Johnston wins 350cc Classic TT
First MV to win on the Mountain course since Agostini in 1972
IRISHMAN Lee Johnston broke the lap record on Tuesday on-board an MV Augusta for Black Eagle Racing during only a 3-lap 350cc Classic TT race around the Isle of Man TT course.
After postponing all races from Monday until Tuesday due to poor weather, Tuesday started off with strong winds and damp patches under trees. However, racing started without much delay and with the sun shining.
Ian Lougher, on the Geoff Bates prepared Drixon Honda, was ahead of Jamie Hamilton on the road by Glen Helen, but it was William Dunlop who was the fastest to Glen Helen on the Davies Motorsport Honda 0.9 seconds ahead of team-mate Alan Oversby.
Johnston rounded out the top five at Glen Helen with Lougher just ahead of him, but it was Oversby who made the move on Dunlop at Ballaugh to take the lead by 0.25 seconds.
Oversby couldn’t catch Dunlop on the road as the Irishman was the first back to the grandstand breaking Chris Palmer’s lap record with a 103.045mph from a standing start. That lap record didn’t last long as Oversby smashed it again by finishing a lap of 103.624mph with a seven second lead.
It wasn’t to be once again for William’s young brother Michael Dunlop as he retired in the pits after lap one after running down in 11th. James Hillier was forced to retire at Governor’s due to a broken chain.
Although primarily nowhere to be seen, Lee Johnston was on a quick second lap moving into second position whilst Oversby still led at Glen Helen. From Glen Helen up to Ramsey, Johnston decreased the gap to Oversby to only 2.3 seconds and by the Bungalow the Black Eagle Racing rider had a 0.5 second lead.
No pit-stop for Johnston at the end of lap two, instead he went straight through and destroyed the lap record with a lap speed of 105.239mph and time of 21 minutes 30.66 seconds and won by over 45 seconds.
The elder Dunlop retired at Douglas Road Corner on the last lap allowing Roy Richardson to move into third with Alan Oversby clinging onto second place.
First 250cc machine/rider to take the chequered flag and riding a T20 Suzuki, Tom Jackson received the ‘Phil Read’ Classic TT award finishing 20th overall as Roy Richardson was awarded the ‘Geoff Duke’ trophy after finishing top single cylinder 250cc machine.
