Richard Cooper adds BMW Superstock machine to North West 200 line-up in eleventh hour deal
Richard Cooper will compete in the Superstock races at the Briggs Equipment North West 200 following a late deal to ride the SMS/Nicholl Oils BMW.
The seven-time winner finished as the runner-up in the class on his debut at the north coast meeting in 2019 on a Suzuki for the Hawk Racing team.
seat.
“It’s a real late deal,” said the Nottingham rider.
“I had a run out on the bike a few weeks ago and I was pretty comfortable. We are going to take it step by step and hopefully be there when it counts.”
Eglinton’s David Allingham rides for Northern Ireland team SMS/Nicholl Oils in the National Superstock 1000 Championship and ran 29-time winner Alastair Seeley on a BMW at last year’s North West.
Race chief Mervyn Whyte welcomed the news ahead of next week’s event and described the 43-year-old as a “very special recruit” during his time at Northern Ireland’s top road race.
“Richard Cooper has been a very special recruit for the North West 200,” said Whyte.
“From the outset he has been a leading contender on the Triangle course, taking on the best road racers on the grid and pushing them to the limit.
“It is great news that he will return to the 1000cc class alongside his outings in the Supersport and Supertwin/Sportbike races this year.”
Cooper will ride a Yamaha R9 in the Supersport class for the BPE by Russell Racing team and will spearhead Suzuki GB’s official entry in the Supertwin/Sportbike races on a GSX-8R.