Featured Isle Of Man Southern 100 (s100)

Well this years S100 was the best racing I have seen for a good many years, it was also the Platinum Jubilee of 70 years known as the friendly races, it again lived up to it's name. Practice commenced on Monday evening the 7th July starting at 6.18pm until 9.10pm, this saw the all newcomers sighting lap followed by the
1100 Class
Lightweight Class
Supersport 600
Supersport 600 (2)
1100 (2)
Lightweight
Sidecars
This saw a record number of newcomers, by newcomers it means those racing at the S100 for the first time, you need a National or International Licence to race here. The practice saw a very fast pace from the start, for those that have never seen these races, it is a mass start that soon sees breath taking action at Ballakeighan corner, the run down from there to Iron Gate sees speeds up to 180mph, given the narrow sections of the road it is very impressive, unprotected dry stone walls remind me of the roads I ride regularly at home, I just love these walls and riding so close is exhilarating. Thankfully you can still get really close to the action, the TT and MGP have seen more and more restricted areas appearing, due in part to insurance stipulations. I really love riding this course, it has many unrestricted sections. No dramas for the opening evenings practice thank goodness. I could not believe the fast pace of the riders new to the S100 from the get go. The practice finished just after 9pm as dusk approached. I took the photos from Iron Gate. I will post day 2 next.

 

S100 day 2. As most are aware the first 3 days of practice and the races are held in the evenings, this leaves the days free for whatever you fancy. My wife and I went to Port Erin in the morning, spent half the day including lunch on the lovely beach, then went to the paddock back at Castletown to catch up with some friends who race the roads, the paddock it is a lot mor relaxed than you see at the TT and MGP, MD was playing football with his team, caught a photo as he was sat relaxed, his mechanics fitting full new exhaust system, it is a lot easier replacing these on a race machine than a standard road bike. Ryan and Callum Crowe where really relaxed and chatty, the outfit is pretty trick. Around 4.30pm we went into Castletown for something to eat as racing was due to get underway at 6.18pm, so suitably fed we headed off to Church Bends for the evening to watch.

 

S100 Tuesday Evening, this sees a mixture of qualifying and racing.
Solo non-qualifiers
Supersport 600 Qualifying
Supersport 600 2 Qualifying
Sidecars Qualifying
Race 1 Senior Race 7 Laps
Race 2 Lightweight Race 6 Laps
Well another very fast session, the race was a really hot pace, the first 4 where all withing a few tenths of each other, the one rider for me that really stood out was Rob Hodson from Wigan, Rob always goes well, but he was on a different level to what I have seen before, I was really pleased for him, he took it to Davey Todd, Dean Harrison and Michael Dunlop in the Senior Race. The trust they have each other is exceptionally high, heading out to Great meadow approaching 180mph and less than a wheel apart is something else to see.
All to soon it was over, new lap and race records set, such was the pace.
The following Lightweight Race again saw a fast pace, with a very very close 3 way dice between Davey Todd, Joe Yeardsley and Rob Hodson, by the time they reached Church Bends it was Rob Hodson that was a few tenths Infront of Davey Todd with Joe Yeardsley closely following. All racing the Paton 650s. Rob Hodson went on to win despite Davey Todd doing all he could to get Infront of Joe, and on identical machines. The credit for this class of racing has to go to Ryan Farquhar, I remember having a long conversation with Ryan years ago regarding these Supertwin machines, at the time has wat trying to get them introduced for the TT as an affordable way to compete, my son was wanting a Supertwin to race on the roads, Ryan said he could build one for me for £12,000, try doing that now for a full spec machine, it's close to that for the front and rear suspension alone. A great evenings qualifying and racing.

 

S100 Wednesday Evening's racing, after spending the day at the Calf Of Man, and then a steam train ride out of Port Erin to Douglas and back, then grabbed something to eat in Castletown before racing started at 6.18pm. This consisted of the following.
Senior Race
600 B Race
600 Race
Sidecar Race
Well what an evenings racing this turned out to be, it was full on from the start, my wife and myself, youngest son and his girlfriend watched from Cross Four Ways. The Senior Race saw a hectic pace from the start, it soon became a heady 3 way battle, the lead changed a couple of times between Davey Todd and Dean Harrison with Nathan Harrison a close third, Dean was backing it in at Cross Four Ways right on the back of Davey Todd heading up to Church Bends with Nathan Harrison not far behind, very impressive for the local Onchan man. Davey Todd was first at the chequered flag by a whisker, with Nathan a close third.
The first of the 600 races (B) was another fast race that saw Paul Cranston take the win, with Dennis Booth second and John Marsh third.
The second 600 race (A) was even faster, it became a three way dice between Davey Todd, Mike Browne and Michael (Miko) Sweeney, 7 laps soon came around such was the pace. Davey Todd just pipped Mike Browne to take first place with Michael Sweeney in third.
Well the excitement was building for the final race of the evening, there was areal buzz, people where speculating if a new lap record would be made, and all the talk was about Ryan and Callum Crowe and Pete Founds and Jevan Walmsley on who would do what. Lap 1 and I was genuinely shocked at the pace that Ryan and Callum set, from Cross Four Ways you could hear the outfit of Ryan and Callum screaming down through the run from Ballakeighan to Iron Gate, Ballabeg, Williams Corner to Cross Four Ways, they had the outfit tyres smoking as they braked hard for the right hander, firing it out of the corner and up to Church Bends, what a sight to witness. Peter Found and Jevan Walmsley in second with Lee Crawford and Scott Hardie third, and it remained like that for the 6 laps, finishing in that order. Ryan and Callum set a new lap and race record, what a finish to a spectacular evenings racing, it doesn't get much better at 8.30pm in a very sunny evening. I always thought my wife is a little crazy when she was younger, wanting to do a lap around the course as a passenger, and she was serious. The next best I could do was arrange a lap at Mallory Park, but she thought that would not be as exciting. Yes the TT sidecar racing is special but this is on a whole different level. Guy Martin used to say he regarded the TT as a warm up to the S100, I am not really convinced about that myself, but he was adamant it was for him.

 

Saw this bike parked up at Cross Four Ways, it would be interesting what the Police back in the UK think when they see it, over here at the IOM no one could care less, they see it for what it is. It looks like a Weihrauch HW 97 Air Rifle to me.

 

IOM S100 Road Racing
Thursday saw a full days racing, it is split into 2 sessions, the morning from 9.50am and the afternoon from 1.50pm until 4pm, the break at lunch time allows for residents to access the road, the marshals and all race organising staff, volunteers and spectators to get food and refreshments, and move locations if desired. My wife and myself decided to watch from Church Bends for the full day, my son and his girlfriend decided to spectate at Iron Gate. The Church puts on both hot and cold food, hot and cold drinks, and toilet facilities. The church has a long history of supporting the Southern 100 Road Races.
Morning Racing saw the following.
600 B Race
600 Race
Solo Founders Race - This race is for machines that did not qualify for Races 2 - 3 - 4A and 4B, by invitation only.
Senior Race
Lightweight Consolation Race

600 B Race 7 Laps
The racing got underway on time, this saw a mixture of machines, 636 Kawasaki's - Triumph 765rs - Ducati 959s - Honda 600s and 650s - Suzuki 750s - Yamaha 600s - and MV Augusta 675. It was a hot pace and lap 1 saw John Marsh in the lead, followed by Paul Cranston with Dennis Both following in third, it remained like that until the chequered flag, a good race with no incidents.
600 Race 7 Laps
Again this race saw a mixture of the same capacity machines as the 600 B Race. the pace was fast from the very start, certainly the fastest ;600 race I have seen around the Billown Course, the front runners saw Davey Todd, Mike Browne and Michael Dunlop who put in a good lead from the rest of the field on lap1, on lap 2 it was Mike Browne on his Yamaha 600 in the lead by fractions of seconds from Davey Todd on the Padgetts Honda 650, followed by Michael Dunlop on his superb looking Ducati 959, at 150 mph with only a wheel between Mike Browne and Davey Todd's machines there is no room for error, and complete trust and respect for each other is called for, such is the skills of these riders. By lap 3 it was the same, a short time late rand Davey Todd had eased past Mike Browne to take the lead, lap 5 saw Mike Browne in front by a few tenths, closely followed by Micky D, lap 6 and Michael Dunlop was hunting them down, what a pace he was setting, when you consider all races are a mass start, this saw Davey Todd first on the grid, Mike Browne on 3rd and Michael Dunlop with his usual 6th on the grid, the pace both Mike Browne and Michael Dunlop had to put in to catch Davey Todd is impressive, given that riders like Dean Harrison, Dominic Herbertson and Michael Evans where putting in hot laps, made overtaking impressive indeed. Lap 7 and the final lap saw Michael Dunlop setting a new lap record of 11.234 mph, by Church Bends it was Mike Browne leading with Davey Todd almost touching his back wheel, Michael Dunlop close as well, powering out of the Church bends and up to Great Meadow was impressive, a short burst to Stadium Bend and then Castletown Corner as Mike Browne took the win, Davey Todd second and Michael Dunlop third.
Solo Founders Race 6 Laps
Whilst many may not recognise familiar names in this race, nonetheless it was a fast pace, exciting racing from start to finish, from lap1 it was Craig Szczpek in the lead, followed by Adam Williams and Craig Kennelly in third, each and every competitor spends both time and money preparing the machines, and take time away from work to compete. The S100 do a fantastic job in ensuring as many people as possible get an opportunity to race, and they did not disappoint with fast clean racing, at the chequered flag it was Craig Szczpek first, Adam Williams second and Craig Kennelly third.
Senior Race 7 Laps
From Church Bends you could hear the machines from the start line down to various sections of the course, by the time they reached Church Bends it saw Davey Todd in P1, Dean Harrison P2 and Michael Dunlop in P3, by lap 2 the machines could be heard down to the run from Ballakeighan to Iron Gate, the machines quickshifter/blippers working at full chat, the machines must have been spectacular to see at the Bomb Hole, you could hear the machines screaming up from Cross Four Ways to Church Bends, again this saw Davey Todd by a whisker from Dean Harrison with Michael Dunlop hunting them down. Lap 3,4, and 5 saw the same 3 in front, lap 6 and Dean was marginally in front, but not for long, Davey Todd was back in front, the final lap and at Church Bends it saw Davey Todd in the lead with Dean Harrison so close behind you couldn't call it, it was Davey Todd who took the win by the smallest of margins, with Dean in second and Michael in third. At the garland ceremony and following interview, Dean was asked if he could have done anything more, keep in mind Dean was racing his Superstock Machine, as opposed to Davey and Michael's Superbike spec bikes, Dean replied by stating, yes I could have made a move going into Stadium, but I didn't want a handbags at dawn situation, it was really funny from Dean and a bit tongue in cheek.
Lightweight Consolation race
After the hectic pace of the previous race we awaited the Lightweight Race, and this did not disappoint, the race saw a mixture of machines, Aprillia 660s, Paton 650s, Yamaha R7s, Kawasaki 650s and Suzuki SV650s. Another fast pace from the start, these machines in race prep are quick, lap 1 saw Andy Smart in the lead with David Glossop second and Russell Brook in third, lap 2, 3, 4, 5 was the same riders in the same positions, on the final lap it was Andy Smart in a clear lead, with David Glossop second and Russell Brook third, and the chequered flag it was these riders who finished first, second and third. A superb mornings racing, with more action to follow in the afternoon.

 

Hi Sandi, there was only 1 two stroke machine racing, it belongs to and raced by Dan Sayle, it's a 250 Yamaha, I was talking to Dan a while back at the MGP, he says it is getting harder to find parts to keep it running, and quality none OEM parts are very expensive, even tyres are getting harder to find, and also expensive. Dan used to passenger for a number of top TT sidecar drivers, including Klaus Klaffenbock from Austria (known as Klaffi), Klaus was a World Champion, TT winner 3 times, and S100 race winner, he retired in 2011 and resides in the IOM, Klaus was also successful racing on 4 wheels running his own Porsche Racing Team, he started a very successful hospitality business, Dan retired from sidecar racing in 2018 after a horrific crash at Ballaspur in the solo lightweight race, Dan's injuries where horrific. He was also passenger for Dave Molyneux, and Tim Reeves. To see Dan Sayle back racing again is phenomenal. I will write up the last session of the S100 next week.