Steve Plater's NW200 weekend is over after this scary qualifying crash. Image credit: Belfast Telegraph.

HM Plant Honda’s Steve Plater has suffered a broken arm during qualifying for this weekend’s North West 200 in Ireland, leaving him unable to compete in the race on Saturday after a spectacular high-speed fall yesterday.

On the second lap of his outing, Plater crashed at the last corner, Quarry Hill, when he lost the front end of the bike and slid heavily into the safety fencing.

Plater was immediately attended to by marshals and medics on the course and taken to Coleraine Hospital where he underwent a full examination. It was quickly evident that his head, main body and legs were fine and that the main injury was to his left arm.

X-rays have confirmed that the pre-race favourite has a broken left arm at the mid forearm point with clean breaks to both the ulna and radius bones, requiring an operation to have both bones plated. Plater’s arm has been plastered and he will remain in hospital overnight as a precautionary measure, ahead of his operation tomorrow.

Plater, who scored pole position despite his incident, is fortunate to have come away from his high speed crash with relatively minor injuries and this is testament to the FIM approved safety bales which absorbed the majority of the impact.

In his true determined spirit, Plater plans to watch Saturday’s races from the pits and is already focusing on what he needs to do get back on the seat of his HM Plant Honda Fireblade as quickly as possible in order to retain his current lead in the British Superstock Championship.

Australia’s Cameron Donald was 13th fastest in Thursday’s Superbike qualifying sessions on his Relentless Suzuki GSX-R1000.