East Coast Racing's Lee Johnston scored a treble at the Ulster Grand Prix, round 17 of the Duke Road Race Rankings Championship 2015.
The Yorkshire based Ulsterman opened his account with the first race of the day for Superstock machines, getting the better of Peter Hickman by a machine's length after a sensational six-lap scrap. Johnston also set a new class lap record of 132.793mph on lap five to better Michael Dunlop's third lap record of 132.446mph on his charge from fifth to third.
From the off Hickman, Johnston and Ian Hutchinson set a blinding pace ahead of Keith Amor and Michael Dunlop.
Johnston took the lead on lap five as he and his shadow Hickman, in only his second year at Dundrod, raced into their final lap.
The result was settled as the pair encountered slower riders betweeen Wheelers and Tornagrough on the final lap, Johnston getting the best run through them holding off the challenge of Hickman by a third of a second.
Johnston switched from BMW power to Triumph and made it a quick-fire double with another record breaking win in the first Supersport race after a titanic battle with William Dunlop (Yamaha) over six laps that ended in a photo-finish - the gap between them 0.039sec - Johnston setting a new lap record of 128.913mph on the final lap.
Supersport race two gave Johnston his hat-trick when he led over the line at the end of lap three when the result was declared - the race red flagged and later a statement told of the sad death of Andy Lawson.
A sensational five-rider dice for UGP Superbike honours had the huge crowd at Dundrod on the edge of their seats until a red flag on lap six of a scheduled seven brought things to a halt.
Less than a second separated Anstey, Hutchinson, Johnston, Peter Hickman and Conor Cummins at the front with Flying Kiwi Anstey and Hutchinson trading blows and fastest laps at the front swapping places a number of times as the high-speed quintet swooped around the Dundrod Circuit.
Reaching speeds of over 195mph as they flew down the 'Flyin Kilo' the action was breath-taking before the race stoppage when Tom McHale crashed out unhurt.
The result was declared from lap four giving Anstey his 11th Ulster Grand Prix victory by a third of a second over Hutchinson and keep up his phenomenal record of finishing on the podium every year since his debut in 2002!
Johnston took his fourth podium of the day ahead of a superb Hickman in fourth on a slick-shod Superstock BMW.
The final Superbike race minus Johnston and Anstey was shortened to four laps on wet roads and it gave Hickman his first international victory just getting to the finish line by two one hundredths from the slow starting Conor Cummins who set the fastest lap of the race at 120.908mph on his final lap having charged through to second relegating Michael Dunlop to third.
A popular winner of the Lightweight race was Sam Wilson riding the Joey's Bar MCC 250cc Honda while in the Ultra Lightweight race it was Christian Elkin who won comfortably.
Derek McGee scored his first international win by taking the Supertwin race in damp conditions.
William Dunlop takes over at the top of the Duke Road Race Rankings, 28 points ahead of Ivan Lintin, who missed most of the Ulster Grand Prix after slipping off his machine in the opening Superstock race - taking no further part in the meeting.
Supertwin race winner Derek McGee moves up one position to fifth, with treble victor Lee Johnston climbing five places from 12th to seventh. Bruce Anstey slots into 12th, up four, as Sam Wilson's Lightweight race win advances him six places to 16th.
Dan Kneen also climbs 11 positions to 18th, with fellow Manxman Conor Cummins moving up 55 places to 34th.
Peter Hickman and Glen Irwin are the highest climbers, Peter up from 106th to 23rd, up 83, with Glenn up some 96 slots from 146th to 50th.
The next round of the Duke Road Race Rankings is at Faugheen in Eire on Saturday and Sunday 15th & 16th August before the action returns to the Isle of Man for the final time this year for the Classic TT and the Manx Grand Prix.
Full details of the Duke Road Race Rankings can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DukeRoadRaceRankings
