Gary Johnson’s Scarborough learning curve

Gary Johnson was racing his own Honda at Scarborough, the same bike he’s run in the last two National Superstock rounds at BSB meetings.

Johnson said: “The last time I came to Scarborough was in 2007 on a friend’s road bike so this is my first Scarborough on a proper racing machine.

“I’ve never braked so hard, so many times in one lap on a race circuit. This place is really hard work (with all the hairpin corners) but I’m enjoying it. It took time to get settled over the jumps and used to how close the trees are!

Johnson steadily got to grips with the demanding narrow race circuit and finished ninth in the first Darren Lindsay superbike race, fifth in the second one and then was fourth in the Gold Cup.

Johnson’s bike came out of a breaker’s yard and has since £10,000 spent on it to turn it into a superstock race bike. “First time out Cadwell I struggled a bit, my first time on Pirellis in two years,” he said, “but Croft was a lot better.”

Johnson was back on Dunlops for the Scarborough meeting (a road race with no one-make tyre regulations) and rode his own bike as Uel Duncan (his regular roads backer with Robinson Concrete) had prior commitments.

Johnson will back on Duncan’s bike for the Sunflower International at Bishopscourt in mid-October.

Johnson is uncertain of his 2010 plans but said he’s in talks with his current roads backers, the Uel Duncan/Robinson Concrete Honda team.

“I need the right package for 2010 and that means the three big international road races, maybe the occasional national road races plus a season of National Superstock. Plus I need to go testing.”