ROADS: Dean Harrison tops SUPERBIKE practice at the North West 200.

Dean Harrison has made a hell of a start at the North West 200, coming out on top in the opening Superbike practice session on his Silicone Engineering Racing Kawasaki ZX10RR – just 0.531 seconds faster than Michael Dunlop on his Tyco BMW S1000RR.

It was 24-times North West winner Alastair Seeley who came in third quickest on the PBM/Be Wiser Ducati, with Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Racing BMW), Peter Hickman (Smith’s BMW) and James Hillier (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) completing the top six.

Hillier was seventh, Glenn Irwin eighth and North West veteran Michael Rutter was ninth fastest on the Bathams/Aspire Ho RCV213S Honda. And John McGuinness, who is making his return to the roads after breaking his leg during practice in 2017, only managed to come 19th fastest on the Norton – after breaking down at University corner during the session.

HERE’S THE FULL LIST OF TIMES FROM THE SUPERBIKE PRACTICE SESSION;

Qualifying starts tomorrow morning, with 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 NW200. For more information on the racing, and to check out the full set of practice times, visit: www.northwest200.org