Editorial Note: American Patricia Fernandez was 10th in the Newcomers Free Practice session Tuesday in Northern Ireland. Fernandez recorded a best lap time of 5:33.256 in the six-lap session, which was led by Lukas Maurer with a lap time of 5:08.240.

Riding her Magic Bullet Motorsport Yamaha YZF-R6, Fernandez then did a 5:20.606 lap time (100.722 mph average speed) in Supersport Qualifying Session One, which was led by 24-time North West 200 race winner Alastair Seeley with a 4:37.073 (116.547 mph) on his EHA Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

In Superbike Qualifying Session One, Fernandez recorded a lap time of 5:17.497 (101.708 mph) on her Magic Bullet Motorsport Kawasaki ZX-10R Superstock bike, which ranked her 44th behind session leader Dean Harrison, who did a 4:26.412 (121.210 mph) on his Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Then in Superstock Qualifying Session One, Fernandez lapped the 8.97-mile circuit of closed-off public roads in 5:12.182 (103.440 mph) on her Kawasaki ZX-10R, which put her 40th on the time sheets, which were topped by BMW S1000RR-mounted Peter Hickman with a 4:25.891 (121.448 mph)

DEAN HARRISON AND
SILICONE KAWASAKI TOP SUPERBIKE QUALIFYING AT OPENING PRACTICE OF 2019 fonaCAB
INTERNATIONAL NORTH WEST 200 IN ASSOCIATION WITH NICHOLL OILS

Dean Harrison topped the superbike class
speeds on the Silicone Kawasaki ZX-10RR in the opening practice session of the
2019 fonaCAB International North West 200 in association with Nicholl Oils.

The Bradford rider
was 0.531 seconds faster than local favourite, Michael Dunlop on the Tyco BMW
S1000RR during the dry and sunny first day of action that saw no red flags or
incidents.

24 times North
West winner Alastair Seeley was third quickest on the PBM/Be Wiser Ducati,
another 1.6 seconds further back. Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW), Peter
Hickman (Smith’s BMW) and James Hillier (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) completed the
top six.

Hillier was
7/1000ths of a second faster than Quattro teammate and the winner of the last
three superbike races at the North West, Glenn Irwin.

North West veteran
Michael Rutter, who made his debut at the Northern Irish event in 1992, was 9^th
fastest on the Bathams/Aspire Ho RCV213S Honda, almost five seconds slower than
Harrison.

John McGuinness,
who is making his return to the event after breaking his leg during practice at
Primrose corner in 2017, was 19^th fastest on the Norton. The
Morecambe racer broke down at University corner during the session.

Perfect conditions
greeted the 14 newcomers who opened the action on Tuesday morning. Former
British Superstock champion, Richard Cooper was the highest profile recruit on
the Buildbase Suzuki with Carl Phillips making his debut on a Supertwin Paton alongside Manx Grand Prix
winner, James Chawke.

Cooper completed
an impressive practice debut by finishing 7^th quickest in Superstock
qualifying after posting the 17^th fastest time in Superbikes.

Alastair Seeley
topped the times in the Supersport qualifying on the EHA Yamaha 0.182secs ahead
of Lee Johnston on the Ashcourt Racing Yamaha with James Hillier third on the
Quattro Plant Kawasaki. Michael Dunlop
was 4^th, 1.6 seconds behind Seeley, on te MD Racing Honda with Dean
Harrison (Silicone Kawasaki) and Peter Hickman (Trooper Beer Triumph)
completing the top six.

It was Hickman who
claimed provisional pole in the Superstock class with his final lap of the
session on the Smith’s Racing BMW. The BSB star was 1.437 seconds faster than
Lee Johnston’s Ashcourt Racing BMW with Dunlop making it a top three for the
German manufacturer on the MD Racing S1000RR.

Glenn Irwin was
once again out paced by his Quattro Plant Kawasaki teammate, James Hillier as
Hillier claimed 4^th, 1.1 seconds faster than the Carrickfergus man
in 6^th. Michael Rutter was 5^th, sandwiched in between on the Bathams/Aspire
Ho BMW.

Jamie Coward was
the surprise package of the day, topping the timesheets in the Supertwin class
on the KTS Racing Kawasaki ER6. The English rider was 0.2 seconds faster than
Michael Rutter, who is chasing his 15^th North West win, on the KMR/
Bathams Kawasaki.

Christian Elkin
(Dynocentre NI Kawasaki) was a further 1.1 seconds back.

Glenn Irwin,
making his road racing debut on the smaller capacity machines, was 4^th
fastest on another KTS Racing Kawasaki with former Supertwins North West winner
Jeremy McWilliams (KMR/ Bayview Kawasaki) 5^th and Stefano Bonetti 6^th
on the first Paton.

Norton are making
their race debut with their Superlight machine at the North West. John
McGuinness finished 20^th fastest, almost 21 seconds behind pole
sitter, Coward.

Qualifying resumes
on Thursday morning, with roads closing at 9.15am and the action beginning at
9.45am. The roads will re-open at 2.45pm and close again at 5pm for the first
three races of the meeting- Tides Restaurant Supersport race, Bayview Hotel,
Superstock race and MCL Insuretech Supertwin event.