Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI at NW200

This class was once the preserve of Kawasaki but these days you can find a range of machinery in the upper echelons of the leaderboard at the North West 200.

Richard Cooper heads today's timings on a Kawasaki, but he is followed by Peter Hickman on a Yamaha and Lee Johnston on his Aprilia.

Meanwhile Jeremy McWilliams is set to be second on the grid on a Paton as a result of his second place in qualifying on Tuesday.

Changed days!

Sneaky, sneaky!

Just make sure the boss doesn't catch you

Well, there's a statement of intent.

Richard Cooper goes out for one lap and immediately goes fastest.

Boom.

Adam McLean has been out for a sighter lap but has discovered a mechanical issue and won't be back out in this session.

He says he's going into this evening's race "a bit blind", but he's set to start from fourth on the grid with times still some way off Tuesday's qualifying.

Here's how things stand after 25 minutes in the session.

1. Lee Johnston 102.168 mph

2. Peter Hickman 102.123

3. Michael Rutter 100.825

4. Christian Elkin 100,331

5. Barry Graham 99.451

6. Joe Loughlin 96.753

7. Liam Chawke 9.055

20 minutes to go. We're still some way off Tuesday's times.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI at NW200

Experienced early pacesetter Christian Elkin is a rider with huge pedigree.

The 42-year-old is one of an elite band of 26 riders to have won on their debut at the North West 200, taking victory in the 250cc class in 2007.

Originally from Macclesfield, the two-time British 125cc champion is now resident in Randalstown in county Antrim.

Those British titles were achieved in 2004 and 2005.

Richard Cooper is down in the pitlane and says he will give it five or 10 minutes for the track to dry up a little bit more.

He set a blistering pace on Tuesday and it doesn't look like anyone will get near his pole position lap, so he's happy saving tyres and fuel until things improve.

Christian Elkin is the early pacesetter with a lap of 100.331mph.

That's some way down off Cooper's fastest time on Tuesday of 111.723 mph.

Expect the times to drop as the session progresses.

There have been a number of showers this morning on the north coast and it's left the track pretty wet so far.

However (and long may it last) the sun is shining now and hopefully it won't be too long before things dry up.

There were a couple of showers ahead of the Supertwins' first outing but any damp patches soon dried up as Cooper - who won both races last year but was later disqualified for a technical infringement - set the fastest time in the class.

Jeremy McWilliams, racing at the tender age of 59, led most of the session before Cooper's final lap sent him to the top of the times with a 4:49.073 - some 3.4 seconds and 1.315 mph clear of the field.

The track is still pretty damp so it will be interesting to see how close they can get to Tuesday's speeds.

There's no hanging about this morning! The Supertwins are out on track!

You can watch live coverage from today's action from 10am on the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer.

Session One - Supertwins

Session Two - Superstock

Session Three - Supersport

Session Four - Superbike

While we'd love to have you join us here on the BBC Sport App and website, the live video stream is also available on BBC iPlayer (for UK users only).

You can find the coverage right here

Remember, if you are outside the UK, our video stream on the BBC Sport website is available worldwide!

It's almost time race fans.....

After weeks of uncertainty over whether this year's North West 200 would go ahead because of well publicised insurance issues, the best road racers in the world are now gathering on the north coast of Northern Ireland for the international speed spectacular.

The organising Coleraine Club has again assembled a quality field of competitors and exotic machines for the event and with anticipation mounting, BBC Sport takes you through some of the likely winners and podium finishers over the Triangle Circuit in the coming week.

Read more here.

Image source, Pacemaker

In a sport where many in the paddock are sadly no strangers to tragedy, Dominic Herbertson's keen sense of loss at the deaths of two of his closest friends continues to inspire his involvement.

James Cowton died after an incident at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man in July 2018 and Chrissy Rouse lost his life as a result of a crash at a British Superbike round at Donington Park in October.

"I always think of them, their deaths had a huge impact on me," reflected road racer Herbertson when he spoke to BBC Sport NI at this year's North West 200.

"They went racing because they loved it, and it's important that we keep the sport going for those reasons," added the 32-year-old.

Herbertson has since withdrawn from the rest of the North West 200 after Tuesday's practice.

Watch the best of the action from Tuesday's practice at the North West 200.

An unwell Glenn Irwin says his Ducati was plagued by instability in the opening North West 200 practice session, calling his Superbike "unrideable" at high speed.

Irwin was eighth, some 8.4 seconds down on Michael Dunlop's fastest lap.

The 33-year-old added being unwell was not a factor in the result and he won in the British Superbikes at Oulton Park feeling under the weather.

"It was actually quite scary and it wasn't an enjoyable ride," Irwin said.

"We had major stability problems. I couldn't go from A to B and couldn't stay on the throttle. If it continues like that we won't feature in the race on Saturday at all."

Image source, Pacemaker

Michael Dunlop set the fastest time in the opening Superbike qualifying session for the North West 200.

Dunlop, searching for his first win since 2016, was ahead of Alastair Seeley and Lee Johnston, while Glenn Irwin was only eighth.

Seeley was the fastest man in the Supersport session while Richard Cooper set blistering pace in the Supertwins.

Record wins holder Seeley was fastest in the Superstock class, which rounded out a red flag-free opening day.

A second round of qualifying sessions will take place on this morning before the opening three races - Supersport, Superstock and Supertwin - take place later this evening.

Image source, Pacemaker

Here we go again!

We're back for more North West 200 coverage and it's a big day for coverage as we have four practice sessions before three races tonight.

Michael Dunlop and Alastair Seeley impressed in Tuesday's opening session and both will be gunning for pole position today.

We're starting with the Supertwins and, after a few showers, we're looking good to go on the north coast.