Peter Hickman and the Smiths Racing team created history at the International North West 200 on Thursday evening with victory in the six-lap Superstock race giving the 2019 BMW S1000RR its first International race victory.
Despite the bike never having turned a wheel before Tuesday’s opening qualifying session, Hickman took a brilliant pole position with a lap that was less than a second outside the lap record around the 8.9-mile circuit and he went on to repeat his opening Superstock victory of twelve months ago with a commanding performance on the Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR.
Although Glenn Irwin grabbed the holeshot and led into York Corner on the opening lap, Hickman hit the front on the run to University and was never headed again, his lead at one stage more than three seconds as he set a fastest lap of 122.650mph. In the closing stages, he was able to ease back slightly and his eventual winning margin over Irwin at the end of the six laps was 1.895s.
The victory made up for the earlier disappointment of a first lap retirement in the Supersport race when lying in fifth place. Having qualified in fifth place on the Trooper Beer by Smiths Racing Triumph, the Louth-based rider made a good start to the six-lap race and was comfortably running with the leading pack when he had to stop at Metropole when a stone went through the radiator.
With excellent conditions all day on the North Coast of Northern Ireland, the 32 year old had a busy day with a full morning of qualifying as well as the two races and although he encountered a few issues with his Superbike, he qualified in 11th place for Saturday’s two races.
Peter Hickman: “I was a bit disappointed after the Supersport race when we had a stone go through the radiator as I felt I had the pace to finish on the podium so this more than makes up for it. The bike hadn’t turned a wheel before Tuesday so I’ve had no time on the bike so to take a win first time out is full credit to BMW and the Smiths Racing team. The boys tried to keep me at bay initially but I soon got to the front and from that moment on, I just put my head down and tried to get away. I felt really strong along the coast road and once I’d managed to break away, I managed the race from there.”
Darren Jones, Team Co-ordinator: “First of all, Peter rode a brilliant race and it was a dominant victory so hats off to him but full credit to the team too as they did a brilliant job with the bike. It hadn’t turned a wheel before we got here and we only got ten laps in qualifying so to go on to take the victory and give BMW it’s first International race win with the new S1000RR is very special. Despite having no data with the bike, we had to make some educated guesses with the set-up but Peter was on lap record pace all race despite and it’s been a great day.”
Pictures attached (courtesy of Double Red): Peter Hickman at NW200.
For further information, please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk
ENDS
Note to Editors:
Smiths (Gloucester) Limited was started in 1982 by Alan Smith. Smiths is a family run business and provides services in construction, waste management and recycling, demolition, transport, skip hire, laser levelling, asbestos removal and plant hire. It has grown from a small, owner-operated construction firm to one of the region’s largest and most respected construction services and waste management companies.
Alan Smith developed his love of bikes and racing in the 1980s when he competed in local and national amateur motocross events, his highest achievement being several top three positions in the national four-stroke and superclass categories.
The Smiths Racing Team continues the family ethos with daughter Rebecca adopting the mantle of Team Manager and wife Anne, son Paul and daughters Helen and Lisa often seen supporting the team on race days.
