Lee Johnston returned to the top of a road racing podium at the weekend, winning the Supersport 600 A and the Ultra Lightweight races at Oliver’s Mount in North Yorkshire.

In recent weeks, the Maguiresbridge rider has been focused on preparations for his track season, testing his Ashcourt Racing Yamaha ahead of the British Supersport Championship that starts at the end of June, but he took advantage of a rare road racing opportunity to once again show his talents on the roads.

With the road racing calendar hit hard by cancellations, and the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT among those events not running because of Covid restrictions, the Oliver’s Mount contest gave Lee a chance to return to a venue that has been good to him in the past, and he delivered race wins on board two different bikes.

Lee was in action with his familiar Ashcourt Racing Yamaha for the Supersport A race where he dominated the event, capitalising on the accident of main rival Dean Harrison to coast to a convincing victory.

After qualifying in fourth place, he took the win in the opening heat race on Saturday, surging into an early lead and powering ahead of his rivals to take the chequered flag 2.3 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger.

An immediate lead

In Sunday’s race he was fastest off the line to edge into an immediate lead ahead of Dean Harrison, and by the end of the opening lap, he had extended his advantage to two seconds.

Johnston continued to extend his advantage over Harrison and the chasing pack, and was looking well set for victory even before Harrison went to ground on lap three.

With four laps remaining, the lead was up to ten seconds, and although Lee eased off in the closing stages of the race, he was able to manage his lead, eventually crossing the line almost three seconds clear of the Kawasaki of Dominic Herbertson.

Lee was also contesting the Ultra Lightweight category on a 250cc Honda, and he was chasing Joey Thompson in the early stages of the first race.

With two laps remaining he moved into the lead, and surged ahead to eventually triumph by over six seconds from the Yamaha of Richie Welsh.

The second Ultra Lightweight race the following day looked set to be another battle between Johnston and Thompson, but Lee retired early, and then failed to add to his tally of victories as he was also unable to take to the grid in the final of the Spring Cup Trophy.