NW200 SUPERSTOCK VICTORY FOR JOHNSTON HIGHLIGHT OF SUPERB PERFORMANCE
Fermanagh’s Lee Johnston firmly proved his ‘big bike’ credentials by taking a thrilling five-lap CP Hire Superstock race victory at yesterday’s Vauxhall International North West 200, for the ECC/Burdens BMW team.
Johnston and fellow BMW pilot Alastair Seeley kept race fans on the edge of their seats right until the final duel – at the now famous ‘last chance saloon’ Juniper Hill chicane – but this time around it was the Maguiresbridge man who got the upper hand.
Jubilant in victory Johnston said: “I led the damn thing three times after red flags so if I hadn’t won it, I would have been disappointed. Alastair is riding well; I mean you don’t win 15 races around here if you are not a top rider. My East Coast Construction / Burden’s BMW worked absolutely superb and that one’s for my sister who couldn’t be here today.”
A double winner last year in the Supertwin class, the East Coast Construction backed rider added: “We said this year we would set the Supertwin class aside to try and win some big races, so with the support of BMW it has paid off and I’m delighted for everyone involved.”
Lee also took third place in a thrilling Supersport race on the ECC/ Burdens 675 Triumph after a race-long battle with fellow Ulstermen Alastair Seeley and Glenn Irwin. He did lead across the line taking the trio onto the final lap, but overshot the final Juniper Hill chicane as all three did their utmost to take victory.
Despite a ten second penalty, such was the pace Lee was still able to join Seeley and Irwin on the podium and said afterwards: “Those two lads wanted it as bad as I did and that’s a bad recipe. I stormed off like a child after hearing of the penalty but it just shows the pace at the front to still make the podium.”
Lee was also involved in a classic encounter in the Superbike race and despite overshooting the Mather’s Cross chicane on lap two the ECC/Burden’s BMW rider was able to get back into the leading group, narrowly losing out on a podium position on the final shake up, but did post a best lap speed of 121.008mph.
Results: Superstock Race
Winner: Lee Johnston [BMW] 22min 17.138sec; 2nd – Alastair Seeley [BMW] 22min 17.330sec; 3rd – Ian Hutchinson [Kawasaki] 22min 17.557sec; 4th – Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] 22min 18.299sec; 5th – William Dunlop [BMW] 22min 31.884sec; 6th – Martin Jessopp [BMW] 22min 32.157sec
Supersport Race
Winner: Alastair Seeley [Tyco Suzuki] 27mins 53.011sec; 2nd – Glenn Irwin [Gearlink Kawasaki] 27mins 55.578sec; 3rd – Lee Johnston [ECR/Burdens Triumph] 28mins 03.660sec; 4th – William Dunlop [CD/IC Yamaha] 28mins 07.038sec; 5th – Keith Amor [RigDeluge Honda] 28mins 27.955sec; 6th – Dean Harrison [Mar-Train Yamaha] 28mins 28.334sec Superbike Race:
Winner: Alastair Seeley [Tyco BMW] 22mins 15.677sec; 2nd – Ian Hutchinson [PBM Kawasaki] 22mins 15.982sec; 3rd – Bruce Anstey [Padgett’s Honda] 22mins 16.220sec; 4th – Lee Johnston [ECR/Burdens BMW] 22mins 22.17.598sec; 5th – Michael Rutter [Penz13.com BMW] 22mins 19.200sec; 6th – John McGuinness [Honda Racing] 22mins 20.644sec ENDS
Johnston and fellow BMW pilot Alastair Seeley kept race fans on the edge of their seats right until the final duel – at the now famous ‘last chance saloon’ Juniper Hill chicane – but this time around it was the Maguiresbridge man who got the upper hand.
Jubilant in victory Johnston said: “I led the damn thing three times after red flags so if I hadn’t won it, I would have been disappointed. Alastair is riding well; I mean you don’t win 15 races around here if you are not a top rider. My East Coast Construction / Burden’s BMW worked absolutely superb and that one’s for my sister who couldn’t be here today.”A double winner last year in the Supertwin class, the East Coast Construction backed rider added: “We said this year we would set the Supertwin class aside to try and win some big races, so with the support of BMW it has paid off and I’m delighted for everyone involved.”
Lee also took third place in a thrilling Supersport race on the ECC/ Burdens 675 Triumph after a race-long battle with fellow Ulstermen Alastair Seeley and Glenn Irwin. He did lead across the line taking the trio onto the final lap, but overshot the final Juniper Hill chicane as all three did their utmost to take victory.
Despite a ten second penalty, such was the pace Lee was still able to join Seeley and Irwin on the podium and said afterwards: “Those two lads wanted it as bad as I did and that’s a bad recipe. I stormed off like a child after hearing of the penalty but it just shows the pace at the front to still make the podium.”
Lee was also involved in a classic encounter in the Superbike race and despite overshooting the Mather’s Cross chicane on lap two the ECC/Burden’s BMW rider was able to get back into the leading group, narrowly losing out on a podium position on the final shake up, but did post a best lap speed of 121.008mph.
Results: Superstock Race
Winner: Lee Johnston [BMW] 22min 17.138sec; 2nd – Alastair Seeley [BMW] 22min 17.330sec; 3rd – Ian Hutchinson [Kawasaki] 22min 17.557sec; 4th – Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] 22min 18.299sec; 5th – William Dunlop [BMW] 22min 31.884sec; 6th – Martin Jessopp [BMW] 22min 32.157sec
Supersport Race
Winner: Alastair Seeley [Tyco Suzuki] 27mins 53.011sec; 2nd – Glenn Irwin [Gearlink Kawasaki] 27mins 55.578sec; 3rd – Lee Johnston [ECR/Burdens Triumph] 28mins 03.660sec; 4th – William Dunlop [CD/IC Yamaha] 28mins 07.038sec; 5th – Keith Amor [RigDeluge Honda] 28mins 27.955sec; 6th – Dean Harrison [Mar-Train Yamaha] 28mins 28.334sec Superbike Race:
Winner: Alastair Seeley [Tyco BMW] 22mins 15.677sec; 2nd – Ian Hutchinson [PBM Kawasaki] 22mins 15.982sec; 3rd – Bruce Anstey [Padgett’s Honda] 22mins 16.220sec; 4th – Lee Johnston [ECR/Burdens BMW] 22mins 22.17.598sec; 5th – Michael Rutter [Penz13.com BMW] 22mins 19.200sec; 6th – John McGuinness [Honda Racing] 22mins 20.644sec ENDS
