Equalling NW200 record won't be good enough - Irwin

Glenn Irwin has won the last eight NW200 Superbike races

North West 200 Superbike king Glenn Irwin says that equalling the record number of wins in the premier class of the meeting this year "won't be good enough".

The PBM Ducati rider stands on the threshold of history as he aims to draw level with and then surpass the tally achieved by the late Joey Dunlop and Michael Rutter.

Irwin has won the last eight Superbike races staged over the Triangle circuit to find himself one victory behind the benchmark achieved by that distinguished duo.

"When you are on a run like I have had at the North West the target is big," said the 34-year-old.

"Not winning all three races this year would be a disappointment and equalling the record just won't be good enough.

"I couldn't retire from the North West without beating the record."

This year's North West will see the introduction of a third Superbike race, a four-lap sprint which will open the race programme on Thursday evening.

The extra outing for the big bikes will offer Irwin the chance to move two wins clear of Dunlop and Rutter were he to win all three.

He will face stiff competition however from the likes of Peter Hickman, Davey Todd, Michael Dunlop and Dean Harrison.

"In the past my schedule at the North West has been Tuesday and Thursday morning qualifying and then nothing until Saturday while the other guys have been racing on Thursday evening.

"Sometimes I've started Saturday a bit rusty because of that, so the Thursday sprint race might help me," said the Carrickfergus rider.

First qualifying set-up issues

Despite his remarkable winning sequence, first qualifying has proved difficult for Irwin in recent years as he struggled with set-up issues on his Kawasaki in 2019, Honda in 2022 and Ducati 12 months ago.

Last year he indicated that his machine was plagued by instability at high speed in opening practice before going on to post a double of race wins on Saturday.

"One thing I would love to do at this year's North West is to turn around my practice form," the Carrickfergus man explained.

"Last year we qualified on the third row after a terrible Tuesday, putting myself under pressure.

"I know what the bike, team and myself are capable of but I'd like to discover that earlier in the week, just to settle my mind."

'Solid start' to BSB season

The Northern Irishman agonisingly finished just half a point behind British Superbike series winner Tommy Bridewell last year but is hopeful of going one better than that runner-up spot in this year's championship.

He opened his 2024 campaign with fourth and eighth place finishes at round one at the Navarra circuit in Spain to lie fifth in the early standings and will compete at Oulton Park over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend before heading to the North West.

"We took some solid points during the first BSB round last weekend on a track that we expected to be a difficult one for us," he explained.

"Now we are looking forward to Oulton with the focus on showing how competitive we are on a track that suits our bike.

"That should set us up to go into the North West on a good feeling."