NW200: Richard Cooper clinches maiden victory in Supertwin opener after record-breaking display on Ryan Farquhar's KMR Kawasaki

The Nottingham rider set a new lap record of 112.251mph on the third lap to break clear at the front and went on to secure his maiden win by seven seconds from Magherafelt’s Paul Jordan (PreZ Racing Kawasaki).

Adam McLean from Tobermore claimed his first rostrum at the North West in third on the J McC Roofing Kawasaki in the first Supertwin race of the day, which was carried over from Thursday’s schedule.

McLean was bumped back to third at Juniper chicane after Jeremy McWilliams ran in hot on the Bayview Hotel Paton and went through the gravel, allowing Jordan to pick up the pieces.

The race was restarted at 11.52am over the full four-lap distance following a red flag.

An incident occurred at Dhu Varren in Portrush on the second lap, with Skerries man Michael Sweeney transferred to hospital as a precaution by ambulance. Sweeney was not badly hurt.

Cooper took the lead from pole ahead of McLean and McWilliams.

However, McLean drafted past Cooper into Station corner before McWilliams came through to take over at University.

McWilliams still led into Mather’s from McLean and Cooper and at the end of lap one, McWilliams’ advantage was 0.2s over Cooper, with McLean 0.3s further back in third.

Jordan was fourth followed by Peter Hickman on the PHR Performance Yamaha R7.

On the second lap, McLean moved to the front into Station corner past McWilliams, but the Paton rider nosed ahead again by the time they arrived at Ballysally, with Cooper and Jordan hot in pursuit.

Pre-race favourite Cooper was now beginning to make headway and took over the lead, opening a slight gap by the end of the lap of 1.3s from McLean and McWilliams, with Jordan still in podium contention.

With clear road ahead of him, Cooper now upped the ante and rapidly pulled away at the front as McWilliams and McLean battled for second place ahead of Jordan.

Hickman had dropped back in fifth on his Yamaha, which was no match for the Paton and Kawasaki machines on top speed.

Cooper – who clocked 160.7mph through the speed trap – obliterated the lap record to open a lead of seven seconds over McLean, McWilliams and Jordan.

The 40-year-old had the race at his mercy going onto the final lap as the battle for the podium places raged behind him.

McLean got past McWilliams into Mather’s but there was drama at Juniper when McWilliams ran into the gravel at the chicane as he tried to snatch second place, allowing Jordan to capitalise on the incident and poach the runner-up spot.

Cooper’s winning margin was 7.1s from Jordan, with McLean 0.183s behind in third and McWilliams three seconds further back.

Hickman finished fifth, 17.3s down on McWilliams, followed by Castleblayney’s Joe Loughlin in sixth.