Gary Johnson pleased with fifth place in opening race
Broughton's Gary Johnson said major changes to his Robinson’s Concrete Uel Duncan Honda Superbike on the eve of the Dainese Superbike race made the first run down Bray Hill ‘a bit daunting’.
Johnson started Monday’s race, the opening event of the 2009 Isle of Man TT from number one and enjoyed a race-long duel with Ian Hutchinson for fourth place.
He lost out at the end of the six laps, finishing fifth, but set a personal bets average lap speed around the Mountain circuit, reaching 128.342mph.
Throughout practice Johnson had struggled with stability issues, and just hours before the first race the team overhauled the bike’s set up.
The changes seemed to work. Johnson’s opening lap was 128.342mph, putting him in a solid fifth place less then 3 seconds down on Steve Plater. His second lap was also in excess of 128mph, and on lap three he moved up to fourth. He looked set for the fourth place finish with the chequered flag in sight, with his nearest rival, Hutchinson, 14 seconds behind.
However, Hutchy came on strong on the Padgett’s Honda and moved up to fourth, relegating Johnson to fifth.
The result maintained his record of finishing in the top six of every TT race he's finished for the Uel Duncan Racing team.
Johnson said:
‘We went in to the race a bit blind with a new offset on the front yokes and the rear of the bike slightly higher so it was a bit daunting setting off down Bray Hill on the first lap, but they were definitely the right changes and I was able to run at a pace I felt more comfortable with.’
‘The bike wasn't such a beast to handle and when John (McGuinness) came by up on the Mountain I was able to stay with him until the end of the lap so that showed we'd gone the right way with the changes. We got boxed in at the pit stop so it was all a bit hectic and I got held up by a few backmarkers on the final lap otherwise I think a 129mph could have been achieved.’
‘I was running strongly in fourth so it was slightly disappointing to lose it right at the end of the race, but I had a fast, enjoyable ride and with five Hondas in the top five5, we've had a good day.’