Briggs Equipment extends North West 200 title sponsorship to centenary year

The North West 200 will continue to carry the Briggs Equipment name through to its centenary celebrations in 2029 after the company agreed a new three-year title sponsorship deal with organisers Coleraine and District Motor Club.

The extension builds on a partnership that began in 2024 and ensures the north coast road racing spectacular will remain known as the Briggs Equipment North West 200 during the build-up to its landmark 100th anniversary.

Briggs Equipment Divisional Director Colin McNeely welcomed the renewed agreement, saying: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to extend our title sponsorship of the North West 200 for another three years.

“It’s been a fantastic experience for Briggs Equipment and Balloo Hire to date, and I look forward to helping the event grow further as it approaches its centenary in 2029. That promises to be one of the great sporting occasions of our lifetime. The North West 200 has evolved enormously over those 100 years and its list of legends continues to grow, so it is a real honour to cement our long-term association with such an iconic event. We will do everything we can to make the anniversary as memorable as possible, and I know discussions have already produced some exciting ideas. It’s going to be big, I know that for sure, and I’m genuinely thrilled that we’ll be a key part of it.”

Race Director Mervyn Whyte described the agreement as a significant step for the event: “This is a very important development for the North West 200 as it approaches a landmark moment in its long and storied history.

“The support of Briggs Equipment and Balloo Hire over the past three years has underpinned significant improvements to the event, and we look forward to building on that progress as we move towards the centenary meeting in 2029. Each May, the North West 200 grid features the strongest line-up of road racing talent in the world. No one who attended in 2026 will forget the impact Storm Stacey made on his debut, and we remain committed to attracting more new talent to line up alongside the established stars and entertain the tens of thousands of race fans who flock to the north coast every year.”

McNeely stressed, however, that the immediate focus remains firmly on delivering another memorable race week in 2027.

“Although we are very conscious of how close the centenary event is, we have plenty of work to do for 2027 first,” he said.

“Every year brings a new opportunity to take the event to the next level and improve the experience for fans. I firmly believe the Briggs Equipment North West 200 is in great hands with Mervyn’s team and ourselves — and the name has a nice ring to it as well!

“Being so closely involved with the North West 200 over the past three years has opened my eyes to just how much the event means to so many people. From the fans to the organisers, volunteers, race teams and fellow sponsors, I have witnessed a passion for road racing unlike anything I have seen in other sports.

“As title sponsor, we accepted a responsibility to support the event as much as possible, and I believe we have done that well. We have built a strong working relationship with the North West 200 team, and that was an important consideration when we committed to a new agreement.

“We all want to see the North West 200 grow year after year, and that determination to improve has been clear throughout race week. Recent editions have attracted record crowds, and my hope is that we continue to set new standards. I have no doubt the Briggs Equipment North West 200 will go from strength to strength.”

Revised schedule for 2027 race week

Race week in 2027 will also bring a revised qualifying timetable. Over the previous three seasons, from 2024 to 2026, qualifying took place on Wednesday and Thursday.

Under the new schedule, qualifying will begin on Tuesday, 11 May 2027, after the roads close at 9am. The roads will close again at 9am on Thursday, 13 May, for the second qualifying session, followed by the opening three races that evening.

The event will reach its climax on Saturday, 15 May, with a six-race programme scheduled to begin after the roads close at 9am.