TT riders show strong form ahead of this year’s races
Some of the leading TT race contenders warmed up for the 2015 Isle of Man TT Races in style at the North West 200 over the weekend. Leading the way was Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston who held up Alistair Seeley’s record breaking drive for honours with victory in Saturday’s Superstock Race.
The 8.9-mile Portrush course was seriously affected all day by strong, gusting winds and rain showers, as well as some red flag incidents and although six races did take place, the final Superbike race was scrapped. There were a number of notable performances by TT riders ahead of this year’s Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, which gets underway on 30th June.
Fermanagh’s Lee Johnston firmly proved his ‘big bike’ credentials by taking a thrilling five-lap Superstock race victory passing fellow BMW pilot Alastair Seeley at Juniper Hill chicane on the last lap. Ian Hutchinson, riding for the Penrith-based Paul Bird Motorsport team, highlighted his return from injury with third place and a new lap record in the Superstock encounter.
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.
Lee was also involved in a classic encounter in the Superbike race with fellow TT riders Bruce Anstey and Ian Hutchinson all duelling for podium positions behind race winner Alistair Seeley. Hutchinson earned a hard fought second place with New Zealand’s Anstey taking third.
Ian Hutchinson:
"I gave it all I had in that first Superbike race and after effectively four years out, to be able to challenge Alastair like that felt pretty good. He's unbelievable round here and while I'm disappointed not to have won, after everything I've been through, I've got to be happy to be back on an International podium. The bikes are working excellently in all areas and I'm feeling good for the TT so I'm peaking right now."
John McGuinness put in some strong performances with the Morecambe ace showing he was back to his best form after an injury hit 2014 and with fine results of seventh and sixth in the Supersport and Superbike races respectively, he’s in confident mood heading into next month’s Isle of Man TT Races.
“When we got a clean run, I was able to be competitive though in all classes and I was well pleased with my Superbike ride. I was aggressive on the first lap and was only a couple of seconds off the lead so I’ve got to be happy. The BMW’s were so fast down the straight and it would have been easy to settle for a position but I fought all the way to the end and had no problems with my wrist.”
Fellow Honda team mate Conor Cummins was running eighth in the Superbike race before pulling in to the pits but he also enjoyed a strong run in the opening Supersport race, finishing in sixth place.
In the SuperTwin’s Ryan Farquhar won his fifth North West 200 title in Thursday’s race before teammate Jeremy McWilliams pipped his SGS International/KMR Kawasaki boss in Saturday’s follow up.