Dean Harrison “hanging in there” for NW200 Superstock Race 2 podium

Dean Harrison says that keeping Peter Hickman behind him was a bigger concern in Superstock Race 2 at the North West 200 than chasing Davey Todd for victory.

Harrison’s Honda CBR1000RR-R was clearly losing out to the 8Ten Racing BMWs of Hickman and Todd in the acceleration off the slow corners, but was faster at the end of the straights.

This had worked for him in the first three laps of the race, as he was able to use the top end of the Fireblade to reel eventual winner Todd in on the run to University, but on the final lap he lost out to Hickman on the entry to Station.

Harrison, who was second in Supersport Race 2 after a late battle with Michael Dunlop and Richard Cooper, said that he was “struggling” to keep Hickman at bay, suggesting he was more concerned with keeping second than attacking Todd for the win.

“Honestly, I was hanging in there then,” Harrison told BBC Sport NI after the race.

“I was struggling to keep Pete [Peter Hickman] behind me.

“The top speed of our bike is so strong, the Honda is so fast, I’m just struggling to go up the box a little bit, I had a few little issues.

“I hung in there to the end, really. It’s taken a lot out of me.”

Harrison added that he was enjoying the battles, even if he was unable to get a first North West 200 win at this year’s edition of the famous road race.

“Honestly, I’m really enjoying riding at the minute, doing that is so much fun,” he said.

“The thing is I never know, I don’t tell the pit board man to tell me how [many people are in the group I’m in], so I wasn’t sure if there were three, four, five, six – you just never know.

“Alistair [Seeley] was coming past a couple of times at the start but he must have dropped off somewhere, and then Pete started showing his nose and I just did my best to keep him behind me.”