SLIDESHOW: Thursday’s NW200 Practice

Alastair Seeley - (Tyco BMW Motorrad Racing BMW ) in action during today's practice session for this years Vauxhall International NW200 in Portrush. Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press

Tyco BMW’s Alastair Seeley was almost on lap record pace at the Vauxhall International North West 200 as the Northern Ireland rider secured pole position in the Superstock class.

In dry and sunny conditions on the north coast, Seeley lapped at 120.196mph to edge out Ballymoney’s Michael Dunlop by 0.7 seconds.

Dunlop, riding his MD Racing Yamaha R1, clocked a flying late lap of 119.861mph to close the gap to Seeley, who enters the first Superstock race on Thursday evening as the slight favourite on the S1000RR.

Seeley’s pole time was only 1mph off the class lap record held by Austrian Horst Saiger, who was fifth fastest on his Kawasaki behind Fermanagh’s Lee Johnston on the ECC/Burdens BMW and Yeovil’s Martin Jessopp (Riders Motorcycles BMW).

Roads close at 5.15pm tonight (Thursday) with racing getting underway at 6pm. The three races are Supersport, Supertwin and Superstock.