MAP Raceways Yamaha’s Lee Johnston is thrilled with how his season is going and the opportunity he has been given by the team to race in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship which continues at Snetterton this weekend.
The Maguiresbridge rider is riding with a recovering broken ankle that he sustained at Thruxton in a horrific crash as he hit another bike that crashed in front of him.  Suffering from what was just thought to just be a limp, Johnston joined the restart to finish ninth overall.
It has since been discovered that the ankle was actually broken, Johnston was able to have the plaster removed allowing him to continue to race this weekend.  He has been cleared by the medics, but obviously is aching and as of yet has not had physio. 
Johnston: “I shouldn’t be been hear this weekend, the bike was totalled, big thanks to the guys they have been working really hard to rebuild a bike and get me here this weekend, it’s only been a couple of weeks.”
“We all get on, it’s a great team.  It is brilliant as well, in the garage there are three different accents, but we are similar in ages and not crazily different in how we ride.  We all work together and help each other.”
Johnston has nothing but a fighting attitude, riding with a fresh, painful injury he has taken about a second and half off his first practice time and is only that again off pole position following the first qualifying session.
This is an amazing turn around for the 2008 Superstock 600 champion, as at the end of last year his 2009 season was in doubt due to lack of funds and opportunities.  It was then that Steve Rogers from MAP Raceway’s Yamaha who had been helping Johnston throughout the year was also able to provide him with the ride.
Johnston said: “It was Christmas basically, to be with a great team where all my leathers and helmets are provided it’s unbelievable.  I had to get that all myself last year, its brilliant.  I think the season is going really well and come mid season I aim to be constantly at the front.”