Retro Rewind: Alastair Seeley ends 13-year Superbike hoodoo at North West 200

Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Alastair Seeley ended a 13-year wait for an Ulster winner in the blue riband Superbike class at the North West 200 with a famous victory in 2010.

The Relentless TAS Suzuki rider claimed the spoils in the headline race 11 years ago as he became the first rider from Northern Ireland since Phillip McCallen in 1997 to savour success in the premier class around the ‘Triangle’ course.

Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event should have been taking place on the North Coast this week, but sadly the Covid-19 pandemic forced the organisers to cancel the historic race for a second successive year.

In the latest of our special NW200 features this week, we remember Carrickfergus man Seeley’s breakthrough Superbike triumph, when the reigning British Superstock champion had to forge his way through from the third row of the grid after qualifying ninth.

Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki) leads Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) and John McGuinness (HM Plant Honda) over Black Hill on his way to victory in the feature race at the North West 200 in 2010.

His task was made all the more difficult when the race distance was reduced from six laps to four following a delay, when a spectator fell from a cliff on the Coast Road and required emergency treatment.

When the race got under way, Seeley made a solid start and had scythed his way through the pack to move into second position behind Scotsman Stuart Easton on lap two, with HM Plant Honda rider John McGuinness also right in the mix.

Seeley then made his move on the brakes into Juniper chicane and led the race until the fourth and final lap, when Easton re-took the lead into Metropole in Portrush on his Swan Honda.

Seeley, though, hit back immediately, diving underneath Easton at Church Corner and maintaining a slight gap on the final run along the Coast Road to hold on for a landmark win.

Alastair Seeley celebrates victory at the 2010 North West 200.

His margin of victory over Easton at the line was 1.1 seconds, with McGuinness only a further tenth of a second back in third.

Seeley, who set a new lap record of 121.875mph on lap three, said: “Stuart pushed me all the way and I thought I had maybe broke him, but he came back at me going into Metropole on the brakes so I thought I better hit straight back because it was the las