Disappointment all round for Farquhar There was disappointment all round for Ryan Farquhar at the International North West 200 road races with the KMR Kawasaki rider suffering one of his worst meetings in years. The Dungannon star had been hoping to put on a strong showing around the 8.9-mile circuit but all he had to show for his efforts was a 7th place in the Supersport race. An oil leak put paid to his Superbike race and that, combined with a security alert and inclement weather, resulted in long delays and eventual abandonment of the racing. Despite his Superbike not being ready, Ryan was on the pace throughout qualifying, finishing in the top ten in all three of his classes, but race day dawned wet and windy and, after fitting a wet front tyre and an intermediate rear for the Supersport race, a great start saw Ryan slot into second place going into York Corner and for the next half a lap, he exchanged the lead with Alastair Seeley. By the end of the first lap, Ryan had been pushed back to fourth by Gary Johnson and Bruce Anstey, all riders ahead of him having opted for full wet tyres, and this proved to be the right choice. Ryan battled manfully for the rest of the race but his tyre choice put him at a slight disadvantage and he had to settle for an eventual seventh place at the chequered flag. A security alert and worsening weather conditions meant a lengthy delay to proceedings but eventually the Superbikes came to the line and with another good start, Ryan slotted into second behind fellow Kawasaki rider Michael Dunlop. The duo exchanged positions on the run to Magherabuoy before Seeley hit the front but coming through Dhu Varren, Ryan lost the back end twice and he was lucky to stay on. Unbeknown to him, the bike had sprung an oil leak although the bike was still running at full power but further along the coast road, Ryan realised something was wrong and he pulled off the course as soon as it was safe to do so and his race was over. The race was subsequently stopped and a clear up process begun but with rain continuing to fall, the organisers were unable to make the track safe for racing and the decision was ultimately made to abandon the rest of the meeting. Speaking later, a downcast Ryan said; “It’s been a really disappointing week and nothing’s gone right. It was a shame that the Superbike wasn’t ready but I felt good in qualifying despite having a few teething issues with the two bikes. The forecast for Saturday wasn’t the greatest and I thought I’d have a good chance in all of the races but it went wrong from the beginning when I made the wrong decision with the tyres in the Supersport race. I got to the front as soon as I could but the others boys just had better grip and I couldn’t stay on the same pace that they were running.” “The Superbike race started brilliantly and I knew I had to be in the front two by the time I got to York to have a chance. Alastair and Michael had got by me but I still felt comfortable in third. Just after I went under the railway bridge at Dhu Varren though, the bike went sideways on me twice and if it wasn’t for the traction control cutting in, I’d have been off without doubt so I was very lucky. I thought I’d hit some standing water or was simply pushing too hard and the bike was still running at full power so there wasn’t any reason to think there was anything wrong. However, the bike then went into a strange drift at Black Hill which made me think the tyre wasn’t working right but I didn’t want to pull off line immediately as I knew Bruce and Gary were right behind me and after what happened between Stuart Easton and Gary Mason in practice, I didn’t want them to run into the back of me. As soon as approached Juniper, I put my foot out to warn all the other riders I was pulling in and it was only when I stopped that I discovered the bike was covered in oil.” “I pulled off the circuit as soon as it was safe to do so but there was a lot of oil on the bike and I just don’t know yet what the cause of it was so we’ve sent it away to be checked and repaired. I can’t remember the last time I had a mechanical problem as I put so much time and effort into the preparation of the bikes. Personally, it’s been a very disappointing NW200 for me as I came here looking for some decent results before the TT but it just hasn’t happened. What with the security alert and the weather, it’s been a tough day and a real disappointment for everyone concerned.” Ryan has only a few days to re-group as he heads to the Isle of Man on Thursday for the TT with first practice taking place on Monday May 30. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Alastair Seeley took Saturday’s only race victory at the rain-lashed ‘Relentless International North West 200′ and gave the all-new GSX-R600 Suzuki its first top step of an International Supersport podium this year. And in the second race of the day – the Superbike event – Seeley came from the third row of the grid – again in soaking-wet conditions – to lead at the end of lap one. Unfortunately for the riders and the fans, the race was red-flagged on lap two when another rider’s engine expired, leaving a massive oil spill on the Coast Road from Church Corner to Juniper Hill chicane. Despite a lengthy delay – and the best attention from the organisers – the meeting was abandoned on safety grounds. Seeley had been in prolific form throughout the week-long event taking Pole positions in both Supersport and Superstock classes, and despite an electrical problem forcing him to sit out the majority of Thursday’s Superbike session, the former British Superstock Champion and current North West 200 lap-record holder made the grid after a tremendous show of allegiance from British Superbike team mate Josh Brookes: Whilst Seeley continued his North West 200 preparations on the Causeway Coast, Australian Brookes travelled to Kirkistown Race Circuit early on Friday morning to make sure the Carrickfergus man’s GSX-R1000 was ready to race following a late-night session from his crew back in the team’s Moneymore workshop. And only for the oil spill in the race, Brookes’ generous gesture would have played a significant role in the anticipated victory. Alastair Seeley: “That’s an International Road Racing victory to add to the British Supersport win at Brands for the new GSX-R600. It was a great race to be involved in and even more pleasing to beat what is basically a World Supersport specification Honda. I knew I would be stronger into the chicanes despite Cameron using traction control on his bike, as the brakes on the new GSX-R600 are one of its best features and that gave me a lot of confidence in the wet. “In the Superbike race, the plan was the pick them off and get into the lead so I wouldn’t have to sit in anyone’s spray. The speed of my GSX-R1000 was far superior to Ryan and Michael’s bikes and the way it was set-up, I was actually enjoying it spinning up down the big straights in the wet. I was ready to pull the pin and just ride my own race, so it was disappointing to see a red flag on lap two. I really felt like I was in control this week in all classes and having felt so comfortable in the wet I think we’d have been hard to beat. That five of McCallen’s was definitely a big target.” Guy Martin: “It was a tough day for everyone involved and a week’s worth of effort for just one race. Unfortunately I made the wrong tyre choice. To come away with eighth place is nothing to shout about but I am now going to the Isle of Man full of confidence; confidence in the blokes working on the bikes and confidence in the bikes themselves. It was a terrible day for the people who turned out to watch the racing, but a confidence-building day for the bigger picture – the bigger picture being the TT.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “The North West 200 has always been one of my favourite events on the calendar and as Ireland’s biggest sporting occasion it’s a shame to see such a great event abandoned due to unforeseen circumstances. Mervyn Whyte and his team from the Coleraine & District Motor Club did everything in their power to save the day and must be commended for their efforts. “On a positive note we had a strong showing from both our riders in practice and we won the only race giving us a 100% record for our sponsors Relentless, Suzuki and all our other team partners. It really was a masterful display from Alastair Seeley in that Supersport race giving Suzuki and the new GSX-R600 its first international road race victory. What is even more special is the fact that we were running the bike with very limited British Supersport specification electronics; unlike some of our main rivals who were running fancy electronic aids including traction control. “We dearly wanted the Superbike race to run full distance as in all honesty with Alastair coming through from the third row of the grid to lead within a lap, there was no beating the wee Carrickfergus man, although it was the correct decision to stop the race and eventually abandon the meeting on safety grounds. “Guy made a solid debut on the international roads for our team. Unfortunately he took a gamble with his intermediate tyre choice in the Supersport race and with everyone else on wets – which was the correct choice – makes his eighth place an impressive finish given the conditions. More importantly for Guy is the fact that he now feels really confident with his three GSX-R Suzukis, which he now believes he can take to success at the Isle of Man TT Races in two weeks’ time.” Supersport Results [5 laps – 8.9 mile circuit]: 1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] 4mins 55.835; 2 Cameron Donald [Honda] +0.844; 3 Bruce Anstey [Honda] +14.081; 4 Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] +23.104; 5 Gary Johnson [Honda] +25.227; 6 William Dunlop [Honda] +28.845; 7 Ryan Farquhar [Kawasaki] +42.558; 8 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +58.777. Fastest Lap – Alastair Seeley [lap 5] 109.155mph.