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In this exclusive interview with James Whitham, top Irish road racer Lee Johnston discusses his plans and aspirations for the Isle of Man TT 2017 races and reminiscences about his first visit to the island.
Johnston will line up for Jackson Racing at this year’s Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy, riding Nicky Hayden’s 2016 World Superbike spec Honda CBR1000RR.
The 27 year old will ride the Ten Kate prepared Fireblade that carried the 2006 MotoGP world champion to a World Superbike Race win last season at Malaysia and fifth overall in the Championship, in the RST Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT Races. He’ll also campaign Hondas in the RL360º Quantum Superstock and two Monster Energy Supersport Races.
Johnston made his TT debut in 2012 and won the coveted TT Privateer’s Trophy, riding Honda machinery, a year later.
He was again Honda-mounted in 2014 when he took a best finish of fifth in the Superstock Race and a switch to BMW power in 2015 gave him his first TT podium with third in the Superstock Race.
He recorded his best lap to date of 130.851mph in the race and backed it up by the same result in the SES TT Zero Race.
Winner of the 2014 350cc Classic TT, last season was ruined by leg injuries suffered in a crash at the Scarborough Spring Cup in April but he still had some fine rides on the Mountain Course with a brace of sixths taken in the two Monster Energy Supersport Races, eighth in the PokerStars Senior and tenth in the RST Superbike Race.
However, when his East Coast Racing team quit the sport at the end of the year the Fermanagh man was without a ride for 2017.
The new deal though means Johnston will also have the new 2017 SP2 spec Fireblade available in stock trim but by opting to ride the 2016 spec ex-Hayden Honda he hopes to avoid any problems in finding a good set up with a brand new bike.
Look out for more great rider insights from the front runners to the newcomers as we build up to the TT 2017 festival!
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14 май 2017
