Rutter hopes to end barren spell

Michael Rutter has been in form in the British championship

Michael Rutter hopes to end a two-year barren spell by winning at this year's Kennedy North West 200 on 17 May.

Rutter has 11 North West wins to his name, including eight in the Superbike class, and attempts to add to that tally on the North West 200 Ducatis.

Steve Plater, John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey should be his main challengers, with Yamaha man Plater, winner of three races in two years, a major threat.

The programme comprises seven races, including two Superbike events.

Two Supersport races, a Superstock class, a 250cc race and a 125/400cc event complete the day's proceedings.

Rutter, Plater, McGuinness and Anstey are the only four riders to have won Superbike races at the North West in the last 11 years, and that domination may continue this year.

Australian Cameron Donald, Guy Martin, Ian Hutchinson, Keith Amor, Steve Brogan, Ian Lougher, Conor Cummins and Gary Johnson should all contend for top six places.

Ryan Farquhar and Adrian Archibald head the local challenge and both are capable of taking podium positions.

Anstey starts as favourite for the Superstock category but Carrickfergus man Alastair Seeley, last year's runner-up, will hope to run him close.

Rutter competes on the Ducati normally ridden by John Laverty in this event and Cummins, Farquhar, Lougher, Donald, Martin, Archibald and Amor will all be in the mix.

The Supersport events are always closely contested and this year should be no exception, with only Rutter missing from the top runners in the big bike races.

Perhaps the best hope of a Northern Ireland winner comes in the 250cc class, where both William and Michael Dunlop are confident of victory.

Another local man, Darren Burns, former British champion McGuinness and last year's winner Christian Elkin will also be optimistic of success.

The evergreen Robert Dunlop, who has won a record 15 races, competes in the 250 event for the first time since 1994, and also in the 125/400s, where Burns, Michael Wilcox and Oliver Linsdell should provide the main opposition.

Roads close for practice at 5.00pm on Tuesday and Thursday nights and for racing at 10.00am on Saturday.

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Tuesday 13th May practice schedule
1st session Newcomers (untimed practice)
2nd session Superbike and/or Superstock
3rd session Supersport and/or Superstock
4th session 250cc, 400cc and 125cc

Thursday 15th May practice schedule
1st session Superbike and/or Superstock
2nd session Supersport and/or Superstock
3rd session 250cc, 400c and 125cc

Saturday 17th May race schedule
Race One: Greenline 240cc race
Race Two: DeWalt Performance Tools Superbike Race One
Race Three: Club Soi Supersport Race One
Race Four: Autozone 125cc Race and McKendry Fabrications Ltd 400cc Race
Race Five: CP Hire Superstock Race
Race Six: Black Horse North West 200 Superbike Race
Race Seven: Ballymoney Borough Council 600cc Supersport Race Two