We’ve just had conformation that the North West 200 Road Races will take place this year (2022) on the 8th-14th May. The news comes after two years of the event being cancelled thanks to the dreaded C word. I’m talking about the Covid, not that four-letter one that you were thinking about.
Yes, this May, a couple of weeks before the Isle of Man TT races, the best road racers from across the globe will once again form up on the North West 200 grid, on the A2 coast road in Northern Ireland.
The 8.9 mile Triangle Road Circuit linking Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine will once again buzz with the sound of superbikes.
And that’s not the only thing that’ll buzz… in fact Stanleigh Murray, Chairman of the Coleraine and District Motor Club, and Clerk of the North West 200 Course, is already buzzing about it.
He said
“Although the pandemic stopped the race action over the past two seasons, the management team of Coleraine and District Motor Club have been working hard to ensure the structures and support that underpin the North West 200 have remained in place for the day when we would be able to make this announcement,”
See you there?
This, if you ask me, is absolutely fantastic news. And I’m keeping my fingers tightly crossed that it really does go ahead, because this year I’m planning on entering it. I’ve liked the idea of doing it for a few years now, but never been able to make it happen. Alas, 2022 is my year.
One of the reasons I haven’t managed to get to the NW200 before was because it’s always been a bit close to the TT. My concern was that something would happen which would scupper my TT plans; like a crash or an engine blow up. But the dates of the TT have been moved back a week, so that gives us a bit more time should anything go tits-up. And in any case, if I don’t do it now, when will I do it? I’ve got a ZX-10R and a Daytona 675R gathering dust in the garage, so I might as well put them to good use.
So if you fancy some 200mph road racing this spring, why not book yourself a week’s holiday? I hear there’re some absolutely banging pubs in that part of Northern Ireland. Anyone fancy a pint of Guinness?
