Tyco BMW’s Alastair Seeley has his sights set on a hat trick of wins at this year’s Vauxhall North West 200 as the 12-time winner is just three victories shy of Robert Dunlop’s record tally of 15 following his double last year.
Seeley is favourite for wins in both the Superstock and Supersport races but this will be his only road race outing of the year as he focuses on the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 crown.
“I am not a kick in the arse off it now and if I had a good week maybe I could match it. It would be great to equal the record at least. If it happens, it happens but it is getting tougher every year,” said Seeley.
He will race the big S1000RRs in the litre-bike races but remains tight-lipped over what machinery he will run in the middlweight class.
“I am back with a team that I am comfortable with and things are going pretty good in the British series. We have a good test schedule in place. We were out at Kirkistown for two days last week and I will ride my new superbike soon so everything is going to plan.”
The Carrick racer had mixed fortunes at last year’s event, winning the Supersport and Superstock races on Thursday evening before crashing out of Saturday’s opening 600cc encounter. On Thursday evening Seeley was virtually last on his Mar-Train Yamaha R6 after avoiding Lee Johnston’s first lap crash at York.
“That 600cc win on Thursday evening was one of my best North West performances. I just put my head down and set about trying to catch the good guys again. Once I had them in my sights I used them as a target and then it became a battle between Guy Martin and me on the last lap.”
On Saturday he wasn’t so lucky after tangling with Johnston’s Pirtek Honda once again at Metropole on the final lap of the day’s opening 600cc race.
“The road was greasy at that part of the track and Lee and I had different tyre compounds. I was set up for the dry, it was the last lap and we both wanted to win. His elbow caught my front brake as we weaved about and we both crashed. We shook hands afterwards, he apologised for Thursday and I said sorry for that one.”
