Todd takes maiden NW200 win after lengthy delays, red flags

Davey Todd has secured his maiden international road race victory in the hectic second Supersport race at the North West 200 following two red flags and lengthy delays.

Following rain suspensions which disrupted the morning’s action, before a TV helicopter collided with electricity power lines in the Magherabouy area which caused further delays, riders were given two practice laps on the Supersport bikes to adjust to the wet conditions having completed practice and races in sunny weather earlier this week.

After Daley Mathison crashed unhurt on the sighting lap, the first red flag was triggered when David Murphy fell off at Black Hill, also unhurt, with the stoppage required to clean the road following the incident.

A second lengthy delay passed with the second restarted taking place at 1.30pm, again in wet conditions, with a number of riders opting not to take part.

The race completed a full lap again before Alastair Seeley suffered a mechanical failure on his EHA Yamaha while leading and he dropped oil on track at University which forced another red flag, while Victor Lopez crashed at Black Hill further back.

Following a second clean-up at both University and Black Hill the race restarted around 3:00pm but without the top six qualifiers in Seeley, Dean Harrison, James Hillier, Peter Hickman, Michael Dunlop and Supersport race one winner Lee Johnston.

It set up a tight fight between Padgetts Honda duo Todd and Conor Cummins alongside Derek McGee and Paul Jordan.

While Todd and McGee traded overtakes throughout the opening four laps, Cummins came into play charging into the lead at University on the penultimate lap.

But Todd held his composure to find a way through to the front before seeing off a late move by McGee at Metropole on the final lap to claim a maiden top class win and his first triumph at the NW200.

McGee grabbed second place on his Kawasaki ahead of Cummins with Jordan in fourth further back on the lead Yamaha. Christian Elkan completed the first wave finishers in fifth place.