Mar-Train racing head to the North West 200 this week confident of continuing the success they enjoyed at last year’s event when they scored a dramatic supersport and superstock double. The official Yamaha UK team has enjoyed a successful pre-season testing schedule and also hit the ground running on the National scene with Dean Harrison chalking up an impressive five podiums at Oliver’s Mount and the Cookstown 100 including two victories.

Harrison heads the attack in the Superstock and Superbike classes on the new YZF-R1M Yamaha whilst he is joined by Lincolnshire’s Gary Johnson in what is a formidable line up for the Lisburn outfit in the supersport races. Despite just one test with the team thirty four year old Johnson is relishing the opportunity and has his sights set on a maiden North West 200 victory after standing on the podium in 2014.

Gary Johnson:

“I’m looking forward to riding the Mar-Train R6 this week, it won the opening supersport race last year and holds the lap record around the North West so I can’t wait to see what I can do on it. I’ve only had one test but the bike was in the ball park from the word go and we made improvements with every session. We’ll know better after first practice obviously but I am confident we won’t be far away.”

Bradford man Harrison was running in the lead group in last year’s opening supersport encounter before he had to retire with a mechanical issue so the affable twenty six year old is keen to make amends this time around.

Dean Harrison:

“We didn’t have much luck at last year’s North West 200 but I showed I had the pace to run at the front. We’ve had two good race meetings and lots of testing so far this year so all three bikes are perfect, the boys have certainly given me the tools for the job so I’m ready to rock on Tuesday.”

Team principal: Tim Martin

“Of course you are always apprehensive heading into a big event like the North West but I have a great team of guys and two very capable and confident riders. Dean is really gelling with the bikes now and Gary showed great promise at the test last week. We’ve put the effort in both on and off the track over the past few months and thanks to the support of Yamaha UK we have a great all round package which I am confident will be competitive.”