2010 North West 200 Races


The 2010 North West 200 Races, the 71st running of the event, was held on Saturday 15 May 2010 at the circuit, dubbed "The Triangle", based around the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush, in Northern Ireland.
The first Superbike race was won by John McGuinness followed by Alastair Seeley winning the first 600cc Supersport race. First-time winners at the North West 200 were Paul Robinson in the 125cc race and Keith Amor in the 1000cc Superstock Race. Amor's victory was also the first win for BMW and the first non-Japanese manufacturer to claim a victory since 1997. The Blue Riband event, the North West 200 Superbike Race, produced a second win of the meeting for Alastair Seeley and the first local winner of the race since Phillip McCallen in 1997. The final race of the meeting, the 600cc Supersport 2 race was won by Ian Hutchinson.
New for the 2010 event was the introduction of the daytime practice on the Thursday rather than the normal evening slot. The reasons for the change includes giving the riders the opportunity to practice in conditions similar to race day and also because of the extra time allowing classes to run separately. Race Director Mervyn Whyte MBE said that "altering the time of the traditional Thursday practice session will dramatically improve overall safety at the event." In an additional bid to improve safety, Mather's Cross was widened at the end of 2009. For 2010 further modifications were made to the circuit to improve safety. A new purpose built chicane was introduced near Mather's Cross to reduce speeds at the corner and safety improvement were made to the area at Station corner. The changes means that the circuit is now long.

Practice

During practice on Tuesday evening Stuart Easton set a new fastest speed trap time, touching on the approach to University Corner. Steve Plater who had set the fastest time in Superbike practice on the Tuesday was injured in an accident during Thursday practice. Plater suffering a broken arm when he came off his bike at Quarry Hill on the Coast Road section of the course.

Races

The first event, the five lap Superbike race, was delayed by over-night rain to allow the circuit to dry and also due to a medical emergency at Metropole Corner in Portrush. The delayed race was reduced to four laps. These delays along with another medical emergency lead to other race reductions, including the North West 200 being cut from six to four laps. The event remained dry and there were no major crashes or injuries. The only notable incident was Conor Cummins high-siding his bike on the exit of University Corner during the Superstock race. Cummins was uninjured.

Results

Practice

Practice Times & Leaderboard Race 1 & 6 – 1000cc Superbike class

Practice Times & Leaderboard Race 2 & 5 – 600cc Supersport class

Practice Times & Leaderboard Race 3 – 125cc class

Practice Times & Leaderboard Race 4 – 1000cc Superstock class

Race results

Race 1; Superbike Race final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 4 laps – 35.744 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 John McGuinnessHonda 1000cc17' 58.937119.251 mph
2 Conor CumminsKawasaki 1000cc+ 0.217119.227 mph
3 Alastair SeeleySuzuki 1000cc+ 0.553119.190 mph
4 Keith AmorBMW 1000cc+ 7.520118.425 mph
5 Stuart EastonHonda 1000cc+ 16.668117.436 mph
6 Bruce AnsteySuzuki 1000cc+ 17.246117.375 mph
7 Michael DunlopHonda 1000cc+ 18.398117.251 mph
8 Cameron DonaldSuzuki 1000cc+ 22.033116.864 mph
9 Adrian ArchibaldSuzuki 1000cc+ 22.622116.802 mph
10 Ian HutchinsonHonda 1000cc+ 35.057115.498 mph

Fastest Lap: Alastair Seeley, 4'26.909 on lap 2

Race 2; Supersport Race final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 5 laps – 44.71 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 Alastair SeeleySuzuki 600cc23' 19.992114.969 mph
2 Ian HutchinsonHonda 600cc+ 0.720114.910 mph
3 Michael DunlopYamaha 600cc+ 1.235114.868 mph
4 Keith AmorHonda 600cc+ 1.332114.860 mph
5 John McGuinnessYamaha 600cc+ 1.755114.825 mph
6 Ryan FarquharKawasaki 600cc+ 2.074114.799 mph
7 Cameron DonaldSuzuki 600cc+ 14.713113.774 mph
8 Conor CumminsKawasaki 600cc+ 15.022113.749 mph
9 William DunlopYamaha 600cc+ 15.959113.673 mph
10 Dan KneenYamaha 600cc+ 24.067113.026 mph

Fastest Lap: Alastair Seeley, 4' 39.386 on lap 3

Race 3; 125cc Race final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 5 laps – 44.71 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 Paul RobinsonHonda 125cc22' 09.11496.804 mph
2 Jon VincentHonda 125cc+ 8.61396.181 mph
3 Renzo van der DoncktHonda 125cc+ 20.22495.353 mph
4 Neil DurhamAprilia 125cc+ 25.89394.954 mph
5 Stephan SavelkoulsHonda 125cc+ 26.42094.918 mph
6 Samuel DunlopHonda 125cc+ 26.55794.907 mph
7 Nigel MooreHonda 125cc+ 26.66294.901 mph
8 Wayne KennedyHonda 125cc+ 1' 04.11192.350 mph
9 Dylan DaviesHonda 125cc+ 1' 05.11692.283 mph
10 Philip WakefieldHonda 125cc+ 1' 12.78391.778 mph

Fastest Lap: Paul Robinson, 5' 32.513 on lap 3

Race 4; Superstock Race final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 5 laps – 44.71 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 Keith AmorBMW 1000cc22' 46.565117.781 mph
2 Ian HutchinsonHonda 1000cc+ 0.169117.767 mph
3 Ryan FarquharKawasaki 1000cc+ 0.573117.732 mph
4 Alastair SeeleySuzuki 1000cc+ 0.939117.701 mph
5 Michael RutterBMW 1000cc+ 8.185117.080 mph
6 Michael DunlopHonda 1000cc+ 14.838116.516 mph
7 Guy MartinHonda 1000cc+ 15.275116.479 mph
8 Ian LougherKawasaki 1000cc+ 18.600116.200 mph
9 John McGuinnessHonda 1000cc+ 18.821116.181 mph
10 Adrian ArchibaldSuzuki 1000cc+ 21.932115.921 mph

''Fastest Lap: Michael Rutter, 4'30.027 on lap 5

Race 5; North West 200 Superbike Race final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 4 laps – 35.744 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 Alastair SeeleySuzuki 1000cc17' 41.186121.245 mph
2 Stuart EastonHonda 1000cc+ 1.143121.115 mph
3 John McGuinnessHonda 1000cc+ 1.294121.098 mph
4 Guy MartinHonda 1000cc+ 7.214120.427 mph
5 Ian HutchinsonHonda 1000cc+ 9.809120.135 mph
6 Keith AmorBMW 1000cc+ 9.974120.117 mph
7 Michael RutterBMW 1000cc+ 10.467120.061 mph
8 Michael DunlopHonda 1000cc+ 20.342118.965 mph
9 Adrian ArchibaldSuzuki 1000cc+ 20.579116.939 mph
10 Bruce AnsteyHonda 1000cc+ 36.421117.222 mph

Fastest Lap: Alastair Seeley, 4'26.909 on lap 3

Race 6; Supersport Race 2 final standings

Saturday 15 May 2010 4 laps – 35.744 miles
RankRiderTeamTimeSpeed
1 Ian HutchinsonHonda 600cc18' 29.915115.992 mph
2 Keith AmorHonda 600cc+ 3.288115.580 mph
3 Bruce AnsteySuzuki 600cc+ 10.620114.824 mph
4 Alastair SeeleySuzuki 600cc+ 10.695114.816 mph
5 Michael DunlopYamaha 600cc+ 10.949114.790 mph
6 John McGuinnessHonda 600cc+ 11.581114.725 mph
7 Conor CumminsKawasaki 600cc+ 11.717114.711 mph
8 Cameron DonaldSuzuki 600cc+ 13.249114.555 mph
9 William DunlopSuzuki 600cc+ 13.594114.520 mph
10 Ryan FarquharKawasaki 600cc+ 25.306113.338 mph

Fastest Lap and new class record: Keith Amor, 4' 37.591 on lap 3