Silicone Racing’s Dean Harrison topped the opening Superbike qualifying session at the 2019 North West 200, leading Michael Dunlop by just over half a second with Alastair Seeley’s Panigale V4R in third.
Harrison set a 4’26.413 - four seconds off the lap record - on his ZX-10RR on his final lap with Dunlop’s Tyco BMW setting a 4’26.944.
Seeley, who is after his 25th victory during this year’s event, was 1.637s behind Harrison with Lee Johnston hopping up to fourth with his final effort of 4’29.399.
Isle of Man TT lap record record holder Peter Hickman finished fifth on the Smiths BMW with James Hillier in sixth place on a 4’30.451.
A clearly unhappy Glenn Irwin, who carries the number one plate on his Quattro Kawasaki, bagged seventh on his final lap, just ahead of Ian Hutchinson’s Honda.
Michael Rutter put the Bathams RC213V-S in ninth place and 4.885s off the pace with the Padgetts Honda of Conor Cummins completing the top ten.
David Johnson made his debut on the factory Honda Superbike and claimed 11th place with Davey Todd, Daley Mathison, Paul Jordan and Jamie Coward rounding out the top 15.
Gary Johnson was 16th on the RAF Reserves Kawasaki, ahead of Horst Saiger and Richard Cooper on his debut at the event. Michael Sweeney was 19th and John McGuinness put the Aprilia-engined Norton in 20th.
Top Speeds
Lee Johnston 195.7mph
Michael Rutter 195.2mph
Conor Cummins 195.2mph
Dean Harrison 194.6mph
Alastair Seeley 194.0mph
John McGuinness 193.5mph
