With qualifying completed on Wednesday for the Dundrod 150 Road Races, the Thursday session sees thoses races coupled with a qualifying session for the Ulster Grand Prix.
The schedule is a busy one with Supersport, Superstock and Superbikes all scheduled for a qualifying session for the Ulster Grand Prix then 5 Races planned for the Dundrod 150.
Firstly here is how the qualifying sessions panned out :
Wednesday 9th August 2017 marks the first day the bikes are on the roads for the Dundrod 150 / Ulster Grand Prix Race Week, all the action focuses on qualifying for Thursday’s Dundrod 150 Races as well as the first qualifying sessions for the MCE Insurance Ulster Grand Prix.
With the full range of bikes on the roads here is how the qualifying sessions racked up :
With five races scheduled for the Saturday event the usual happened and the weather closed in. After 2 glorious weeks that covered Northern Ireland in sunshine by the time Saturday Race Day had arrived so too had the rain. That meant delays… by well after lunch time only one race had been run and the question was will just one more race be even possible?
Well it was, the weather broke just enough to get a full schedule completed and WOW what a Race Day it was! Every race was outstanding, there was only one red flag and that was for rain and safety reasons rather than crashes or injuries. William Dunlop found himself back on the podium again after an outstanding run on the Supertwin machine, then a few moments of drama when rain closed in on a race and the riders wanted the race stopped raised the temperature of the event. Tempers rose to the point of breaking – all of which accumulated itself in the feature race – The 2017 Vauxhall NW200 Superbike Race. It was one of the great spectacles this event has had in years and talking about it isn’t enough, you have to watch it and see the ride that Glen Irwin put in on his Ducati, breath taking doesn’t cover it! Irwin wanted it, Seeley wanted it, Hutchy wanted it, Rutter wanted it. They all wanted it so badly – Hutchy was riding his bike more like a Subaru WRC powersliding it round the place, Seeley almost ended up sliding down the road after cutting a bit of the roadside grass for The Causeway Coast Council, and Glen Irwin was poetic coming out of every corner. It was a truly outstanding race.
Make sure you catch the highlight shows on the BBC – I have no idea how they could cut that race down to ‘highlights’ the whole race was a highlight!
Thursday Night traditionally brings 3 races to open the events actual racing. It is a pleasure to say this year the Thursday Night passed without incident, all 3 races getting off on time, to their full duration and a cracking evenings racing, marred only by the crash involving John McGuinnes earlier in the days Superbike Session.
Here are the results of the first three races of the 2017 International North West 200!
Another glorious day at the North Coast and another early morning into afternoon qualifying session, then it all got underway with the Thursday night Race Session.
So without further a do here is how the qualifying went :
A gorgeous sun drenched North Coast of Northern Ireland set the scene for the first Practice / Qualifying Session of the 2017 International North West 200.
This is why we love the North Coast – when it’s good it’s so good!
The sun was out and just after 10am the riders came out and entertained us for the next 5 hours or so.
Here is a quick run down of the results from each of the sessions.
(I have plenty of pics to sort out too, but first things first, here is how things are playing out leading up to Thursday’s session).
SUPERBIKES :
1. Alastair Seeley (Tyco BMW) 4m 25.1s 121.811mph
2. Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT BMW (4m 26.670s 121.093mph