NW200: Glenn Irwin unoficially blitzes Superbike lap record to seal pole on BSB Honda

Irwin switched to the Honda Racing UK Fireblade he rides in the British Superbike Championship after experiencing a few issues on Tuesday with the Superbike that was specifically built for him to race at the North West and Isle of Man TT, where he will make his debut next month.

The Carrick man has won the last four Superbike races at the North West and has put down a marker once more, lapping at 124.102mph in a time of 4m 20.205s as he made the most of the dry but breezy conditions on the north coast.

Irwin’s time was almost two seconds inside Michael Dunlop’s 2016 outright lap record for the 8.9-mile course, which he set on a Hawk BMW S1000RR.

Peter Hickman was second fastest, 2.2s down on Irwin on his FHO Racing BMW after a lap of 123.042mph, while 2019 top newcomer Richard Cooper continued to shine on the Hawk Suzuki in third, 1.5s further back.

Bradford’s Dean Harrison knocked Ulsterman Dunlop off the front row as he went fourth quickest on the DAO Racing Kawasaki.

Dunlop heads up the front row on the Hawk Suzuki, four seconds down Irwin’s time, with Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgett’s Honda), James Hillier (OMG Yamaha) and Tuesday pacesetter Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) the top eight.

Lee Johnston (Ashcourt BMW) and John McGuinness (Honda Racing UK) completed the top ten, with 24-time NW200 winner Alastair Seeley in 11th on the IFS Yamaha.

SUPERBIKE

1 G Irwin (Honda) 124.102mph

2 P Hickman (BMW) 123.042mph +2.242s

3 R Cooper (Suzuki) 122.32mph +3.791s

4 D Harrison (Kawasaki) 122.247mph +3.948s

5 M Dunlop (Suzuki) 122.211mph +4.027s

6 D Todd (Honda) 121.362mph +5.876s

7 J Hillier (Yamaha) 121.075mph +6.506s

8 J Brookes (Ducati) 120.919mph +6.849s