Jeremy McWilliams 2026 North West 200 win “pretty unbelievable”

Jeremy McWilliams’ Supertwin Race 2 win at the 2026 North West 200 was “pretty unbelievable”, he admits.

McWilliams became the first person aged 60 years or older to win a race at Northern Ireland’s biggest road race when he led more or less from start to finish in the second Supertwin race on Saturday (9 May).

The former grand prix racer hadn’t won a North West 200 race since 2019. He nearly ended the drought in Race 1 on Saturday but was passed on the last lap by Peter Hickman when he didn’t realise they’d reached the end of the race, so the Race 2 win brought satisfaction for the redemption from the morning as well as finally ending McWilliams’ seven-year wait for a fourth North West 200 Supertwin win.

“I’ve been waiting for that one for a wee while,” McWilliams said after Supertwin Race 2, speaking to BBC Sport NI.

“[The bike has] been flawless all week. I’m delighted with that. 

“I’ve been waiting a while. I thought this morning it was there and then I got caught napping and Peter [Hickman] snook it from me. 

“I was looking back thinking ‘Where are they, they’ve got to be here’, but I kept the head down, made a few mistakes, did a bit of motocrossing for the cameras (referring to when he hit the kerb on the exit of the chicane after the finish). 

“I couldn’t be more happy, I’ve been chasing another win for a while and [everyone] keeps telling me ‘The older you get, it’s not going to come’. 

“So, this is for all you guys who believed in me.”

The victory also came almost 25 years on from McWilliams’ grand prix victory in the 250cc race at Assen in 2001, something even McWilliams finds hard to fathom.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” he said.

“Standing on top of [the North West 200] podium is going to feel every bit as good as it did back in the grand prix at… Assen – I had to think about that one for a second! 

“It will feel every bit as good. 

“I’ve always said that; standing on the podium, particularly on the top step at the North West, is probably the best feeling you can ever get.”