Gary Johnson on road to recovery after TT smash

Double TT winner Gary Johnson is well on the road to recovery following his crash in the Superstock TT just over a month ago, despite the Lincolnshire rider suffering more severe injuries that first realised in the off at Tower Bends.

Coming only a day after taking his second TT victory in the Supersport TT on the Smiths’ Triumph, Johnson got caught out on the climb out of Ramsey and was left with a broken collarbone, vertebrae and bones in his hand, while his Lincs Lifting Kawasaki was unsalvageable after catching fire.

“The vertebrae are healing nicely, and even though I’m supposed to be in a brace for the next five weeks still I’m out of it. It’s not that I know better than the doctors, but I know my body and I know it’s healing up really well.”

“My collarbone is fixing too, and everything I broke is only bones at the end of the day. I’m not going to be getting myself into a rugby scrum or a bar brawl, but I’m looking after myself. I feel a little bit weird moving around so strangely, but I’m alright.”

“My hand is getting better too, and I’m seeing a really good chiropractor in Doncaster, who’s fixing my shoulder and the ligament in it too. It’s a million times better than it was a week ago, so I’m hoping to be back functioning at 80% in another week or so.”

With the racing originally scheduled to resume for Johnson at August’s Ulster Grand Prix, he now faces a face to full fitness to make the starting grid at Dundrod in just over a month, but admits that he’s putting himself under no pressure.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to ride a bike shortly, start training up, and look at making a comeback, whether that’s at the Ulster GP, the Classic TT or at Macau. I’m not setting my sights on anything yet, though, apart from returning to full fitness.”