Alastair Seeley targeting success on two fronts in 2019

Carrick’s Alastair Seeley has his sights set on increasing his NW200 win tally and claiming another British Supersport Championship in 2019.
Carricks Alastair Seeley is gunning for the British Supersport title in 2019 plus more North West 200 victories.Carricks Alastair Seeley is gunning for the British Supersport title in 2019 plus more North West 200 victories.
Carricks Alastair Seeley is gunning for the British Supersport title in 2019 plus more North West 200 victories.

The ‘Wee Wizard’ reckons he has never been better prepared for the demands of a new season and cannot wait to get started.

“I’m in the best shape I have ever been going into a new season,” stated the 24 times NW200 winner and double British Champion.

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“I’m putting in a lot of hard work behind the scenes now and I’m ready for whatever the season throws my way. I suppose you could say I have a busy schedule as I fit in full time child-minding with Olivia.

“There is certainly not a lot of spare time but it is fun and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He is quick to add that none of this would be possible without the help of his long time partner Dani.

“It sounds like I do everything but it’s not so, as you always need a good women behind you and I am lucky to have Dani. Even though she works full time she certainly does her bit, and we juggle the best we can. Then there is Lewis (Alastair’s son), he’s in second year at B.R.A. and apart from his school activities he loves his motocross and that’s what we both do at the weekend.

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“It’s full on and I’m not getting any younger being 40 on my next birthday, but age is only a number.”

The 2018 season saw a difficult start to the year for Alastair. What started with so much promise quickly descended into a mixture of issues with different teams before being rescued in the end by EHA Racing where he had a fantastic conclusion to the British Championship season. Certainly his NW200 in May produced some of his best performances at the famous ‘triangle’ circuit with another hat-trick, but he still missed out on that elusive Superbike win.

“I started off the season with the WD40 ride which was a sort of emergency ride as I had been promised and even had a contract with the Spirit Team for a full year in Moto2.

“Then came Christmas and one of the title sponsors pulled the plug and I was left high and dry and had to go searching. I was always a few tenths off challenging for podiums and could never get a good feel for the bike. Unfortunately it wasn’t being fixed and I was getting disheartened and wanted to go down a different avenue to try and get on a podium.

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“I took a gamble going with Dave Tyson’s MV Agusta team. It was like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Jack Kennedy had a few wins on the bike the previous year and I really thought the bike was capable of doing the same with me on board.

“It ended up that I only done four races for them and finished one. You are never going to win championships with that sort of set-up. I should have known something wasn’t right as the first time I was on the bike I was told not to over-rev the bike on back shifts and for the first time in my career I was told not to change gears too quickly.

“It was just a disaster and never going to work with the end coming after I broke my collarbone in a motocross accident. It was a blessing in the end as I missed Cadwell and the team said because of me not turning up they lost a sponsor and that was that.

“That’s when the call was made to EHA Racing to secure a ride for the last four rounds of the British Supersport Championship. I knew that with a good team and good bike I had to deliver to prove that I was still a good supersport rider.

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“At Silverstone I qualified pole, won on Saturday then the tyre gave up on the last lap on the Sunday. At Oulton I won Saturday, third Sunday and at Assen had a double win. At the final race at Brands I fought for the win on Saturday and jumped off on Sunday in the rain. I had done the job and EHA offered me a contract for 2019 that I was more than happy to sign.”

Alastair’s record in the British Championships is second to none. He has won two titles in 2009 and 2011 but it could so easily have been many more as he finished runner up in 2013, ‘14’ and ‘15’.

“Yes there were a few years when it went down to the last race of the last round and it could have went either way in the end but that’s all in the past and although I know it won’t be easy I am determined to claim title number three.

“I think my birthday falls at the penultimate round of the British championship so it would be nice to wrap up the title on my birthday. From my side I can’t do any more and I know that EHA will do there bit.”

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Over the past two NW200’s Alastair has added to his win tally but lost out to great rival Glenn Irwin in the final superbike race. As yet he hasn’t signed for anyone but when he does will this be the year he regains that particular crown?

“Yes it is the race that everyone remembers,” admitted Alastair. “Last year I had stability issues on the superbike and who ever I decided to ride for I’d like to make sure I had the stability back. Down a very fast straight the thing was tying itself in knots. For sure I would like to get another superbike win.”