NW200: Richard Cooper erases last year's Supertwin pain with double, Ryan Farquhar quips 'the fairing still held on the same way!'

The Nottingham rider set a new lap record of 112.251mph on the third lap in the first race to break clear at the front.

He 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 opening 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 when Michael Sweeney crashed at Dhu Varren in Portrush. The Skerries man was transferred to hospital as a precaution by ambulance.

“I gave it time to get the temperature into the tyres and I was able to set a nice pace when I got going,” Cooper said.

“The KMR Kawasaki was faultless and it was working really good on the Coast Road, so I made the most of that.”

Cooper said he had put last year’s disappointment behind him, when he was excluded from the results due to an illegal fairing on his Farquhar-prepared J McC Roofing Racing Kawasaki after crossing the line first in both races.

“For myself, I had moved on but it was more difficult for Ryan,” said Cooper.

“I told him the only way to get over it was to win, so this is for Ryan and his family and I want to see a smile on his face.”

A former Supertwin winner at the North West in 2012 and 2015, Farquhar said he only decided to come back to the event to ensure Cooper had a competitive machine at his disposal.

“I’m here for Richard Cooper and not myself after what happened last year, but I don’t want to dwell on that,” he said.

“After the way we were treated last year I wasn’t coming back but I told Richard I wouldn’t see him stuck for a bike.

“He has come and done the business and the fairing held on the same way, it didn’t make any difference!”

McLean was satisfied with his first top-three result at the North West despite missing out on a potential runner-up finish.

“It was a great race to be involved in. Jeremy and Richard Cooper were riding very hard but I’m happy to get my first podium and it’s great to be in here,” he said.

“I knew where I was going to brake into the chicane and Jeremy ran across the gravel, so I had to shut the throttle and Paul Jordan was able to poach second from us.”

In race two, Cooper waited until the third lap again before turning the screw, easing clear to win by almost five seconds.

McWilliams, still racing at age 59, finished a safe second after McLean made a mistake at Mill Road roundabout on the fourth and final lap.