Glenn Irwin eyes North West 200 Superbike treble and 'fully expects' Alastair Seeley to join him on the grid in Portrush

Record 29-time winner Seeley said he was ‘letting the North West go’ after struggling to secure suitable machinery although the 44-year-old clinched a last-gasp deal to compete in the British Supersport Championship for Binch Racing on a Yamaha R6.

Irwin has won the past eight Superbike races in a row at the north coast road race and needs one more win to equal the record of nine victories held by the late Joey Dunlop and England’s Michael Rutter.

However, with three Superbike races this year after the addition of a new four-lap event on the Thursday evening schedule, Irwin is gunning for a hat-trick on the Hager PBM Ducati to become the most successful rider ever in the blue riband class – and he believes Seeley will be joining him on the grid in Portrush from May 8-11.

“When you are on a run like I have had at the North West the target is big,” said Irwin, who faces formidable opposition including Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison and Davey Todd.

“I understand it because if I was one of my rivals I would be obsessed with beating me.

“Not winning all three races this year would be a disappointment and equalling the record just won’t be good enough.

“I couldn’t retire from the North West without beating the record,” he added.

“Having known Alastair as a friend, a mentor and a rival, he has never been one to let slip what he has lined up.

“That is understandable in the dog-eat-dog world of racing but I’ve heard various rumours and I fully expect him to be at the North West.”

An extra £10,000 is up for grabs to the overall Superbike winner this year, with the Milwaukee Tools-backed prize fund being awarded to the rider with the most points across all three races.

That will be an added incentive but Irwin is confident the additional Superbike race will enhance his prospects.

“Mervyn Whyte has given the rest of the field an extra chance to beat me with the new race,” he said wryly.

“In the past my schedule at the North West has been Tuesday and Thursday morning qualifying and then nothing until Saturday while the other guys have been racing on Thursday evening.

“Sometimes I’ve started Saturday a bit rusty because of that, so the Thursday sprint race might help me.”

Practice and qualifying will take place this year on successive days on Wednesday and Thursday, May 8-9, after the bank holiday British Superbike round at Oulton Park forced the NW200 organisers to scrap the traditional Tuesday practice day.

The opening Superbike, Superstock and Supersport events will be held on the Thursday evening of race week after qualifying.