Supersport Race 2 on the North West 200 was arguably the choose of the races this week on the 2025 version of the Causeway Coast street race, with Dean Harrison saying he risked skittling himself, Richard Cooper, and Michael Dunlop had he squeezed the entrance brake any more durable getting into the Juniper chicane on the final lap.
Harrison, who has by no means gained a race on the North West 200, battled with Cooper and Dunlop all through the ultimate couple of laps of what was a restarted Supersport Race 2.
The battle boiled right down to the Juniper chicane on the final lap, with Harrison on the within of Cooper, whereas Dunlop attacked on the surface.
Harrison and Cooper made contact and ran over the chicane, Cooper occurring to take the win forward of Harrison, with Dunlop third.
“I knew from the beginning of the race it was going to be troublesome, to be trustworthy,” Harrison informed BBC Sport NI in his post-race podium interview.
“As quickly as anybody handed me I used to be straight again previous. I used to be continuously within the slipstream, they’ve bought not a large velocity benefit however there’s a bit there; center of the nook I felt like I had them, to be truthful, I wasn’t careworn there.
“Then Michael [Dunlop] tried to have a do at me at Metropole on the final lap, and I chopped again on the within and we had a little bit of a coming collectively there.
“Then me and Richard [Cooper] had a little bit of fairing bashing within the final chicane, so it was good for everybody to see.”
Increasing on the ultimate chicane battle with Cooper and Dunlop, Harrison mentioned: “There was Michael on the precise aspect, Cooper [next to me] and I used to be attempting to go up the within of each of them.
“The entrance tyre was protesting and rolling, if I’d have squeezed any more durable I’d have folded the entrance and all three of us would’ve gone down so I didn’t need that.
“I’m glad all of us bought throughout the road. Sadly, not fairly a win, however second will do for now.”
He added: “Battling like that round right here, there’s nothing prefer it.”
Cooper: “Lap one I used to be like ‘I’m having this’”
For Cooper, the victory was redemption for what he felt was a win that eluded him in Thursday’s Race 1 when he was overwhelmed by Dunlop.
“Lap one I used to be like ‘I’m having this’,” mentioned Cooper, chatting with BBC Sport NI after Supersport Race 2.
“Michael [Dunlop] beat me truthful and sq. in Race 1, he had that one. This one there was no manner.
“As soon as I noticed him developing the within there I simply let the brakes off; whoever bought via that chicane in a single piece, in my eyes, the win was for the taking.”
On the ultimate chicane battle, and working over the grass on the within of Juniper, Cooper added: “No luck, no judgement, simply held on. There was no different choice, I needed to run straight.
“I managed to get out the opposite aspect, I used to be in a gear too excessive, the bike bogged. I simply managed myself, bought again the gear earlier than I went out the chicane, and drove as much as the final nook there.
“It takes a courageous man to go somebody on the final nook.
“It was such a aid. I take pleasure in successful Supertwin races however to win a Supersport race on a Saturday in entrance of those followers is one thing particular.”
Cooper added that there was further satisfaction to win on the Yamaha R6, now not Yamaha’s official Supersport-class machine having been changed within the World Championship by the larger-capacity, three-cylinder R9.
“The Russell Racing Yamaha [team], we come right here to win races and we’ve achieved it on the R6, on the dated bike, in opposition to the most effective,” he mentioned.
“I’m solely a part-time racer, [but] once I do flip up I attempt my finest.”
