Supersport podiums for Lee Johnston as Jack Kennedy notches double

After starting from pole, Dubliner Kennedy won Saturday’s opening Sprint race by over seven seconds from Johnston (Ashcourt Racing Yamaha), who held off Harry Truelove on the Appleyard Macadam Yamaha to secure the runner-up spot.

On Sunday, Kennedy – who is bidding to win the title for a record fourth time this year – was involved in a battle with Bradley Perie (Appleyard Macadam Yamaha), which went down to the wire.

Perie – a retirement on Saturday – made a move for the lead on the last lap but lost the front end of his machine, throwing away any prospect of victory.

At the same time, Kennedy ran straight on but was able to inherit the lead after Perie’s demise to close out his second victory of the weekend by 12.4s from Fermanagh man Johnston. Truelove again finished in third spot.

TT winner Johnston said: “It’s really good and I’m super-chuffed to get onto the podium. A big thanks to the team and all my sponsors as always, and the bike has been working amazing all weekend.”

Race winner Kennedy reflected on a ‘crazy’ race afterwards.

“It was a bit of a crazy race and I let him (Bradley Perie) lead for a bit and then I passed him, but I couldn’t get away,” he said.

“I tried to lead on the last few laps but Brad got me back, and there was backmarkers coming into play as well.

“In hindsight it was lucky I missed a gear and went into neutral, which made me go on at the end of the straight, otherwise he would have taken the two of us out.

“It was lucky for me and unfortunate for him, and hopefully soon he will find his limit.”

Donegal’s Rhys Irwin was sixth on Saturday, while Eunan McGlinchey finished seventh and sixth respectively on the Gearlink Kawasaki.

Magherafelt man Paul Jordan was 16th and 17th on the PreZ Racing Yamaha as he took the advantage for some track time ahead of this weekend’s Cookstown 100, which raises the curtain on the Irish National road racing season.

James McManus sealed a podium in third in the second British Junior Supersport race after finishing fifth in race one, while in the National Junior Superstock race Sam Laffins was ninth and series newcomer Cameron Dawson 13th.

David Allingham was seventh and 10th in the National Superstock 1000 races