremy McWilliams. You do need slipstream. They are on the

break going into the chicane. You can see the slipstream at work.

Those twin cylinders grumbling Now it is the long fast run down.

Look at Ryan Farquhar, he is snaking everywhere. Grim and

determined is the look on his face as Adrian Archibald just chop

saying. Under the bridge, turning right, and then a short circuit

over the coast road. This part is McWilliams has gone for the inside.

Just goes floating through there. Ryan Farquhar with his head down,

but Williams is in second place. Looking at the conditions, I do

think Ryan Farquhar has gone for the right option, intermediate

front and dry rear. And Adrian Raja bowled his writing and alongside,

they can almost read the dials on each other's machines. On board

with McWilliams later on the break. If you run off, it is really tricky.

Ryan Farquhar has a commanding lead, it looks like about three seconds.

The godfather of Supertwins making his mark very clear here. Michael

Rutter again haven't seen his bike until he got out here, but I think

Michael Rutter comes out behind him to get in his slipstream and try

and get a toe. Ryan Farquhar has already thinking about his break

for the Metropole. He uses the inside line to good extent. You can

see them scrapping for grip. It is Ryan Farquhar, McWilliams, Adrian

Archibald. We weren't really expecting this on the first

Supertwins at the North West, the first Thursday night racing and it

is red hot. All of the Kawasaki's, not expensive bikes to build. What

racing this is producing. -- all of the Kawasakis. He doesn't want to

be back there. He wants to join the fun at the front. McWilliams there

slotting into second position a round that corner. It doesn't seem

to be drying much on this section, in the shelter. Ian Lougher is

battling his way through. You can hear that different noise. There is

McWilliams looking back from Adrian Archibald. You can see the

helicopter trying to keep up with them in the background. That is 100

horse power on the brakes. How close to you like that? Impressive.

Can he stop for the turn? He can? Ryan Farquhar is still comfortable

up the front, no pressure. They are all on the care MA machines, the

bikes built by Ryan Farquhar. They are using the dry bit of the road

and the slipstream, and streaking past. Michael Rutter goes with him,

trying to get there and going as well. You can see that bike moving

around a lot, that heavily traded front tyre doing the job.

McWilliams, I reckon he is closing him down a little bit. This isn't

over yet. This is so close, and we are still a yards away from the

start/finish line as we get this sorted out. Adrian Archibald 4th,

James McWilliams 5th. Ryan Farquhar will be very pleased about this.

These are the worst conditions you could have, wet patches and dry

patches, overworking the tyres in the dry and not enough grip in the

wet. Ryan Farquhar hasn't put a foot wrong, and he is very pleased

with that. If he looks behind him, he will be even happier. What a

podium for him. Look at that. Care An unforgettable day for the

Kawasaki team. Filling the podium, and two of those men are with me.

How much did you enjoy watching that back again? That is the first

time I have seen it, pretty exciting stuff. I think we did the

team proud, and did a good job when we came out here. Ryan, is that

your best-ever day motorcycling? have to say it is. It is the one

thing to win the North West 200, but to have two other riders riding

bikes for you, and both of them on the podium, that is something very

special. Jeremy, I imagine it is a decision you certainly don't regret.

How did you enjoy the overall North West 200 experience? It is bringing

a smile out on my face. It is something I always wanted to do,

and I never thought I would get another chance. I have to say that

yesterday it was one of those special days. And you will be back?

That depends if he wants me back, not. It is not the start of my road

racing career or anything, but to ride the North West is something I

wanted to do, and to finish on the podium as a dream come true. I

think it was the right choice going on a 650. It is a pretty scary

circuit, and learning at this level it is right. Thanks to the team and

all the effort everybody has put in, and to the fans who came along and

gave us the support. The fans want you back again, and Ryan, you sound

tired, but you will be up for tomorrow? I am looking forward to

riding Superbike tomorrow. I am polling for the Superstock, so

hopefully I can give Alastair Seeley more of a run than the way

it worked out yesterday. Good luck. Pressure is off after that great,

great day. Thank you very much, gentlemen. Earlier in the programme,

we saw how Michael Dunlop got on surfing with Alastair Mennie. Well,

he wanted to her say that what it was like on a bike rather than a

wave. I have been kind of worrying Look at the speed, they are doing

I can tell you, the front of the bike will be so light with that

weight on the back. Just looking around, look at those eyes. Well, I

would not want to be doing that. Here they come back, and Michael

Dunlop is still with us. They were going to strap him on, but he has

clung on. Just look at his size! Man, this man is... There were

wheelies and all! I am speechless... And then Peter Bryan McCormick for

the loan of the leathers for Alastair Mennie. I'm here with

Steve Parrish. -- thank you to Brian McCormick. I wouldn't want to

get on the back of that. This week, a record has gone, the fastest ever

speed recorded at the North West 200, Martin Jessop at 208 mph

through the speed trap. And they don't know if he has done yet, the

wind was behind him, but no slipstream, and he reckons he can

go faster yet. The weather forecast is favourable for tomorrow. Could

be used this be one of the most competitive North West 200s we have

seen? I think so. He has got five wins now, and could go away with 10.

The 600 race should be good, the Superbikes. It should be absolutely

cracking out there. It will be some spectacle. Am looking forward to it.

Looking forward to hearing Ewen the commentary box tomorrow. We have

every angle covered for you tomorrow. Join us on the BBC Sport

Now at the start of the programme we said the North West wouldn't be

the North West without the name of Dunlop. Well, take a little look at

this bit of footage we've dug out of the archive. This was Joey's

original racing transit van back in the 1970s. He used to take this van

to races with his bike and his family in the back of it, and the

family used to sleep in it as well. It is not as iconic as the famous

yellow helmet, but take a look. And here it is. Well, not quite the

original, but a very special replica which has been lovingly

restored. And look who we have in the back, Philip McCallen with that

famous yellow helmet. And think you have found your next victim to take

back out on the waves Alastair Mennie! Steve Parrish is going to

drive us. We are ready to rumble tomorrow morning, and we look