Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’LL BE AN IRWINNER
Glenn vows to entertain on his way to victory
BY
GLENN IRWIN feels it’s his duty to treat fans to another spellbinding display at the North West 200.
The Carrick rider is one of the star attractions at this year’s international road race having won the previous four Superbike races on the Triangle circuit.
On Thursday he threw down the gauntlet to his rivals by blitzing the qualifying record in the blue riband class with a blistering 124mph lap, while he also claimed pole position in the Superstocks.
And with dry weather expected today on the north coast, Irwin is ready to sizzle once again.
“The North West gives me something. It is an aura or something,” he said.
“I feel something special when I get here. I feel it is my job to win here and I feel the crowd is behind me. It is part of the script and that’s my intention in the Superbike class. I love having the expectation and fans backing me. But it’s not pressure. I don’t put pressure on myself.
“When I see the fans waving the programmes around the circuit, it is amazing. It starts at York Corner and goes on from there. That gives me something. That gives me what I feel the Northern Ireland players get at Windsor Park.
“The fans are like the 12th man on the football pitch. I appreciate it and I want them to wave more and shout more. Let’s hope they get a great bunch of racing. We’re all fortunate to be back and fans are getting to see four British Superbike regulars including three who were in the Showdown last year.
“So the level will be ridiculously high and, then you throw in multiple North West and Isle of Man winners and all the legendary names, it is absolutely incredible.
“We will see a bigger North West this year than we’ve ever seen because it has been a long three years and fans have been craving the return of the event. The fans are brilliant and you feed off that.”
Irwin sat out Thursday’s Superstock race in the wet, with record race winner Alastair Seeley (left) claiming his second win of the meeting after also taking the opening Supersport class.