Honda Racing’s David Johnson took his first Isle of Man TT podium in sensational fashion in today’s Superstock race, getting the better of Michael Dunlop by just 0.2seconds. With the weather finally giving an uninterrupted day of running, it was a bumper day of track activity on the Island today.
Getting off to a steady start in the Superstock, Davo was eighth on the first of the three-lap race, but wasted no time in starting his ascent through the field. By Ramsey he was sixth, and by the end of lap one that had become fifth. The team did a fantastic job of his pitstop, getting him underway 3.8seconds faster than Dunlop’s pitstop, and with a penalty for speeding for James Hillier moved into fourth at the start of lap two.
Then in the final lap, the fight for the podium really became incredible. He and Michael Dunlop were separated by tenths of a second throughout, taking turns at holding third position. By Glen Helen, Davo was 0.7seconds ahead, but by Ballaugh Bridge that was just 0.1seconds, and by Bungalow Dunlop was one second ahead, but a stunning final sector for Davo overhauled that deficit to give the popular Aussie his very popular maiden TT podium.
In this morning’s first session, both Ian Hutchinson and Davo ran their Superstock machines for the qualifying lap, which was followed shortly by the second Supersport race. Whilst Davo took his CBR600RR to 10th in the two-lap race, unfortunately Hutchy was forced to retire on the opening lap. He then elected to sit out the Superstock race, in which Davo took the CBR1000RR Fireblade to the podium, in order to focus on this evening’s Senior qualifying lap.
As the sun was sitting low in the sky after what has been a rare beautiful day in this year’s TT, the qualifying lap was the final chance for track time before the blue riband Senior TT tomorrow. Working on some changes to the bikes, Davo finishes 7th fastest and Hutchy 12th. The finale of TT week, the Senior, is scheduled to start at 1000h tomorrow morning.