Jeremy McWilliams rolled back the years with a superb victory in the first Supertwins race at the North West 200, his first at the event at the age of 49. The former 250cc Grand Prix winner held off James Hillier and Jamie Hamilton on the last lap before describing it as “the best moment” of his career.
William Davison was quickest off the line and led early on the opening lap but was overtaken by McWilliams at University and the same corner would come back to bite the Hill Contracts rider when he outbraked himself on lap two, losing the slipstream he had been using to pressurise the KMR Kawasaki.
McWilliams was still fighting tooth and nail to keep Davison at bay until the end of lap three when the second placed rider went down at Black Hill, thankfully avoiding injury, but Jeremy couldn’t ease off as the battle up front had allowed Hillier and Hamilton to close.
The pair were hot on his heels throughout the final 8.970 miles but McWilliams hung on to win by 0.843s from Hillier, despite his pursuer setting the fastest lap on the final tour. Hamilton meanwhile ensured KMR team manager Ryan Farquhar would stand next to two of his riders on the podium by claiming third, just seven tenths further back. Ivan Lintin took fourth for McKinstry Racing while Lee Johnston finished fifth ahead of Michael Rutter who didn’t feel as comfortable on the slightly damp track as he had in qualifying.
James Cowton was seventh on another KMR Kawasaki with Michael Sweeney, Colin Stephenson and Paul Shoesmith completing the top ten. The second Supertwins race will form part of a bumper schedule with five races planned for the final day of the 2013 North West 200.
