Thursday's qualifying at the North West 200 delivered a high-speed spectacle, with top riders making their mark after a delayed session. Dean Harrison stormed to the top of the Superbike leaderboard with an impressive average speed of 124.60mph on his Honda, setting the stage for an electrifying race weekend.

The qualifying session, rescheduled to Thursday evening following a tragic incident at Station Corner that claimed a rider's life, saw competitors refocus their energy on the track. The family of the fallen rider requested privacy but gave their blessing for the event to proceed, adding a somber yet determined atmosphere to the proceedings.

Harrison's blistering pace left 11-time winner Glenn Irwin trailing by 2.3 seconds, with Irwin posting 123.491mph on his Ducati. BMW rider Richard Cooper secured third at 122.640mph, while Josh Brookes, Michael Dunlop, and newcomer Storm Stacey rounded out the top six, signaling fierce competition ahead.

In the Superstock class, Michael Dunlop claimed pole position on his MD Racing BMW with a speed of 122.578mph, edging out Cooper by just four-tenths of a second. Harrison followed closely in third, with British Superbike regular Stacey, Brookes, and Paul Jordan completing the leaderboard.

Peter Hickman showcased his Supertwin dominance with a late lap of 111.250mph, positioning himself as the rider to beat after his double victory in the class in 2024. Jordan, last year's second Twins race winner, was just one second behind at 110.861mph, with veteran Jeremy McWilliams in third at 110.662mph.

The Supersport session was cut short by red flags, but not before Alastair Seeley secured pole position with a lap of 115.905mph. Dunlop was marginally slower at 115.752mph, while Harrison continued his strong form with the third fastest time, also at 115.752mph. With practice complete, all eyes now turn to race day, where these early leaders will look to convert their speed into victories.