Todd 'will be pushed all the way' in NW200 Superbike bid

Davey Todd is looking to win his first Superbike race at the North West 200

Davey Todd says he is aiming to win his first Superbike race at the North West 200 but expects strong competition.

Todd, 28, has six victories at the international road race but has yet to taste victory in the blue riband class.

Glenn Irwin, who won 11 Superbike races in a row, announced his retirement from road racing, which has opened the door for a new winner in the big-bike class.

"It's a shame Glenn isn't here. I'd love to do battle with him again, we had some fantastic ones over the last few years," Todd told BBC Sport NI.

"I've managed to get a lot of wins in the other races, but I want those Superbike wins.

"Just because Glenn isn't here any more doesn't mean there won't be any competition. There will still be a lot of fast guys who will push me all the way.

"We have to do our job, we have to get out there and ride as well as we can. I'm up for that challenge."

Along with Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop, one strong contender for victory is the returning Alastair Seeley, who is the record wins holder around the Triangle Circuit with 29.

Todd said it was "exciting" to have Seeley back on the grid after a year away, and expects him to get back up to speed quickly.

"We all know how quick he is around this place.

"With Glenn leaving and Alastair coming back, that kind of makes up for a little bit.

"It'll be exciting to have him back out there. I know he'll give us a run for our money and I'm excited to go out there and do battle with those guys."

Starting team from scratch

Davey Todd won his first two races at the Isle of Man TT - including the Senior TT - in 2024

After winning his first two Isle of Man TT races with the TAS Racing team in 2024, Todd was set to join Peter Hickman at FHO Racing for the upcoming season.

However, it emerged at the turn of the year that team owner Faye Ho was scaling back her involvement in the sport, and Todd and Hickman set up their own 8TEN Racing team.

The pair of Isle of Man TT winners will race on BMW machinery, but Todd says the team was "started from scratch".

"Everyone in the team has been doing a fantastic job. There's been so much work in putting this together in such a short space of time.

"It's been six to eight weeks going from absolute scratch. I think a lot of people feel we took off from where FHO landed, but that wasn't the case."

Todd said the whole team have been "working so hard to pull it all together" and, after making their debut in the British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park, they will make their first road racing appearance at the North West 200.

"I can't wait to get out there to show everyone all the fantastic work that the 8TEN team have been doing, they've done an awesome job.

"We want to get the BMW machinery on the course and a one-two finish on the podium would be the ideal situation."