2014 North West 200: Johnston does Supertwin double
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01/01/1970
By Phil Wain at the North West
Image by Derek Wilson
Lee Johnston bounced back from his earlier Supersport crash to make it a Supertwin double at the North West 200 on Saturday afternoon when he won a thrilling, sometimes scary, 4-lap race by two seconds from Michael Dunlop.
With rain falling at various parts of the course, Johnston got his head down from the start and whilst the action sometimes saw the riders four abreast on the opening two laps, the 25-year old hit the front for good half way round the second lap and never looked back.
"I really needed that," admitted the Maguiresbridge rider afterwards. "I've been walking round the paddock with a long face so I really wanted to win this race and pushed hard once I'd got to the front. I've struggled in the past with the Twin but I love riding it now and the boys in the team have really turned it round for me."
Johnston went elbow to elbow with Dunlop, James Cowton and Ryan Farquhar in the early stages, the latter two banging into each other on two or three occasions at times at more than 150mph, whilst KMR riders Connor Behan and Keith Amor were both out of luck on the opening lap, the Cheshire rider overcooking it on the brakes at the Mathers Cross chicane and Amor retiring back at the pits.
Johnston's lead was only 0.2s after the first lap but by half distance it had shot up to two seconds as Farquhar, Dunlop, Cowton and Jeremy McWilliams continued to dispute second. With the rain spots getting heavier, Farquhar dropped back to leave McWilliams as the sole KMR challenger but his hopes of the runner up spot disappeared when he took to the grass on the exit of Mathers Cross on the final lap.
Johnston had no such problems though and was able to ease back slightly on the final lap to take his second NW200 win, two seconds clear of Dunlop who finally got the better of Cowton at the Juniper chicance on the last lap. McWilliams cruised home in fourth with team boss Farquhar some 16s adrift of the race winner at the chequered flag.
Ivan Lintin had a lonely ride into sixth ahead of Martin Jessopp, Derek Sheils, Paul Shoesmith and Gareth Keys.
With rain falling at various parts of the course, Johnston got his head down from the start and whilst the action sometimes saw the riders four abreast on the opening two laps, the 25-year old hit the front for good half way round the second lap and never looked back.
"I really needed that," admitted the Maguiresbridge rider afterwards. "I've been walking round the paddock with a long face so I really wanted to win this race and pushed hard once I'd got to the front. I've struggled in the past with the Twin but I love riding it now and the boys in the team have really turned it round for me."
Johnston went elbow to elbow with Dunlop, James Cowton and Ryan Farquhar in the early stages, the latter two banging into each other on two or three occasions at times at more than 150mph, whilst KMR riders Connor Behan and Keith Amor were both out of luck on the opening lap, the Cheshire rider overcooking it on the brakes at the Mathers Cross chicane and Amor retiring back at the pits.
Johnston's lead was only 0.2s after the first lap but by half distance it had shot up to two seconds as Farquhar, Dunlop, Cowton and Jeremy McWilliams continued to dispute second. With the rain spots getting heavier, Farquhar dropped back to leave McWilliams as the sole KMR challenger but his hopes of the runner up spot disappeared when he took to the grass on the exit of Mathers Cross on the final lap.
Johnston had no such problems though and was able to ease back slightly on the final lap to take his second NW200 win, two seconds clear of Dunlop who finally got the better of Cowton at the Juniper chicance on the last lap. McWilliams cruised home in fourth with team boss Farquhar some 16s adrift of the race winner at the chequered flag.
Ivan Lintin had a lonely ride into sixth ahead of Martin Jessopp, Derek Sheils, Paul Shoesmith and Gareth Keys.
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