Southern 100

Last updated

Southern 100 Road Races
Southern 100.jpg
Billown Circuit
Billown Circuit.svg
Venue Castletown, Isle of Man
Date9–12 July 2018
Type Road Course
Clerk of the CourseGiles Olley
Event OrganiserACU Events Ltd
Event PromoterSouthern 100 M.C.R.C. Ltd
Principal sponsorIsle of Man Department for Enterprise
History
First races1955
First winners (1955)Dave Chadwick (250 cc)
Derek Ennett (350 cc)
Terry Shepherd (500 cc) [1]
Most wins Ian Lougher (32)
Lap record Michael Dunlop
2 minutes, 12.231 secs
115.707 mph (186.212 km/h), 2017 [2]

The Southern 100 is a motorcycle road racing event held on the Isle of Man in July of each year. The event was first held in 1955, with three races for different classes of solo motorcycles; the 2015 calendar included twelve races for various classes. [3] The participants compete on the Billown Circuit in the south of the island, starting and finishing at Castletown.

Contents

History

Michael Dunlop leading Guy Martin in 2012 Southern 100 Races 2012 IMG 00071.jpg
Michael Dunlop leading Guy Martin in 2012

In 1955, the inaugural Southern 100 held events for each of the two traditional classes, the 250  cc and the 350 cc, over six laps with a race distance of 25 miles (40 km). A 500 cc race was also included as the feature race with 24 laps, totalling in excess of 100 miles (160 km). [4]

The meeting that year had 73 entrants, with the first race held, the 350 cc event, won by Manxman Derek Ennett. [1]

In 1958, the event was granted "National Status" and eleven years later was included in the British Championships. [5] The races were part of the Irish Regal Championships in 1992 and 1993, [4] and is now one of five FIM-sanctioned International meetings in the British Isles. [5] Sidecar racing was introduced in 1962 [5] and currently constitutes two of the twelve scheduled races. [6]

Ian Lougher has achieved the most solo-machine victories, with 32 wins, followed closely by Joey Dunlop with 31. Dave Molyneux leads the Sidecar victories, with 15. [7] The Billown Circuit has been lapped with an average speed over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) on a number of occasions, but it was first achieved by Dave Leech in the 1989 Southern 100 Solo Championship Race riding a 1000 cc Yamaha at an average speed of 100.26 mph. [8]

The 2023 meeting was abandoned following a serious incident on 11th July 2023 where a competitor and marshal were killed. [9]

Sources

  1. 1 2 Southern 100 Results for 1955 Southern 100 Motorcycle Racing. Retrieved 29 January 2018
  2. 2017 INTERNATIONAL SOUTHERN 100 ROAD RACES - Race 11 Solo Championship Race Peter Oates Clerk of the Course/Chief Timekeeper Kevin Brookes (2017) Southern 100 MCRC
  3. 2015 Race results, Southern 100 Motorcycle Racing. Retrieved 13 December 2015
  4. 1 2 "Southern 100 Motorcycle Racing: History". Isle of Man Guide. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Edge, Phil (24 November 2009). "The history of the 'Southern 100'". BBC . Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  6. "Steam Packet Southern "100" Races Results: 2011". Southern 100 Motor Cycle Racing Club Ltd. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  7. "Most wins". Southern 100 Motor Cycle Racing Club Ltd. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  8. Southern 100 – Race Programme 1990 Southern 100 Motor Cycle Racing Ltd (1990) Castletown Press page 81
  9. https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/remainder-of-southern-100-cancelled/

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Man TT</span> Annual motorcycle race held on the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May and June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event begins on the UK Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May and runs for thirteen days. It is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world as many competitors have died.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mallory Park</span> Motor racing circuit

Mallory Park is a motor racing circuit situated in the village of Kirkby Mallory, just off the A47, between Leicester and Hinckley, in central England. Originally used for grass-track until 1955, a new, basically oval hard-surfaced course was constructed for 1956, with a later extension forming a loop with a hairpin bend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Man TT Mountain Course</span> Motorcycle circuit on the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man TT Mountain Course or TT Course or Jalmaf Mountain Course is a street and public rural road circuit located in the Isle of Man, used for motorcycle racing. The motorcycle TT Course is used principally for the Isle of Man TT Races and also the separate event of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling for the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT Races held in September of each year. The start-line for the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course is located on Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas, Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Isle of Man TT</span>

The 2007 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the Centenary race event held from 26 May to 8 June 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1949 Isle of Man TT</span>

The 1949 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was the first round of the Grand Prix World Championship that was held in the Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle racing</span> Racing sport using motorcycles

The motorcycle sport of racing includes motorcycle road racing and off-road racing, both either on circuits or open courses, and track racing. Other categories include hill climbs, drag racing and land speed record trials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lightweight TT</span> Motorcycle race on the Isle of Man

The Supertwin TT is a motorcycle road race that is a part of the Isle of Man TT festival - an annual motorcycle event traditionally held over the last week of May and first week of June. Prior to the 2022 edition of the TT, the race was known as the Lightweight TT.

The Ultra-Lightweight TT was a motorcycle road race that took place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1951 and 1974 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season at world-level, representing the British round. The Ultra-Lightweight TT and the Lightweight TT races were both dropped from the 2005 Isle of Man TT race calendar due to lack of entries, but were later reinstated to the 2008 and 2009 TT race schedules held on the 4.25 mi (6.84 km) Billown Circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidecar TT</span> Isle of Man motorcycle road race

The Sidecar TT is a motorcycle-with-sidecar road race competition held over two legs which takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1954 and 1976 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship.

William Raymond Amm was a Rhodesian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM motorcycle Grand Prix world championships from 1951 to 1954. Amm was a six-time Grand Prix race winner including three victories at the Isle of Man TT when, he died in 1955 after an accident during a race in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Phillis</span> Australian motorcycle racer (1934–1962)

Thomas Edward Phillis was an Australian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He won the 1961 125cc motorcycle road racing World Championship and was the first person to lap the Isle of Man TT mountain circuit at over 100 mph on a pushrod engined motorcycle. He was also the first person to win a World Championship motorcycle race on a Japanese machine.

The St John's Short Course was a road-racing street circuit used for the Isle of Man TT held between 1907 and 1910.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Isle of Man TT</span>

2008 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 24 May and Saturday 7 June on the 37.733-mile Snaefell Mountain Course and was the 89th Isle of Man TT Race. After the 2007 Centenary TT Races, the 2008 event included a second 600cc Supersport Junior TT race and the re-introduction of two-stroke motor-cycle racing with a Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT race on the Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billown Circuit</span>

The Billown Circuit is a motorcycle road-race course used for the Southern 100, the Pre-TT Classic races and the National Road Races meetings near Castletown on the Isle of Man. Racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Isle of Man TT</span>

The 2009 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 30 May and Friday 12 June on the 37.733-mile (60.725 km) Mountain Course. The 2009 TT races again include a second 600 cc Supersport Junior TT race and the Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT races held on the 4.25-mile (6.84 km) Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man. A new event for the 2009 Isle of Man TT races was the one-lap TTXGP for racing motorcycles "to be powered without the use of carbon based fuels and have zero toxic/noxious emissions."

The 2009 Southern 100 Races were held between Monday 13 July and Thursday 16 July on the 4.25-mile Billown Circuit near Castletown, Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Isle of Man TT</span>

The 2010 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 29 May and Friday 11 June on the 37.73-mile Isle of Man TT Mountain Course. The 2010 races again included a second 600 cc Supersport Junior TT race. The Lightweight TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT race class previously held on the 4.25-mile (6.84 km) Billown Circuit in the Isle of Man for the 2008 Isle of Man TT and 2009 Isle of Man TT were dropped from the 2010 race schedule. The 2010 Isle of Man TT Races included the one-lap TT Zero for racing motorcycles "to be powered without the use of carbon based fuels and have zero toxic/noxious emissions." which replaced the TTXGP and also a Suzuki 50th Anniversary Lap of Honour and the TT Classic Parade which were held before the main Senior TT race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Kneen</span> Professional motorcycle racer

Daniel Richard Kneen was a professional motorcycle racer from Douglas, Isle of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Isle of Man TT</span> Motorcycle road race

The 2014 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 24 May and Friday 6 June 2014 on the 37.73-mile Isle of Man TT Mountain Course. The main races were six solo motorcycle races and two sidecar races. The festival also included Pre-TT Classic Races held on 23, 24 & 26 May 2014 at the Billown Circuit in Castletown. Post-TT races scheduled for 7 June 2014 were cancelled by race organisers on safety grounds due to a thunderstorm and heavy overnight rain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florian Camathias</span>

Florian Camathias was a Swiss professional Grand Prix motorcycle and sidecar racer.