By Finishing tied tenth in Road Racing News top ten riders of the 2019 roads season are, RST Superbike Classic TT winner David Johnson and Cookstown 100, Tandragee 100 Grand Final winner Derek McGee.
The amiable duo of Australian International roads star Johnson and 2018 Duke Road Race Rankings Champion McGee, both enjoyed a selection of great achievements throughout the 2019 roads season.
Adelaide’s Johnson, a first-time member of the factory Honda Racing squad alongside 16 times TT winner Ian Hutchinson, it’s fair to say surprised some with his high quality performances at the International’s in 2019.
An established top-level TT Races exponent, TT 2019 saw him clinch a long awaited maiden TT rostrum finish, following a superb ride to third within the Royal London 360 Superstock race.
In addition to securing the works Honda team’s first TT podium finish in three years, TT 2019 also yielded a further two top 10 finishes which took his overall total of top ten TT placing’s to 17.
August’s Classic TT would see Team ACR Kawasaki mounted Johnson join the Mountain Course winners circle, emerging victorious from a drama filled RST Superbike encounter.
Four times a top eight finisher at the FonaCAB Ulster Grand Prix, Johnson’s productive roads campaign ended recently in style at Macau with a first event rostrum finish, to take his tally of International roads rostrum finishes into triple figures.
Reflecting on fellow multi International roads rostrum finisher Derek McGee’s 2020 season, he’s continued to excel at the Irish national events, showcasing his proven talent against a selection of the world’s best pure road racers.
Grand Final winner at Cookstown and Tandragee, he claimed combined from the season opening Irish road races of 2019, no less than seven race wins.
Runner up within the second Supersport race of the FonaCAB International North West 200 with Nicholl Oils, his following trip to Manx shores for TT 2019, ultimately proved unsuccessful.
The reigning Duke Road Race Rankings Champion latest TT tenure came to an early conclusion following an incident at Greeba Bridge, during the Sunday practice session of race week.
Sustaining from the incident leg injuries, it took McGee just over a month to get back to competitive action at Walderstown. Third within the Open race at Walderstown, the remainder of the season saw him reproduce the form he showed at Cookstown, Tandragee.
Supersport, 125/Moto 3 winner at Faugheen, he went onto secure back to back Supersport triumph’s at Armoy, plus finish third in the prestigious ‘Race of Legends’.
Never to be underestimated like Adelaide’s Johnson he’s one of those racer’s who can secure a top draw result from challenging situations and make you think how did he accomplish that!
Words by Stevie Rial
