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2017 NW200: Seeley grabs Superstock race two win

Alastair Seeley took his fourth win of the 2017 North West 200 meeting, and 21st in total, when he took victory in Saturday afternoon’s Superstock race, which was cut short due to rain.

The race saw a thrilling five-rider battle between Seeley, Tyco BMW team-mate Ian Hutchinson and fellow BMW riders Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing), Lee Johnston (East Coast Construction) and Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing) which looked like it was going down to the wire but rain began to fall on various parts of the circuit on lap four and the red flag came out at the end of the fifth.

It was Hutchinson who grabbed the holesot only to immediately run wide at York Corner and drop back to fourth but by the end of the lap he was back in the lead albeit by just half a second from Seeley, Rutter, Johnston and Hickman. Dean Harrison had been running in second but dropped out of the top ten after overshooting at the Magherabuoy chicane.

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The leading five had broken away from a similar battle for sixth and Seeley re-took the lead into Station before Hutchinson dived up the inside at Black Hill, which would prove to be one of his favourite overtaking spots during the race.

Seeley led over the line though before Hutchinson went to the front again going into Mathers Cross but Seeley was determined to be in front as they crossed the line and, sure enough, the order at half race distance was Seeley, Johnston, Hutchinson, Rutter and Hickman.

The latter looked to be losing touch but by Ballysally the five riders were nose to tail once more as both Hutchinson and Rutter pushed Johnston back to fourth. Going into the fifth lap, Seeley led by just 0.2s but half way round the lap, it was clear the spots of rain were becoming heavier and with Johnston and Hickman slackening their pace and Hutchinson running wide at Mathers Cross, the red flag came out soon after.

The result was taken at the end of four laps with Seeley getting the verdict from Hutchinson, Rutter, Seeley and Johnston. The seven-ride battle for sixth went the way of Harrison from Horst Saiger, Dan Kneen, James Hillier and William Dunlop. Brother Michael retired at the end of lap two.

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