Through Church on the CSC Branson R1 Superstock Yamaha on Thursday Evening
pic : Hammy McClements

Davy's North West 200 did not get off to the best of starts when he had to sit out Tuesday's opening practice sessions with a hand problem after receiving a pain killing injection. There was frustration all round as the fingers in his right hand would not function properly after the jab. Fortunately everything went back to normal later in the evening and the team now looked forward to Thursday.

The challenging practice continued on Thursday when changeable conditions greeted the riders at the first ever day practice for the event. Light and heavy rain showers around the course made life very difficult for everyone as the condition of the track changed constantly. Davy was first up on the CSC Branson Superstock Yamaha and was just delighted to get out and completed six laps before coming in as condtions worsened on the dry tyres. It was a dissapppoiting time and well down the field with the machine just not quick enough to match some of the other manufacturers.

Next up and it was the CSC Branson R6 Yamaha in the Supersport Practice and again in difficult conditions Davy managed to qualify and despite missing out on the dry practice on tuesday found himself in 25th place overall, a satisfying result considering the difference in track conditions. Finally it was the Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki and this session was well interrupted with it stopped for rain then delayed to after the 125 Practice and then cut short due to an incident. Again the conditions were far from ideal when on track, so Davy just got out and got in a few steady laps and again found well back in the timings.

Speaking on Thursday Davy commented, "It been a challenging couple of days, Tuesday was just unbelievable as my problem was so far out that you could not make it up so i just hope the organisers cut me a bit of slack as they have done with others in the past. Thursday went okay, the Stocker is just not quick enough as i could not even stay with other bikes in their slipstream. I really love riding the CSC Branson R6 and Strangford Holiday Park Suzuki and i just hope that Saturday is dry so i can get a real go on them unlike today when you had to be really careful due to the changing track conditions.".