Retro Rewind: Glenn Irwin reflects on Superbike winning streak at North West 200

The roads around the 8.9-mile Triangle should have been abuzz with the sound of high-powered motorbikes today on the North Coast, but the Covid-19 pandemic has brought sport around the globe to a standstill.

Irwin, who signed to compete in the British Superbike Championship and international road races in 2020 with the Honda Racing team, clinched his maiden success at the North West in an epic showdown with fellow Ulsterman Alastair Seeley in the feature race in 2017.

The following year, he returned on the PBM Ducati and destroyed the opposition to secure a coveted Superbike double in front of thousands of programme-waving fans.

And last year, the 29-year-old extended his winning run to four victories in the class as Irwin produced a somewhat surprise performance in the damp conditions to narrowly edge out his Quattro Plant Kawasaki team-mate, James Hillier, in the sole Superbike race.

We caught up with Glenn and asked him to choose his standout performance so far the North West 200, albeit without extracting a definitive answer.

Irwin said: “I was thinking about the races I’ve had at the North West 200 over these past few years and to be completely honest, I can’t pick a favourite because they all mean so much to me.

“My first Superbike win was amazing in 2017 because there was a huge rivalry built up with Alastair (Seeley) at the time, which there genuinely was, and it was the perfect storm almost because it came down to Juniper chicane on the final lap. It was just amazing to get that first win.

“The following year was just incredible as well because in the first Superbike race I had a five-second lead at the end of the first lap. That to me felt almost like the statement year: My first win proved that I could do it and the second win showed that could go on to a different level.

“I don’t mean that arrogantly, but it’s the way we did it that year. In the second race, the big NW200 Superbike race, I think I won by nine seconds for the double, so that was pretty unheard of in recent years. It was equally as special to me because I was really able to enjoy those last few laps and take it all in,” he added.

“I could see the crowd going nuts and I could even pick friends out in the crowd. Part of me was listening to the bike as well though, and I actually began to roll off the throttle going down the straights because I was paranoid that I was running out of fuel. I think in that race I really marked myself out as the man to beat in the big class at the North West.”

At the North West last year, Irwin arrived at the event on the back of some low-key performances in the British Superbike Championship and appeared up against it, particularly when race day dawned wet and miserable. However, he managed to pull it all together to win his fourth Superbike race in a row.

“Last year, we weren’t really in the picture after the Tuesday of practice week, but we managed to turn that around on the Thursday to take pole,” Irwin recalled.

“It turned out to be wet of course on the Saturday and I always thought that road racing in the wet wasn’t for me. I don’t know if it was because I had a wee run of wins going or whatever, but I just had a good feeling before that race last year.

“When it came to the actual race, James opted to ride his Superstock machine and he was just destroying me on the drive out of Ballysally and Mather’s chicane. I had no idea how he was doing it and I probably didn’t realise he was on his ’stocker until after the race,” he added.

“I was on the Superbike and I just couldn’t go forward on the power because it was spinning up. I knew I had to be close to him on the last lap and on the approach to Juniper chicane, James did everything right like we had talked about during the week, so I had to try and be a bit more creative.

“I had to actually shut the throttle off on the run along the Coast Road to be where I needed to be to make the move, and I just felt so bad passing him because he basically got everything right. That would have to be my most rewarding win and I really had to work hard for it. Conor (Cummins) was also in the hunt as well, which made things ever harder.”

Irwin admits he is disappointed not to have the opportunity to race at the North West 200 this year, but he is already looking forward to the resumption of racing when the current lockdown restrictions are eased.

“Naturally, I’m a motorbike rider and I was looking forward to the North West, so I am disappointed that it’s not happening. It would have been nice to have had the chance to challenge for my fifth win, but at least for now I know that winning run is still alive,” he said.

“But the fact there is no racing is only a small price to pay at the moment when you look at all that has happened with Covid-19. Hopefully everyone stays safe and the day will come again when we will have the chance to put on a show for everyone in BSB and at the international road races.”