Michael Rutter races to North West victory
Michael Rutter recorded his 14th career victory at the International North West 200 – winning Saturday’s Supertwins race by just 0.6s from Dan Cooper.
Bridgnorth-based Rutter, Cooper and Thursday’s Supertwins race winner Martin Jessopp enjoyed a race-long tussle for victory with just 0.7s separating the trio at the start of the fourth and final lap.
Rutter enjoyed a superb day’s racing in of Northern Ireland, not only taking victory in the Supertwins race, and adding two more podiums to his tally in the Superbike and Superstock races.
A delighted Rutter said: “It’s been a brilliant day and although the conditions were pretty treacherous, I’m over the moon to have taken my 14th NW200 win on Ryan’s bike and added more podiums on the Bathams/SMT Racing machines.
“With the rain coming and going, it was pretty frightening at times but the Supertwin race saw pretty dry weather and I was able to use my head.
“I didn’t quite have the speed of Martin or Dan’s bikes so I slowed the pace on the final lap and made sure they came by me in the right places so I could retake them where I wanted and then control the race.
“It certainly wasn’t easy to do – but the plan worked perfectly and you always appreciate things when you’re on the top step of the podium.
I was in the mix all day on the Bathams/SMT Racing BMW’s and we have to be pleased with our results given we were up against factory machines from BMW, Ducati and Suzuki. I was trying hard into the corners and on the brakes and with second, third and fourth on the big bikes, we’re in good shape going into the TT so thanks to the whole team for a great job all week.”
The conditions on the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland were vastly different to those on Thursday with blue skies and sunshine having been replaced by overnight rain and damp roads but the four-lap Supertwin race saw dry roads with Michael again starting from second place on the IEG/KMR Kawasaki.
A great start saw him immediately take the lead on former racer Ryan Farquhar’s machine and it soon became a three-way fight for the win with Michael joined by Dan Cooper and Thursday evening’s winner Martin Jessopp. However, on this occasion, no-one was able to make a break and although he was pushed back to third at half race distance, there was nothing in it and it was clear it would come down to the final lap.
Having made his debut at the event in 1992, Michael used all of his vast experience to great effect, positioning himself in the right place at the right time and, strong along the coast road, he grabbed the lead on lap three and successfully kept Cooper and Jessopp behind him to claim a memorable 14th North West 200 win, the third highest total in the history of the event.
The success didn’t end there though with a trio of excellent rides on the Bathams/SMT Racing BMW’s in the Superbike and Superstock races. The opening Superbike race was delayed by rain and an oil spill and was eventually cut to four laps with conditions around the 8.9-mile circuit extremely tricky.
Again, Michael called upon all his experience and, having led in the early stages, he settled into second place behind Alastair Seeley as the Ulsterman forged clear. With a comfortable gap to third placed Lee Johnston, Michael rode a sensible race in the tricky conditions to take second for his 30th NW200 podium.
Next up was the six-lap Superstock race where conditions had improved considerably with the majority of the field opting for dry tyres. Third at the end of the opening lap, Michael was involved in a superb five-rider battle for the lead with positions changing hands frequently on each lap but by the fourth lap, the rain returned.
Indeed, as the riders completed their fifth and penultimate lap, it had got heavier and the race was red flagged with results being taken at the end of four laps. That meant Michael was awarded third, just 0.6s off the race win, for podium number 31.
That just left the feature Superbike race, held over seven laps, where the 45-year old was again part of a freight train at the head of the field. The Northern Ireland pairing of Glenn Irwin and Seeley ultimately fought out the win but Michael wrapped up yet another incredibly successful trip to the meeting with a strong fourth place.
Rutter now heads to Donington Park for round four of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship before making the trip across the Irish Sea for the Isle of Man TT at the end of he month.
