High-speed North West 200 crash sends rider Paul Cassidy flying, lands on car

Paul Cassidy has walked away with cuts and bruises after a collision with a crash barrier catapulted him into the air in the Northern Ireland motorcycle road race. Photo / Facebook

• Paul Cassidy survived a severe crash at motorcycle road race the North West 200, escaping with minor injuries.
• Cassidy shared slow-motion footage and images of his injuries and the damaged Volkswagen on Facebook.
• Glenn Irwin set a new lap record at the event, securing his ninth consecutive Superbike win.

A rider escaped serious injury at motorcycling’s North West 200 in a horror crash that flung him “around 25ft” (7.6m) in the air and on to the bonnet of a car.

Paul Cassidy careered into a crash barrier after colliding with a fellow competitor in one of Northern Ireland’s largest annual sporting events, held on a 9-mile (14.5km) street circuit known as the Triangle between the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush.

The course is notorious for being among the fastest in the world, with bikes routinely reaching speeds of more than 320km/h.

Cassidy posted slow-motion footage of the crash to his Facebook page, along with photos of a cut and bruising on his left leg and of a huge dent he left in a Volkswagen car.

He also wrote: “As you all know I had a little off at nw 200. I’m all OK just bloody sore.

“I was behind a rider and had just clicked 4th I believe his bike cut out or something on the 1st right after the start ... The marshals said the same thing too. He pulled to the left then looking over his left shoulder not knowing I was going round him and we collided together.

“Unfortunately nothing I could do at that sort of speed. Big thank you to everyone for all support … all the medical staff did a cracking job.

“Went up around 25ft and landed in the garden on someone’s car.”

A statement from race organisers said: “The information from the NW200 medical team indicates none of the competitors sustained serious injuries, but two have been taken to Causeway Hospital for assessment and treatment.”

Thursday’s racing had Glenn Irwin set a lap record to edge out Davey Todd and secure a ninth consecutive NW200 Superbike win, equalling the all-time tally of victories in the premier class.