Johnson takes cautious approach for top 10 finish
Gary Johnson was on damage limitation during Wednesday’s rain-delayed Relentless Supersport 2 race at the 2009 Isle of Man TT.
The Broughton racer has the honour of riding with the number one plate this year, meaning he was first away when the race finally got under way at 2pm. It had been delayed for more than three hours due to rain in the west of the Island.
Starting at number one meant Johnson would be the first rider to experience conditions on the course, which was still wet between Appledene and Ballaugh, and he took it gingerly with the aim of collecting a top 10 finish.
Speaking before the race Johnson said:
‘It is not the biggest thrill in the world knowing that you are going down the road blind, nobody has been down it for hours on end and after the rain you have not got a clue on what’s going to be out there. You set off down Bray Hill at nearly 200mph and its scary business I can tell you.’
‘You do what you have to do and hope that the flags will be out to let you know where there is lack of adhesion. The people with more experience will maybe have a better idea as to where the wet patches will be but I am out there first and will have to be extra careful.’
He as extremely careful, relegated to 15th place by Glen Helen on lap one, but his care allowed him to successfully negotiate the tricky track conditions and at the end of the four lap race he was 10th.
It was not the result he had hoped for when the TT got underway, but it was another finish for the Uel Duncan/Robinson Concrete Honda rider.
Johnson said:
‘Tenth place is the lowest of my race week here in the Island, but the conditions on that first lap were terrible and I was sliding around all over the place so decided to err on the side of caution.'