DAVID JOHNSON

No-one knew much about David Johnson when he first arrived in the UK in 2002, but they soon did as he scored several impressive results against the likes of Tom Sykes, Cal Crutchlow, Craig Jones and Guy Martin in the National Superstock 600cc Championship. Problems with his work permit meant he had to return home to Australia halfway through the season, but he was back in 2003 and has continued to return ever since.

However, although he soon made the move into the premier British Superbike Championship class, he was continually up against it, the privateer teams he was riding for no match for the factory teams. That didn’t stop him from scoring numerous points-scoring finishes, but it did lead to him casting his eye further afield to the TT.

His debut came in 2010 when, riding for Mick Charnock’s small but professional outfit, he lapped at close to 124mph and walked away with the Newcomer’s Trophy. Over the next few years, he would line up for some of the country’s leading privateer teams including PR Racing and Smiths Racing who he enjoyed some great moments with, taking fourth place for the former in the 2014 Superstock race and four top ten finishes and a 131mph lap for the latter the following year.

That led to two years with Norton, who he helped propel up the leaderboard with three top eight finishes, but in 2019 he finally got his first shot with an established factory team on the roads, something which he grabbed with both hands. Joining Honda Racing, on the back of two turbulent years for the manufacturer, wasn’t the ideal time to be doing so but the amiable Johnson didn’t see it that way and took a deserved maiden TT podium when he finished third in the Superstock race.

The result was superb but the way he did it, defeating Michael Dunlop in a last lap shoot-out and in the class which the Honda was, supposedly, less suited to, stood out more. He then followed up his TT success with a fantastic victory in the Superbike Classic TT race to mark an excellent year on the Mountain Course.

Injury prevented him from competing at the TT in 2022, but he was back in 2023 with the C&L Fairburn Properties/Jackson Racing Honda team where it was a solid if not spectacular year. Three eighth place finishes was his best return and although he was in amongst the 130mph laps, he would have been expecting more.

That led to him moving to the Lee Hardy’s Platinum Club Kawasaki team and he immediately set his fastest Superbike lap since 2015, a lap of 131.438mph putting him on the edge of the top six in the Superbike race. However, disaster struck on the final lap when he suffered a frightening 150mph crash at the Conker Trees near Ramsey.  The luckiest man on the island, a heavy bruising and a broken collarbone was the outcome.

Undeterred, he’s back with the same team and back for more so, given the way the previous year ended, a trouble-free fortnight and top ten results would be deemed a success.

VIEW FROM OUR RIDER LIAISON OFFICERS

Since his newcomer days, David’s made brilliant progression and gone on to become a top TT star, which is testament to his commitment and talent. His TT skills deserve more than a solitary podium but there’s plenty of time for him to add to that. Everyone in the paddock will agree that Davo’s an all-round nice guy who deserves a top ride with a top team.

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