TT 2019: Emotional Lee Johnston dedicates maiden Isle of Man victory to his late father

Northern Ireland’s Lee Johnston clinched his maiden Isle of Man TT victory in a shortened Supersport race on Monday evening.
Lee Johnston won the opening Supersport TT race on Monday evening.Lee Johnston won the opening Supersport TT race on Monday evening.
Lee Johnston won the opening Supersport TT race on Monday evening.

The Fermanagh rider won the race by 3.6 seconds on his Ashcourt Racing Yamaha from James Hillier (Quattro Plant/Wicked Coatings Kawasaki), with third going to Superbike race winner Peter Hickman on the Trooper Beer Smiths Triumph.

As rain began to fall on the west of the Mountain Course, the organisers decided to end the race following the completion of lap two and the chequered flag was displayed at the start and finish as the riders prepared to come in for their pit stops=--=-

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Johnston, who won the opening Supersport race at the North West 200 in May, said: “I’m so emotional. This place is so weird and I feel like I haven’t done anything different but it just clicked. In a way I’m so frustrated but in another it’s amazing. I’m absolutely over the moon.”

The tearful 30-year-old dedicated the victory to his father, Everitt, who sadly passed away following a battle with cancer in 2016.

“I probably haven’t been the easiest person to live with because of all the stress but this is what we do it for,” said Johnston.

“It’s something I always wanted to do and there’s one person I wish was here to see that. He won’t be, but hopefully he’s looking down.”

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Dean Harrison claimed fourth on the Silicone Engineering Kawasaki, 13 seconds back, while Michael Dunlop finished fifth on his MD Racing Honda.

The top six was completed by Manx rider Conor Cummins on the Milenco by Padgett’s Honda.