2022 NW200: Supertwin double win for Cooper

Richard Cooper made it two Supertwin wins from at the North West 200 on Saturday with another record-breaking victory on the JMcC Roofing/KMR Kawasaki, the former National Superstock Champion coming home 11.2s clear of Joseph Loughlin (Team ILR/Mark Coverdale) and Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing Aprilia).

Cooper led off the line and held on going into York but behind him first race runner-up Pierre Yves Bian went in too hot on the VAS Engine Racing Paton, just about stopping the bike before the barriers. He rejoined in last place and that meant Loughlin took over second with Jeremy McWilliams (IFS/Bayview Hotel Paton) in third. By the end of the opening lap, Cooper led Loughlin by 1.9s with McWilliams another three seconds further back in third. He had his hands full too with Johnston, Christian Elkin (Dynocentre NI Kawasaki), Michael Sweeney (KBS Kawasaki) and Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Kawasaki) right in his wheel tracks but Paul Jordan, third in race one, was an early retirement. Cooper was pressing on at the head of the field and a second lap of 112.490mph, another new lap record, saw his lead shoot up to 6.6s and Loughlin had a similar gap to McWilliams in third. Johnston, Coward and Sweeney were still with him but Elkin crashed out, without injury, at the Juniper Chicane. Despite easing the pace slightly on lap three, Cooper’s lead went up to almost ten seconds and Loughlin continued to be secure in second. Johnston was now up to third but the final podium position was still anyone’s with McWilliams, Coward and Sweeney very much in contention. Cooper duly crossed the line for his second win of the day with Loughlin taking a fine second place and in the dash to the flag, Johnston grabbed the final