Robin Miller: North West 200 back with a (tyre) bang

There is little doubt the North West 200 is one of the most unusual - and most exciting - events in the motorcycle racing world and this year, the first for three years, was no exception.

It has also been a race meeting rarely free from challenge of one sort or another dating back to the days when local hero Dick Creith blew off rivals from across the water with a Manx Norton which, while not likely to win a beauty contest, was certainly the quickest down those long straights.

And the North West revival, attracting a monster crowd this past weekend, gave them plenty to talk about as they drove home on Saturday. On the upside some terrific racing with Glen Irwin notching up his sixth Superbike win in a row and Alastair Seeley’s treble taking him to an astonishing 27 NW 200 victories.

On the downside was the suspension of the rain interrupted Thursday programme; disqualifications which denied Richard Cooper a Supertwin double and, most serious of all, the tyre disaster when a some simply fell to bits causing Dunlop to withdraw its slicks, and therefore riders, from Saturday’s final Superbike race.

Other than ‘it was a bad batch’ there was no plausible explanation coming from any quarter other than the 8.9-mile circuit with its long straights and 30+°C track temperature did not suit this particular tyre. New outright lap record holder Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison, Conor Cummins, Davey Todd and Michael Dunlop did not make the grid.

Not only was the sun shining on Portrush, but good fortune was also playing its part as no serious injury was caused. Josh Brookes was showered with rubber while following Michael Dunlop and said: “I’ve never seen anything like that.” Davey Todd’s front exhaled all its wind as it split down the