Milestones for roads royalty
Big year for McGuinness and Hutchinson
It’s 30 years since John McGuinness made his debut at the NW200. The Honda Racing veteran says it marked his initiation as a road racer despite qualifying well down the order and failing to finish in either of the 250cc races after suffering clutch problems.
“We just rounded up a few tins of beans and soup and set off in the van,” the six times NW200 winner recalls. “I didn’t have a clue what I was letting myself in for really.
“But I had done it and I was out there competing. I had dipped my toe into road racing, had got the sense of speed and felt all the bumps. The pure roads were so different compared to the short circuits.”
Hutchy, meanwhile, had a more traumatic debut in 2004.
“I was completely on my own in the paddock and wasn’t really properly prepared as I set off in the first newcomer’s practice on my 600,” the three-times NW200 winner recalls. “Then the session was red flagged when someone crashed out at Black Hill and went over the cliff!”
Because of his inexperience, the gearing Hutchy had set on his Supersport machine was too low for the long North West straights. Struggling to change sprockets by himself during the break in proceedings, he ran out of time and was forced to jump on to his Superstock machine when the action resumed. A few seconds later he slid off at the first corner.
“A week in hospital with a cracked pelvis wasn’t a great start to my North West 200 career,” he recalls.
This time around Hutchinson will make his road racing return with Clive Padgett’s Honda squad at Portrush as McGuinness races in the Superstock and Superbike races in Honda Racing colours.